UNRESOLVED: Lavena Johnson

Summary

Up and Vanished Weekly: Unresolved Case of Lavena Johnson

Released on July 30, 2025 | Host: Maggie Freeling | Produced by Tenderfoot TV

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Introduction

In this gripping episode of Up and Vanished Weekly, hosted by Maggie Freeling and Payne Lindsay, the spotlight falls on the unresolved and deeply troubling case of Lavena Johnson, a 19-year-old soldier whose death in Iraq remains shrouded in mystery and suspicion. This long-form summary delves into the intricate details of Lavena's tragic demise, the inconsistencies surrounding the official investigation, and the relentless pursuit of truth by her family and the podcast hosts.

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Background on Lavena Johnson

Lavena Lynn Johnson was one of six children born to John and Linda Johnson. A stellar student, Lavena graduated with honors from high school in 2004 and shortly thereafter enlisted in the Army, becoming a third-generation service member. Her decision was influenced by her father's military career and her desire to use the military as a pathway to funding her college education and securing a better future.

Notable Quote:

"Lavena was excited about the future. Days before her death, Lavena told her parents she'd be home for Christmas."
— Maggie Freeling [08:41]

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Circumstances of Death

In July 2005, Lavena was deployed to Iraq, with a deployment period expected to last less than six months. However, tragedy struck when her lifeless body was discovered on a military base in Balad, Iraq, under gruesome and perplexing circumstances.

At approximately 3 AM on July 19, 2005, a sergeant responded to reports of a fire in a tent designated as a break area for workers. Upon arrival, officers found the tent engulfed in smoke with two small fires burning and an empty can containing paper fragments nearby. Through the haze, they spotted Lavena lying under a bench, her body smoking from the blaze. An M16 rifle was found near her body, leading officers to call for an ambulance.

As the situation escalated, officials found blood stains on the bench and a trail of blood outside the tent. Medics pronounced Lavena dead at the scene due to trauma to her head.

Notable Quote:

"She’s unresponsive, is no longer breathing, and they find no sign of a pulse."
— John Johnson [04:05]

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Initial Investigation and Ruling of Suicide

The military authorities quickly concluded that Lavena's death was a suicide, attributing it to a gunshot wound to her head. They posited that Lavena had taken her own life with her M16 rifle in the contractor's tent. This conclusion was met with shock and disbelief by her family, who had been in regular contact with Lavena and observed no signs of distress or intent to harm herself.

Notable Quote:

"Absolutely not. No way. My daughter did not do this to herself."
— John Johnson [08:53]

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Family's Doubts and Independent Investigation

Unconvinced by the military's findings, Lavena's parents, John and Linda Johnson, embarked on their own investigation. Their efforts revealed numerous inconsistencies and unanswered questions that challenged the official narrative of suicide.

Key points of contention included:

• Forensic Anomalies: Despite the presence of an M16 rifle, no bullet was recovered. The wound in Lavena's mouth was deemed too small for an M16 round, and her fingerprints were not found on the weapon, which did not match her assigned rifle—raising suspicions about its involvement.
• Physical Injuries: Beyond the gunshot wound, Lavena exhibited a broken nose, black eye, loose teeth, burns to her genitals from a corrosive substance, a dislocated shoulder, and a broken neck. These injuries suggested possible foul play rather than a straightforward suicide.
• Scene Contamination: The tent where Lavena was found had been heavily contaminated, with evidence of fire aimed at destroying potential forensic evidence.

Notable Quote:

"She had only a five-foot-one stature. Her arms would have been too short to reach the trigger on the rifle."
— John Johnson [25:05]

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Key Evidence Points and Forensic Inconsistencies

Detailed examination of the evidence revealed several red flags:

• Missing Bullet: The absence of the bullet from Lavena's head wounds called into question the suicide ruling. If Lavena had indeed used her M16 to commit suicide, the bullet should have been present.
• Weapon Serial Number: The M16 rifle found at the scene did not have a matching serial number to the one assigned to Lavena, suggesting it was not her weapon.
• Fingerprints: No fingerprints of Lavena were found on the rifle, undermining the claim that she used it to take her own life.
• Corrosive Substance: The presence of a corrosive substance on Lavena's genitals and hands, combined with glued gloves, indicated potential attempts to obscure evidence related to sexual assault or other malintent.
• Drag Marks: Blood trails outside the tent and debris on Lavena's clothing suggested she might have been moved post-mortem, further indicating foul play.

Notable Quote:

"The shell casing from the round that killed her had never been recovered, calling into question the claim that she had used her service weapon to take her life."
— John Johnson [13:24]

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Discussions with Megan Sachs

Megan Sachs, a criminologist specializing in cases involving female victims and offenders, joined the discussion to provide expert analysis on Lavena's case. Sachs highlighted the rarity and implausibility of the official suicide theory given the forensic evidence.

