Case overview
Kendrick Johnson, a 17-year-old student at Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia, was found dead inside a rolled gym mat on January 11, 2013. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation ruled his death accidental, concluding he suffocated while trying to retrieve a shoe. His family disputed the findings, citing a private autopsy that identified blunt force trauma, and raised questions about missing surveillance footage and inconsistent evidence handling.
The discovery
Johnson was last seen alive entering the old gymnasium at Lowndes High School on the morning of January 10, 2013. When he failed to return home that evening, his parents reported him missing. The following day, students found his body inverted inside a vertical gym mat in the corner of the gymnasium.
Lowndes County authorities recovered Johnson’s body and documented his position: head down, feet protruding slightly from the top of the mat. A pair of sneakers was found near his body inside the mat. Investigators noted bruising on his face and neck.
The official investigation
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation conducted an initial autopsy on January 12, 2013. Dr. William R. Anderson, the Georgia state medical examiner, ruled Johnson’s death accidental positional asphyxia. The autopsy report stated Johnson had entered the mat to retrieve a shoe, became stuck, and suffocated.
The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office concluded its investigation in May 2013, determining no foul play had occurred. Authorities stated Johnson had stored shoes inside the rolled gym mats and likely became trapped while reaching for one.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation reviewed the case in 2013 at the request of Johnson’s family. In 2016, the Department of Justice announced it had found insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights charges and closed its investigation.
The disputed autopsy
In June 2013, Johnson’s family obtained a court order to have his body exhumed for an independent examination. Dr. William R. Anderson had listed the cause of death as positional asphyxia with no significant trauma.
A private pathologist, Dr. William Anderson, conducted a second autopsy. That examination identified blunt force trauma to the right side of Johnson’s neck and concluded the death was not accidental. The private autopsy cited hemorrhaging that the pathologist argued was inconsistent with positional asphyxia.
During the exhumation, the funeral home reported that Johnson’s internal organs had been replaced with newspaper. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation stated this was standard practice when organs are retained for testing and not returned to the funeral home before burial.
Surveillance footage and investigation gaps
The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office released portions of school surveillance footage showing Johnson entering the gymnasium. Additional footage from multiple cameras was not included in the initial disclosure.
Johnson’s family and their attorneys argued that missing or redacted footage created gaps in the timeline. They questioned why certain cameras appeared to have been turned off or malfunctioning during key periods. Authorities stated the footage released represented all available video relevant to the investigation.
In 2015, a federal judge ordered the release of additional surveillance video as part of ongoing civil litigation. The footage showed other students in the gymnasium during the time Johnson was believed to have died, but authorities maintained no evidence of foul play was visible.
Civil litigation and allegations
Johnson’s parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit in 2015 against the Lowndes County school district, the county sheriff’s office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and individuals including two brothers who were at school that day. The suit alleged a coverup and cited the disputed autopsy findings.
The lawsuit included allegations that Johnson had been involved in a fight on a school bus months before his death and that the incident had not been properly investigated. Attorneys for the family argued the fight was relevant to understanding potential motives.
In 2016, a federal judge dismissed most of the claims, ruling the family had not provided sufficient evidence to support allegations of a conspiracy or coverup. The remaining claims were later dismissed or voluntarily dropped.
In 2018, Johnson’s family filed a $100 million lawsuit against dozens of individuals, including former classmates, school officials, and law enforcement officers. That case was dismissed in 2022, and the family was ordered to pay more than $300,000 in legal fees to defendants for what the court determined were unfounded claims.
Reopened inquiry and conclusion
In 2021, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office reopened the case following years of public pressure and requests from Johnson’s family. Newly elected Sheriff Ashley Paulk stated his office would review all available evidence and requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation provide files from the original inquiry.
In January 2022, Sheriff Paulk released a 16-page synopsis concluding Johnson’s death was accidental. The review reiterated findings from the original autopsy and stated no credible evidence supported the theory of foul play. Paulk noted inconsistencies in witness statements but concluded they did not alter the overall determination.
The family rejected the findings and continued to call for further investigation.
Unresolved questions
The case remains officially closed, with local, state, and federal authorities maintaining the determination of accidental death. Johnson’s family and supporters continue to dispute the findings, citing the second autopsy and unanswered questions about evidence handling.
The central dispute involves whether Johnson’s injuries were consistent with positional asphyxia or indicative of trauma before death. The private autopsy identified hemorrhaging that its pathologist argued could not be explained by suffocation alone, while the state autopsy found no significant trauma.
Questions about surveillance footage, missing timestamps, and the preservation of Johnson’s internal organs remain subjects of public debate. No charges have been filed, and no additional investigations are currently active.
Where to look next
- Documentary: “Finding Kendrick Johnson” (Investigation Discovery)
- Podcast: “Kendrick Johnson” (“Murderish”, Exactly Right)
- Podcast: “The Gym Mat Death of Kendrick Johnson” (“Crime Junkie”, Audiochuck)
