In comparison, the mat he was found in is 6 feet long and the opening was 14 inches. Branden also also addressed some surveillance footage of him near the gym and a spot. A Georgia Bureau of Investigation medical examiner concluded that he died from positional asphyxia, meaning his body got stuck in a position in which he couldn't breathe. Police stopped a vehicle Friday morning for a traffic violation and contacted the driver, 32 year old Brian Bell of Millsboro and the passenger - 27 year old Brandon Bell of Frankford. Listen to the latest episode: Join Nancy Grace for her new online video series designed to help you protect what you love most your children. Kendricks photos drew wide comparisons to Emmett Till, a 14-year-old Black boy from Chicago who was murdered in 1955 in Money, Mississippi, after a 21-year-old white woman named Carolyn Bryant accused him of making ugly remarks and whistling at her. CrimeOnline has chosen not to publish the most graphic of those images. Paul Threlkeld, an attorney representing the Bell family, as well as the family of 18-year-old Taylor Eakin - Brian Bell's girlfriend - told 48 Hours' Crimesider on Thursday that warrants. The brothers and another former LHS student, Ryan Hall, were named in a $100 million civil suit. It's pure . My dad is always like ''It's going to get worse before it gets better'' and it just keeps getting worse.'. What bothers me at this point is: who will look into it? Name Brian Bell. brian bell and branden bell. Others named Brian Bell. He has recently been included in reports from the athletic scouting magazine. He allegedly inspired jealousy among the male students. The case is built solely on suspicion, innuendo and rumor, not evidence, said Ladson, adding that his clients will take every legal step available to protect their constitutional rights and their ability to work and pursue litigation necessary to restore their good names. He told WCTV, Were starting fresh, so its like a brand new investigation, no predisposed opinions, cant have that.. Till was found in the river with a cotton gin fan tied to his neck with barbed wire. Everywhere you see Ms Petito. Pollock continues: The whole story is just Shakespearean, what theyre going through, watching the state abuse them like this. While Brian told the media that he considered Kendrick a friend, Austin, another one of Johnsons friends, alleged that a year before his death, Brian and Kendrick had an altercation on the bus as they headed to a football game that was being played out of town. That probe continues. Last November, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported exclusively that Brian and Branden Bell had received notification from U.S. Attorney Michael Moore that they were targets of the federal . Where is Jason Worley now? Brian maintains he was in class at the time that Johnson died and that he has proof. Brian Bell's profile summary What you need to know about Brian Bell I think it was just a look into it just to quiet down the family, quiet down some of the media, Credle told CrimeOnline. I dont think theyre going to do anything. But this is a story we should be talking about because I do believe he is our generations Emmett Till.. The show focused primarily on light-hearted hilarious situations between a principal and some high school friends. Both independent autopsy reports determined the 17-year-old died of non-accidental blunt force trauma inconsistent with the positional asphyxia determination made by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Surveillance footage showed his younger brother in class on the other side of the schools campus. Kenneth and Jackie Johnson had accused two brothers, Brian and Branden Bell, of killing their son, though the U.S. Department of Justice found no foul play in Kendrick's death. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast. 5 Jun. The Bells were cleared by local and state investigators who concluded Kendrick Johnson died accidentally. Kendrick was a sports-loving teenager. The three teens were classmates. He was found dead the following day, Remembering: Investigators continue to look into the death of Kendrick Johnson as his parents (above) believe their son was murdered. Surveillance footage showed his younger brother Brian (left) in class, Brandon and Brian Bell werecleared by local and state investigators after it was concluded that Johnson had died accidentally, But Johnson's parents believes that Brian (pictured) and Branden Bell beat their son to death, Final moments: Video from inside the school's gym was released during the investigation showing Johnson going into the gym and never coming out. Brian and Branden Bell have been targets of suspicion in Johnsons death since shortly after his body was found upside down in a vertically stored gym mat at Lowndes High School on January 10, 2013. Body parts are missing, evidence is missing. Brian Bell had been living under the radar until his arrest. Since January 12, 2014, the Johnsons used others as their authorized agents to post messages on various social media, including Facebook, Twitter, blogs, instant messaging, and the like, that were defamatory of the Bells, the counterclaim states. Though surveillance cameras were located all over campus, the last footage of Kendrick shows him walking into the gym behind other students before going out of frame. A native Atlantan, Boone joined the AJC staff in 2007. Moved and incensed, Pollock went on to spend four years researching Kendricks death, determined to show that it is a burning injustice long overdue a fresh look. July 17, 1950 - March 1, 2023. Brian Bell, a star college football player, said he broke down when his dorm room was raided last month. They fingered Bell and his brother, Branden, both of whom had airtight alibis. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. Georgia police announced on Tuesday that they are reopening the investigation into the 2013 death of a teen boy whose body was found in his high school gymnasium. Because the precise details of his birth have not been revealed, an estimate of his age has been made. The Johnsons wrongful death suit claims that an unnamed female lured their son into the gym where he was fatally beaten by the brothers by request of their father. In 2007, Bryant allegedly revealed to. Lowndes County police said they believed Kendrick crawled into the mat to retrieve his shoes, became stuck, and continued to burrow into the mat until he became completely trapped and died. Brian and Branden Bell, ages 18 and 20 respectively, have remained tight-lipped throughout the course of the investigation, but just last week, they spoke out publicly for the first time. All the families ask for is just do things the proper way. He played three sports all the way up through high school: he played football and basketball and he ran track. The swift determination drew skepticism from many, including Johnsons family, Credle, and Pollock. Johnson was found dead on January 11, 2013, on a rolled-up gym mat at his Georgia school. 05:58 18 Aug 2015, updated 16:09 18 Aug 2015. Brian and Brandon Bell have been alleged by newspaper's and magazines to have murdered 17 year old Kendrick Johnson for beating the younger of the white teen. Their initial suspect in Kendricks murder was Brian Bell. 'I want everyone to know the truth. Discover short videos related to brian and brandon bell on TikTok. He also stated the funeral home never had Johnsons organs, saying they were discarded by the prosecutor before the body was sent back to Valdosta for burial. Current relationship and dating history, Kim Kardashian Looking for Love Again, Wants to Date Someone Who Isn't Famous, Nyce Wanjeri Shiros Rise from Auntie Boss Actress on NTV to Content Creator, Pastor Ng'ang'a, Wife Loise Pay Tribute to Home He Grew up In, Joseph Gatiba: Meet Upcoming Kenyan Musician Who Works as Driver for Super Metro, George Wajackoyah Offers to Reconcile Diamond Platnumz with His Abandoned Dad: "Kaburi Ni Tajiri Kukuliko". 2 min read. Credit: Photo courtesy of Boston College Athletics, Georgia Tech closes regular season with win over Boston College, Jahmyr Gibbs: Georgia Tech helped make me who I am today, Bulldogs hammer Jackets with six home runs. Many speculations were raised on who killed him. Through interviews, police documents, and forensic evidence, Finding Kendrick Johnson illustrates how a 17-year-olds disappearance and death sparked years worth of investigations, controversies, and a possible cover-up. Subsequent testimony placed Branden Bell on a school bus on the way to a wrestling tournament at the time Johnson was last seen alive. , updated Police said a bloody tissue was found in the girls bathroom near the gym was also tested and did not match the blood discovered near Kendricks body, according to Valdosta Today. He said the shot of him in a white sweater, which lead many to speculate that it appeared to have blood on it, was actually just a logo that said 'RLX'. Johnson's parents did not believe their son's death was accidental and initiated a second petition calling for another autopsy report. The No. Kendrick reportedly confided in his father about Branden telling classmates that the issue was not over., According to the father, Kendrick said, You know Rick Bell, Brians daddyhe came up to me at school and told me the fight on the bus wasnt a fair fight and I should come to his house and re-fight Brian.. The other person of interest was located in the parking lot headed towards J-Wing at 1:28 p.m. Johnson and the two persons of interest were travelling in opposite directions towards their respective fourth block classes and likely did not cross paths. The case came down to two things: The Bells' father was an FBI agent, so he could be accused of influencing the. Finding Kendrick Johnson is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video and Google Play. The Sheriff instantly realized the tape was faked after he confessed, identifying him as the source. What made me think that everything was a cover-upwas that first meeting with the medical examiner, Mitch Credle said. The brothers father, As Pollock explained to CrimeOnline, the bombshell evidence did not come from an anonymous source or undercover sleuthing it was plainly stated in the FBIs 2014 analysis report. They saw that report in 2014, they saw that photograph of the boys standing next to each other and they let the Bells go television and say they hadnt seen KJ, Pollock told CrimeOnline. So I dont know who they will get to come in and look at it and just go based on the facts. Brian and Branden Bell, along with their father, FBI agent Rick Bell, denied the allegations contained in a wrongful death suit filed earlier this year by Kenneth and Jackie Johnson. The brothers accused in a civil lawsuit of killing Kendrick Johnson have counter-sued the parents of the Valdosta teen whose body was discovered more than two years ago in a rolled-up gym mat. No findings of that investigation have been released. The Johnsons wrongful death suit claims that an unnamed female lured their son into the gym where he was fatally beaten by the brothers by request of their father. And they can ridicule me and they can say whatever they want, but in the end the truth will prevail. Whereabouts of Brandi Worley's husband. Floyd Rose, president of the Lowndes County chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, said federal authorities need to end their investigation if there's no evidence of a crime. This happened after the police discovered some incriminating evidence. You are already subscribed to our newsletter!