Notable Insights:

• Behavioral Indicators: Lavena had shown signs of distress, including making jokes about suicide, changes in eating habits, and expressing hatred towards life. However, these indicators did not align with the level of violence observed in her injuries.
• Journal Discrepancies: Approximately a third of Lavena's journal was missing, leading to speculation that it might have contained sensitive information that someone wanted to conceal.
• Motive for Cover-Up: The possibility of Lavena having witnessed or been involved in activities (e.g., sexual assault) that individuals within the military might wish to hide surfaced as a potential motive for obstructing the investigation.

Notable Quote:

"Corrosive was poured on her genitalia. There has to be a reason for that... This kind of mutilation, she was assaulted and to cover up any of the evidence she was killed."
— Megan Sachs [36:16]

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Media Coverage and Lack Thereof

One of the most perplexing aspects of Lavena's case is the lack of media attention. Despite the glaring inconsistencies and familial distrust, mainstream media largely ignored the case. Maggie Freeling and Payne Lindsay express frustration over the minimal coverage Lavena received, suggesting possible underlying biases.

Notable Quote:

"She was a young black female and that's not nearly as exciting as, you know, a middle-class, white blonde woman who goes missing out of a suburb. So maybe that played a part in it as well."
— Payne Lindsay [41:29]

This observation underscores societal biases that often prioritize certain profiles over others, potentially hindering justice for victims like Lavena.

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Independent Investigations and Cold Case Reviews

In 2007, Lavena's father arranged for an independent autopsy, which confirmed the gunshot wound but also revealed the surgical removal of part of her vaginal cavity. This led to further doubts about the suicide narrative.

In 2011, the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, a collaboration of college students dedicated to solving unsolved crimes, examined the case. However, their findings did not provide substantial evidence to challenge the official ruling, leaving the family in continued distress.

Notable Quote:

"In 2012, my daughter was third generation. I worked for you for 25 years supporting troops. She gets brutally raped and murdered and you treat us like dirt."
— Lakeisha Johnson [43:53]

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Family's Ongoing Pursuit for Justice

Determined to uncover the truth, Lavena's family, led by her father John, continues to advocate for a comprehensive investigation. Their relentless efforts include:

• FOIA Requests: Collaborating with U.S. Representative William Lacey Clay to secure full reports and autopsy photos through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
• Formation of a Private Investigative Team: Comprising family members with expertise in criminal science to re-examine the evidence. Their assessment concluded that Lavena's injuries were inconsistent with a suicide scenario involving an M16.
• Public Appeals: Through the podcast and media channels, the family seeks public assistance and media attention to bring renewed focus to Lavena's case.

Notable Quote:

"Where we go is we keep doing podcasts about it and hope that somebody in this mainstream media will pick this up."
— Payne Lindsay [42:23]

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Current Status and Plea for Information

As of the podcast's release in 2025, Lavena Johnson's case remains unresolved. The Johnson family's fight continues amidst skepticism and a lack of substantial breakthroughs. They appeal to the public for any information that could shed light on Lavena's true cause of death.

Notable Quote:

"If you have any information about the death of Lavena Johnson, contact the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division at 1-844-Armycid."
— Megan Sachs [44:52]

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Conclusion

The tragic and mysterious death of Lavena Johnson highlights significant gaps and potential misconduct within military investigations, compounded by systemic media biases. Up and Vanished Weekly adeptly brings to light these issues, advocating for justice and transparency for Lavena and her family. The podcast underscores the importance of persistent inquiry and public awareness in solving unresolved cases, urging listeners to remain vigilant and supportive in the quest for truth.

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Additional Notes:

• Case Comparison: The podcast briefly mentions the case of Keislyn Roberts, another missing person, showcasing the network's dedication to covering critical missing cases.
• Expert Contribution: Megan Sachs provides invaluable insights into criminology and highlights the complexities involved in cases with female victims and potential systemic failures.
• Family Testimonies: Emotional and harrowing accounts from Lavena's family members humanize the case, illustrating the profound impact on those left behind.

Overall Impression: This episode serves as a poignant reminder of the often-overlooked injustices faced by marginalized individuals and the enduring strength of families seeking closure. It calls for a more equitable approach to media coverage and investigative thoroughness, ensuring that no stone is left unturned in the pursuit of truth and justice.

Transcript

[Payne Lindsay]

You're listening to a Tenderfoot TV podcast.

[Maggie Freeling]

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[Rob]

Up and Vanish Weekly is released every Wednesday and brought to you absolutely free, but for one week early access and ad free listening. Subscribe to Tenderfoot plus at tenderfootplus.com or on Apple Podcasts. If already a subscriber. Thank you for your support.

[Megan Sachs]

This podcast discusses mature and sensitive content, including descriptions of violence that may be triggering for some audiences. Listener discretion is advised. Hey y'.

[Payne Lindsay]

All.

[Megan Sachs]

Welcome to Upvanish Weekly. I'm your host, Maggie Freeling. Throughout our nation's history, millions of American citizens have willingly sacrificed their lives, in theory, to protect American citizens by serving in the armed forces. That's why we have days like Veterans Day to honor troops who did their time. But do those same institutions always protect and serve those among their ranks? That is the question at the heart of Today's case of 19 year old Lavina Johnson, whose lifeless body was found in a gruesome scene on a military base in Iraq in 2005. Lavena was one of six children born to John and Linda Johnson. She graduated with honors from high school in 2004 and then months later enlisted in the army to become a third generation service member. Lavena's father, John was a veteran and her decision to enlist was influenced by his career path. She also saw the military as a way to pay for college and give her a head start in life. Yet despite the respect that comes with military service in her family, Lavena's parents were hesitant about her decision to enlist, and sadly, they are now among the countless families whose loved ones was lost while enlisted. But this is not a typical fallen soldier story, and the circumstances around Lavena's death are hard to comprehend. And decades later, there are still so many questions left unanswered. Later, I'll be joined by Megan Sachs, who is a longtime friend of mine. Megan is a criminologist who specializes in cases where women are offenders and victims, and she looked into Lavina's death to assess what the evidence reveals not may have happened to her. Lavena was deployed to Iraq in 2005 and her deployment was to be less than six months. But sadly, Lavina never made it home. Here's Rob with the details of what we know from her final moments.

[John Johnson]

It's Tuesday, July 19, 2005, in Balad, Iraq, the base of operation for the Army's 129th Corps Support Battalion Battalion. Sometime around 3am, a sergeant is notified of a fire in a tent used as a break area for workers. Within minutes, officers respond to the scene to find the tent engulfed in smoke. Inside, they see two small fires still burning, along with an empty can containing paper fragments. As they peer through the haze, they see a young woman lying under a bench, her body smoking from the blaze. They work quickly to remove her from the inferno, their eyes immediately drawn to an M16 rifle lying nearby. The officers call for an ambulance as they try to smother the remaining fire. But the bench soon reignites. Hoping to contain the flames, they carry the burning bench out of the tent and begin to assess the scene. The charred bench has a blood stain on one of the legs and they notice another blood stain on the seat with what appears to be bone, flesh and hair. They also locate a trail of blood outside the tent. As they secure the area, medics arrive and quickly identify trauma to the woman's head, which now is congealed with blood. She's unresponsive, is no longer breathing, and they find no sign of a Pulse. Moments later, 19 year old Lavena Johnson is pronounced dead at the scene. After initial investigation, authorities would rule her cause of death as suicide. As Lavena's family grappled with this revelation, they felt something wasn't adding up. After embarking on their own investigative effort, their findings led them to a very different conclusion. So what happened to Lavena Johnson? And why are so many questions unresolved? Decades later. From Tenderfoot TV in Atlanta, this is up and Vanish weekly with Payne Lindsay and Maggie Freeling.

[Megan Sachs]

By 7am the following morning, a soldier arrived at the Johnson home to break the news of Lavina's death. Lavina was only 19 years old when she died. Her life was just beginning. As a military family, the Johnsons likely prepared themselves for this kind of news, knowing it was always a possibility, especially in Iraq at the peak of the war on terror. But getting word about the death of a child is traumatic, no matter what it's reported. When they got the news that John stood in shock while Linda screamed and cried behind him. Here's what Linda told documentary filmmakers in 2010 for the Silent Truth.

[Payne Lindsay]

And he said, we regretfully inform you that your daughter, Private Lavina Lynn Johnson, is dead. I thought I was in a nightmare, saying, lord, please let somebody wake me up.

[Megan Sachs]

But in addition to the shocking news about her death, what stood out to her family was the way she died. Lavina didn't die in combat or by an act of war. They were being told she died by suicide in her barracks. The news immediately didn't make sense to her family because they had recently been in touch with Lavena. Everything seemed fine, and she was excited about the future. Days before her death, Lavina told her parents she'd be home for Christmas. Despite being young, away from home, and enduring major challenges in her life, Lavina seemed to be taking it in stride. So when they were told her death was being investigated as a suicide, things were not adding up for the Johnsons.

[Payne Lindsay]

Absolutely not. No way. My daughter did not do this to herself.

[Megan Sachs]

And as the military's investigation continued, they were left with more questions than answers. Here's Rob with how things unfolded.

[John Johnson]

By the time the lead investigator arrived on scene on July 23rd.

[Megan Sachs]

Rob.

[John Johnson]

Four days after Lavena's body had been discovered, the scene in and around the tent had been heavily contaminated. Lavena's initial autopsy listed a gunshot wound to her head as the inflicted injury, and pictures were taken for the report. The pictures revealed that Lavena's body was badly injured and her clothes had debris on them consistent with being dragged. When her father saw the black and white photos, he immediately knew things were not adding up. On September 13, 2005, the interim trace evidence report was released, stating that although gunshot residue was recovered, the amount was considered insignificant. The report also noted that the samples used were soiled, and it was unclear if the fire had affected the residue tested. Then on September 19, 2005, US Army Criminal Investigation Command interviewed John and Linda Johnson, hoping to learn more about Lavena. During the interview, Linda insisted that Lavena was not depressed, and John told investigators that he believed they were covering up his daughter's murder. Finally, after a two month investigation, authorities issued a report that included witness testimony claiming that in the days leading up to her death, Lavena may have been depressed due to a recent breakup. They also cited a number of printed out emails found in her pocket that were addressed to her ex. Ultimately, they concluded that Lavena had taken her own life by shooting herself in the mouth with her M16 rifle in the contractor's tent and that her cause of death was suicide. As officials put out their initial findings, they were confident in their assessment. So had authorities uncovered a difficult reality that Lavina's family would now have to accept?

[Megan Sachs]

Suicide rates for active duty military has gradually increased over the years to where today suicide is the primary cause of death among active duty US Soldiers. And as authorities began their investigation, they did uncover some details that led them to believe that Lavena was depressed. Sometime in spring 2005, Lavena broke up with her boyfriend because she didn't want to maintain a relationship while deployed. Lavina's friends confirmed this and said for the past two weeks, she'd been making jokes about killing herself. A fellow soldier said Lavena recently changed her eating habits, had given them some of her possessions, and taken up smoking. The fellow soldier also said Lavina told her that she hated her life and wished she were dead. Based on these findings, authorities felt there was evidence to suggest Lavena was battling depression and had taken her own life. In August 2005, Levine Lavina was buried with military honors and promoted posthumously to private first class, awarded a good Conduct medal and an Army Commendation Medal. But at the services, Lavena's family wouldn't be getting closure. In a 2012 interview with Protect Our Defenders, Lavina's father John said, and my.

[Lakeisha Johnson]

Daughter Lakeisha walked over to that casket. Next thing I know, I hear her. They murdered my sister. Did you see her face? Her face is all beat up. Her nose is all broke.

[Megan Sachs]

Lavena looked like she'd been in a fight. Even makeup couldn't hide that. While authorities had narrowed in on the gunshot wound to her mouth as evidence of suicide, Lavina's family was now seeing a different picture. They believed she had been killed. So when additional details were revealed that they believed supported their theory, the Johnsons wondered what impact it would have on the investigation going forward. Here's Rob with More.

[John Johnson]

While the official investigation found that Lavena Johnson's cause of death was suicide, several unexplained details had yet to be reconciled. The shell casing from the round that killed her had never been recovered, calling into question the claim that she had used her service weapon to take her life. Additionally, no clear answer had been given as to the cause of the fire in the tent. As investigative efforts continued, it was eventually revealed on November 17, 2005 that an open top ISO plus oil sheen hairspray can was the likely accelerant for the fire. But one question was still unanswered. How had the fire been started? Weeks later, on December 21, 2005, fingerprints and palm prints of three additional people were recovered and logged. However, the names were redacted from reports determined to get to the bottom of Lavena's cause of death. The Johnson family enlisted the help of U.S. representative William Lacey Clay to file FOIA requests for the full reporting on Lavina's case. Representative Clay's team devoted hundreds of hours to obtain the original autopsy reports and photos in hopes of bringing the family some answers. Representative Clay would later state, pfc Johnson gave her life for her country, and her country has an obligation to tell her family the whole truth about her death. As additional details continued to be revealed, Lavena's loved ones grew more skeptical about the investigation being performed. Eventually, Lavena's father formed his own investigative team consisting of family members who studied criminal science. After performing their own assessment, they concluded that the wound in Lavina's mouth was too small to be made by an M16 rifle and that the wound was more consistent with the smaller caliber round. They also determined that the entry wound was in the wrong place for the trigger to be pulled with her dominant hand. It was also concluded that because Lavena was only 5 foot 1 tall, her arms would have been too short to reach the trigger on the rifle. Their findings bolstered their belief that it was impossible that Lavena had taken her own life. As multiple investigations were concluding, the Johnsons were left with two very different stories. It would lead them to wonder how examinations of the same evidence could lead to such drastically different findings.

[Megan Sachs]

Autopsy photos reveal that in addition to the gunshot wound to her mouth, Lavena had a broken nose, black eye, loose teeth, and burns from a corrosive chemical on her genitals. The family also did their own investigation and found that Lavena also had a dislocated shoulder and a broken neck. Sure, in a hanging suicide, there may be a broken neck. But Lavena was shot, and I have no idea how to explain the other injuries. But in addition to the condition of her body, the Johnsons were quick to point out that there was a lack of testing done on the few pieces of evidence from the scene, like a possible shoe impression found on the inside of the tent and DNA. The Johnsons have never given up the fight to find out what happened to Lavena. So joining me today to continue the discussion is Megan Sachs, a professor of criminology at Fairleigh Dickinson University and a co host on the podcast Women and Crime and Direct Appeal. Her work focuses on women, the ways women are perpetrators of as well as victims of crime. And Megan's looked into Laveena's case. So when we come back from a quick break, we'll bring you my conversation with Megan. Hey, y'. All. This summer I decided I was done with fast fashion clothing that only lasts one wash. I wanted quality pieces that I feel good in. That's when I found Quince. And I'm seriously obsessed. Think soft organic cotton silk polos, breezy European linen beach shorts and pants that feel just right, whether you're chilling at home or heading out for dinner. I picked up the 100% washable silk mini slip dress that feels like something I'd find in a luxury boutique, but at a fraction of the cost. Quince is able to keep prices low because they work directly with top factories, no middlemen, no crazy markups, and they only work with places that care about ethical and sustainable production. So it's affordable, elevated, and you can feel good wearing it. Go to Quince.com VanishedWeekly for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com VanishedWeekly to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quints.com Vanish Vanished Weekly.

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[Megan Sachs]

And we're back.

So, Megan, thank you for joining me today.

[Payne Lindsay]

Oh, I was excited. Maggie.

[Megan Sachs]

Anytime for listeners who don't know you. What is a criminologist?

[Payne Lindsay]

A criminologist is someone who studies, researches the scientific causes of crime. So like, what's going on sociologically, psychologically, biologically that's causing crime? You know, there are various different reasons why crime happens. It's not just one thing. Right.

[Megan Sachs]

So whereas like a forensic psychologist might just look at psychology, you're kind of looking at everything.

[Payne Lindsay]

Yeah, we look at everything and honestly most of what we do is rooted in sociology. So society, what's going on? Does someone, are they from a bad family? Was there a neighborhood? Was. Um, there's something in the social structure that maybe contributed to why they committed crime. And just so you know, it's not. People go, oh, like it's, it's an excuse or a justification. It's like, no, it's just a way to understand why it happened and then maybe try to prevent it in the future. That's the only reason.

[Megan Sachs]

So what interests you in the criminology.

[Payne Lindsay]

Surrounding women, particularly both offending by females and offending against females is very different than males. The types of crimes, the way in which victimization affects them in the long term. So a lot of victims, which I think the most interesting part is that you don't realize victims and offenders are usually the same because most offenders have been victimized. So there's a lot of crossover. Some crimes for females are unique. They're just, they're different than for male crimes. And I like to explore the differences and also the way that females are labeled later on and how they're treated in the system. Um, I find it interesting, very interesting, the way gender colors like the picture of justice.

[Megan Sachs]

I'm really excited to talk about this case, particularly because I think it's one of those that did not get the.

Coverage it deserved to get.

[Payne Lindsay]

100%. It's, it's so infuriating to me. It's been over 20 years and I'm like, where's the press?

[Megan Sachs]

Where's the date line?

[Payne Lindsay]

Where's every episode? But not at all. It was a no brainer for us to cover it because we realized in looking into it that it just, it hadn't been done. And it's so perplexing because there's so much going on here.

[Megan Sachs]

What were some of the things that.

Stood out to you in Lavina's case when you guys started looking into it?

[Payne Lindsay]

Well, I mean, the biggest standout here is that the military informed her family that she had died by suicide. And if you read any summary of the Injuries against Lavena. It becomes so obvious so quickly that that could not be the case, that it was just beyond a shadow of a doubt, like, wow, even the layperson, you don't need to have any advanced degree science anything to look at what happened to this woman. And so what stood out to me was it was just mind blowing that they were trying to convince her father, who had served as well, that she did this to herself.

[Megan Sachs]

Yeah, I think something that stands out to me about her is one, she was very close with her father. He was just so impressive to me, you know, listening to a lot of.

These podcasts where he talks about, just.

Like the army suggested, they have a clothes casket and they decided not to. His bravery to inspect his daughter's body because he knew something was wrong. And if he didn't have the wherewithal or the stomach to look at that, would we be here? I mean, props to her father.

[Payne Lindsay]

Yes. He is driving the quest for justice for his daughter, certainly. And, yeah, the injuries to her body were so odd. And one of them was that there was a corrosive substance, I think it was lye, that was clearly applied or poured onto her genitals. So, yes, that was one of the things that was just like, mind blowing. Like, she. Did she really apply a corrosive substance to her genitals prior to taking her life? That is almost the most insane insinuation I've ever heard. She had other injuries as well. You know, she had a broken nose that they reconstructed afterwards, post mortem. She had a broken neck, she had many teeth missing. She had abrasions to her body, bite marks on her. Things that are pretty odd if you have a case of a, you know, suicide.

[Megan Sachs]

So let me ask you what you think is going on here when the military is investigating this. Of course, they have to see all of these injuries, but their conclusion is suicide. Have you ever seen somebody beat the crap out of themselves, mutilate their genitals.

And then kill themselves?

[Payne Lindsay]

I mean, no, there's never been a case like this one. In Lavina's case, there's so much forensic evidence that contradicts the theory of suicide. I mean, you mentioned the firearm. She had an M16, which, by the way, they never found the bullet. So, okay, they don't have the bullet. You have an M16, which would be very hard given how the length of it for her to have held it to her mouth even, and done it the way that they said she, you know, shot or fired.

[Megan Sachs]

One other thing that I find very interesting and I hadn't seen this. Widely reported is that the M16 that was found is not hers. The serial number is not the one that she was given when she was assigned her weapons. We don't have a person that this serial number matches to.

[Payne Lindsay]

And her fingerprints aren't on the gun. So this gun that's not hers, by the way, that's just floating. That's she somehow gets a hold of somebody's gun and she's used it. Right, to shoot herself, but yet her fingerprints are not on the weapon. How do you explain that? How do you explain any of it?

[Megan Sachs]

Well, it doesn't. It doesn't even make sense. I mean, if you're going to do this on a military base, there are many other weapons. A handgun, Right, like that you could use instead of an M16.

[Payne Lindsay]

Yes. And that would be the insinuation by people who said she was murdered that in fact it probably was a handgun that was used by somebody else. There were bloody footprints outside the tent that she was found in. Because she was found in a tent.

[Megan Sachs]

Not her own, it appeared there were drag marks. She can't drag herself.

[Payne Lindsay]

No, it did look like she was dragged. There was debris even on the back of her shirt from outside. So there's all these indicators that, you know, she didn't go into this tent and shoot herself in there. There's all these indicators that it seemed that she was murdered somewhere else and then placed there. You know, with the tent set on fire, someone hoped to destroy some of this other evidence. So I think that, you know, that they, they hoped with the corrosive substance and lighting on fire that there wouldn't be any evidence on the body. I do think that was the intention.

[Megan Sachs]

So she had her tongue removed. Is that normal in an autopsy?

[Payne Lindsay]

No, none of this is normal. She also had her gloves were glued onto her hands.

[Megan Sachs]

Yes. And if anyone thinks about, you know, a service uniform, there are white gloves. So what stood out to her father is that they were glued onto her.

What would be the purpose of gluing gloves onto her?

[Payne Lindsay]

Someone didn't want anyone to see her hands. So concealing her hands, which it later was revealed as well, that she had corrosive substance on her hands, too. So likely someone was burning fingers because what do we contain under our, our fingers and fingernails? DNA. That's the insinuation here.

[Megan Sachs]

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[Rob]

Now here's Vince Velasquez, retired Atlanta homicide detective and host of the new YouTube series the Murder Mind show, with this week's critical missing case.

[Cheryl McCollum]

Today's critical missing case comes from Eric Roberts, the father of Keislyn Roberts. On January 18, 2020, 20 year old Kiesela Roberts was last seen at the Pilot Flying J Truck Stop in Resaca, Georgia. According to witnesses, she fled the location after a confrontation with an employee. Her backpack containing cash, along with her phone, charger, wallet, car keys, debit card and driver's license were later found abandoned in the parking lot. Two days later, a white Toyota Corolla was discovered in the same lot. Her belongings were still inside, however, her cell phone was missing. In March of 2020. Some of Keeslyn's clothing was found near the dumpster behind the truck stop. Keeslyn is a white female standing 5ft 2, weighing 117 pounds, with strawberry blonde hair and green eyes. She has gauged ears and a distinct tattoo on the inside of her right forearm. A yellow sea turtle with blue waves, a yellow hibiscus flower, and the words love yourself first. If you have any information about the disappearance of Keisland Roberts, Please contact the GBI 706-624-1424. Roberts family is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to her whereabouts.

[Rob]

Listeners, you can check out the up and Vanished weekly Instagram page AV Weekly for more information about this case and to share our post. For more visibility and for more true crime content, check out Vince's weekly YouTube series, the Murder Mind show, and you can follow him on socials, urdermindshow and at Vince Velasquez. Okay, now back to the show.

[Megan Sachs]

So in terms of, like, her criminology profile, she had a very loving, stable family. She seemed to be happy.

[Payne Lindsay]

By most accounts. She was. She had spoken with her family and she had a conversation two days prior to her death in which she asked her father to please wait on decorating the Christmas tree until she got home. She was excited about it. Now, the military has cited that she was depressed over a recent breakup. I don't know to what extent that was the case. This would have been a short lived relationship, and I haven't heard anywhere otherwise any information about that. Also, I don't think being a little bit upset about a breakup means we draw a straight line to suicide either. I mean, we've all been a little upset about a breakup. Uh, by all accounts, Lavina was a pretty stable woman.

[Megan Sachs]

When you look at cases, have you ever seen one where the person seems to be doing totally okay and they do actually wind up dying by suicide?

[Payne Lindsay]

I mean, I think there are cases certainly where people die by suicide where you don't see the signs. There's, there's no doubt about that. Um, where people go, oh, I didn't know anything was wrong or someone was sad. I mean, of course that happens. We don't know the inner workings, what's going on with everyone. Um, and certainly also there is this effect whereby people who have made a decision to take their lives where they kind of feel this relief. So they may seem a little happier shortly before the suicide because of the relief they feel. So that's real? Of course that's real. You know, I'm not implying that I can predict every person and just based on an overview what they're going to do, but there don't seem to be any indicators at all that Lavena was suicidal.

[Megan Sachs]

What do we know about her relationships at the base?

[Payne Lindsay]

I know that she had friends, and I know that the evening before her death, she was hanging out with a male friend. Just a friend. They had gone to buy some soda and some M and Ms, a couple other things. They hung out for a little while before she left. So certainly we know that she had friends on the base, but I don't know if there was any dating history. Um, this. The person that she had a breakup with, I don't know who that person is.

[Megan Sachs]

So she had this journal, and it's.

Been reported that about a third of her journal was ripped out.

What do you make of that?

[Payne Lindsay]

There are some missing pages, and there has been some rumor that it's possible Lavena saw something or knew something on base that she wasn't supposed to know. Um, so something she wrote down that perhaps would not look good or reflect well upon someone on the base. So this is just speculation, though I will say that's total speculation. I have no proof about any of that. But that's. It's interesting that the pages were gone and certainly leads you to believe there has to be a reason why. Right? Unless she, you know, removed those pages herself at some point.

[Megan Sachs]

Yeah, I think that's definitely interesting. And I guess one of the reasons that it is brought up, whether it means something or not, is because there is actually very few pieces of evidence in this case. You know, there's nothing directly pointing to somebody else. So I feel like looking at something like the journal is kind of what people grasp onto.

[Payne Lindsay]

I know. I think that that's the hard thing, too here, is that there wasn't someone we can go, oh, okay. A suspect who we could look at. What's their timeline? You know, where were they? They were staying under the radar pretty well here.

[Megan Sachs]

Yeah, it's. It's incredibly frustrating, too. I mean, why would the army do just. So obviously a poor investigation.

Why would they do that?

[Payne Lindsay]

Well, I mean, you could look at it a couple different ways. Women always tend to get more of a rap for being more unstable. She must have had a mental health situation. There's a breakup and there's, you know, a gun. So there it is. So incompetence at best, malicious, let's say, at worst. Meaning that there was a murder here and it's to cover up one of Two things. It's either a murder to cover up a sexual assault because, you know, sexual assault doesn't reflect well, especially it was a sexual assault in Iraq, or to cover up something else that Lavina may have witnessed.

[Megan Sachs]

Interesting in context, we're talking about the war on terror. We are in Iraq right before this. For anyone who was around and might remember is when the Abu Ghraib scandal had broke and those photos of the torture in Iraqi prison in Abu Ghraib came out. The army specifically was involved in a massive scandal that was in 03 04, this is 05. So perhaps even if it was a suicide, I mean, it looks messy. They kind of just were like, we are embroiled in so many scandals right now. Like I could see them being like, we need to close lid on this.

[Payne Lindsay]

I mean, the best I can conclude honestly is that she was sexually assaulted and this is to cover it up. And the corrosive that was used, I can't think of another reason why a corrosive we would be used on genitalia. Like there has to be a reason for that. I would think so. This kind of mutilation, she was assaulted and to cover up any of the evidence she was killed.

[Megan Sachs]

Just looking at this, it just seems wild.

It seems like something got crazy and something got out of control. And I don't know how you control her like a trained combat soldier. I feel like there just had to be more than one person involved.

[Payne Lindsay]

It feels like that to me as well, but I just can't. Given the evidence, I wouldn't be able to say for sure one way or the other. I don't think anyone really could say for sure. The only thing I feel really sure about is that Lavena didn't die by her own hand. Given the mountain of evidence you might look at, that just contradicts that theory. Yeah, I mean this looks like a cover up. It really does. There was another theory that perhaps the corrosive was poured on her to divert attention, to make it seem like there was a sexual assault and that would take the pressure off of someone else who might have murdered her because of something she was involved in or saw or witnessed. I certainly think that's a possibility. All I think that's a little out there, but I do think it's a possibility for sure.

[Megan Sachs]

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[Rob]

Hey listeners, if you have a tip or theories about a case you want to share or a case of interest you'd like to recommend to us, then we want to hear from you. Email us casesenderfoot tv, DM us on Instagram avweekly or give us a call at 770-545-6411. You can also join the conversation on our Discord at Discord GG upandvanished. Now back to the show.

[Megan Sachs]

Megan, as we talked about at the beginning, this case has really not received a lot of attention. Why do you think that is?

[Payne Lindsay]

There's been some interesting sort of chatter around that because there was some initial interest in LAVINA'S story and one of the news outlets, I can't remember who I remember, helped pay for an independent autopsy. But then mysteriously, no news stories ever aired. So I'd say, look, I think the implication here is that people are afraid to touch the story. I also think the element, and we talk about this on our podcast before, but she was a young black female and that's not nearly as exciting as, you know, a middle class, white blonde woman who goes missing out of a suburb. So maybe that played a part in it as well. But I do think that there's, there's a good reason why all the media outlets were sort of shut down on this story.

[Megan Sachs]

That's so fascinating.

[Payne Lindsay]

I mean, I, her father too, I just want to say, like he has gone the mile. And listen, I would do the same if it were my child. There's no doubt about it. But he keeps pushing on and I just want to see this man get an answer or an apology or, you know, you just wanna see something for, for her family, but especially for him, given all that he's done to try to keep his daughter's memory alive. I don't know how he does it, but I certainly know why he does it.

[Megan Sachs]

He's gone through a lot, like I mentioned, I mean, even stomaching looking at photos of what happened to your daughter, I mean, inspecting her body. I can't imagine the psychological trauma that would cause you.

[Payne Lindsay]

Gosh, I want to see some form of justice for him.

[Megan Sachs]

Is there anything going on? Where do we go from here?

[Payne Lindsay]

No, that's the problem. Where we go is we keep doing podcasts about it and hope that somebody in this mainstream media will pick this up. In cases like this, you know, you hope that someone cracks, that there's a confession. And I don't mean like a confession confession in the traditional sense. But you hope that someone, after years of carrying this, has too much to drink one night and tell someone in a bar tells, you know, a girlfriend or, you know what I mean, somebody cracks and spills. That's really what it would probably take for anything to be done on this case. But gosh, I really hope mainstream media somebody picks this case up more.

[Megan Sachs]

Same. Megan, thank you so much and thank.

You for all the work you do.

On Women in Crime. It's truly an incredible show. If you want to hear Megan and.

Her co host, Amy, Women in Crime.

Thank you, Megan.

[Payne Lindsay]

Thanks so much, Maggie.

[Megan Sachs]

Foreign. The US army released their full investigation stating that Lavina's death was, quote, a tragic suicide. They said there are many misrepresentations of facts being circulated on the Internet that are false and unsubstantiated. But Lavina's family did not trust the army at this point. Her father told Protect our defenders in.

[Lakeisha Johnson]

2012, my daughter was third generation. I worked for you for 25 years supporting troops. She gets brutally raped and murdered and you treat us like dirt.

[Megan Sachs]

In 2007, Lavena's father, John Johnson, had Lavena's body exhumed for an independent autopsy. The results were inconclusive, but confirm that she died from a gunshot to the head. And strangely, it does find that part of her vaginal cavity was surgically removed. But in 2011, the cold case Investigative Research Institute, a national collaboration of college students who work to solve unsolved crimes, takes up the case. The organization head, Cheryl McCollum, called the case gut wrenching, but said the institution did not find anything that would suggest foul play. She stated there was nothing about this case that we could go back to the army to say. You need to relook at it. I wish I could call the family with something different. But John told Protect Our Defenders that he was going to keep pushing. He just doesn't believe Lavena killed herself and he thinks her death fits into a larger pattern of coverups.

[Lakeisha Johnson]

This has gone on for six years. I gotta get justice for my baby. And not only that, I found out that they've done it to other families. So my fight is bigger than just Lavena.

[Megan Sachs]

If you have any information about the death of Lavena Johnson, contact the U.S. army Criminal Investigation Division at 1-844-Armycid or Army CID Crime Tipsail Mil Y', all, thank you so much for listening to this week's episode of up and Vanish Weekly. Be sure to tune in next week as we dig into another new case. Until next time.

[John Street]

Up and Vanish Weekly is a production of Tenderfoot TV in association with Odyssey. Your hosts are Maggie Freeling and myself, Payne Lindsay. The show is written by Maggie Freeling, myself and John Street. Executive producers are Donald Albright and myself. Lead producer is John Street. Additional production by Meredith Steadman and Mike Rooney. Research for the series by Jamie Albright, Celicia Stanton and Carolyn Tallmadge. Edit and mix by Dylan Harrington and Sean Nurney. Supervising producer is Tracy Kaplan. Artwork by Byron McCoy. Original music by Makeup and Vanity Set. Special thanks to Oren Rosenbaum and the team at uta, Beck Media and Marketing and the Nord Group. For more podcasts like up and Vanish Weekly, search Tenderfoot TV on your favorite podcast app or visit us@Tenderfoot TV. Thanks for listening.

[Lakeisha Johnson]

This Friday, starring Taron Edgerton.

[Payne Lindsay]

Holly.

[Megan Sachs]

Dangerous men are coming for us.

[Payne Lindsay]

I want you to keep the race. Can you do that for me?

[John Johnson]

All a father needs is a fighting chance.

[Megan Sachs]

Everybody is looking for you. What do you do? I'll keep you safe.

[Payne Lindsay]

Promise?

[Megan Sachs]

She rides shotgun.

[John Johnson]

Rated R. Under 17.

[Lakeisha Johnson]

Not admitted without parent.

[Megan Sachs]

In theaters Friday.