The Death of Kendrick Johnson: Tragic Accident or Murder? episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 18, 2026 · 1H

The Death of Kendrick Johnson: Tragic Accident or Murder?

from Suspects & Spirits · host Taylor Serafin

In January 2013, 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson was found dead inside a rolled up wrestling mat at Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia. His death was ruled an accident caused by positional asphyxia, but the case has since been reopened, re-examined, and debated nationwide. In this episode, we examine the security camera inconsistencies, the six-hour delay in notifying the coroner, conflicting autopsy findings, allegations involving fellow students and an FBI-connected family, and the anonymous email sent to the Sheriff’s Department. What really happened to Kendrick Johnson? What remains unproven? And how do procedural failures shape public trust?Tune in as we examine all of the theories.Got a story to tell? Send it in for the next episode of Boo's Clues!And help spread the word! Share the podcast with your true crime coven of friends and family or your paranormal pals.Website: https://www.suspectsandspirits.com/Follow the podcast on IG, Facebook, and TikTokIG: suspectsandspiritspodcastFaceboook: Suspects & Spirits PodcastTikTok: suspectsandspiritspod🎙️Today’s Sponsors☕ RYZE Mushroom Coffee Get 15% off your first order with code SUSPECTSANDSPIRITSPODCAST15🔗 https://get.aspr.app/SH1a6r📚 Audible Get TWO audiobooks with your free trial by using the link below: 🔗 https://amzn.to/4rqD8daSources:Finding Kendrick Johnson. Directed by Daniel A. Allen, Quantic Media Group, 2021, FindingKendrickJohnson.com, https://www.findingkendrickjohnson.com/https://valdostadailytimes.com/2013/05/04/timeline-of-a-tragedy/https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/justice-department-closes-investigation-death-kendrick-johnsonhttps://www.cbsnews.com/news/kendrick-johnson-no-federal-criminal-charges-in-georgia-teens-gym-mat-death/https://www.ajc.com/news/crime--law/marshals-raid-homes-kendrick-johnson-case/wkPzJcJvQ4o6Qj3bYfZ7kO/https://www.walb.com/story/24870866/gbi-releases-autopsy-results-in-kendrick-johnson-case/https://www.wctv.tv/content/news/Lowndes-County-Sheriff-closes-Kendrick-Johnson-case-576489221.htmlhttps://www.documentcloud.org/documents/22051541-lowndes-county-sheriffs-office-2022-kendrick-johnson-reporthttps://www.documentcloud.org/documents/22051542-lowndes-county-sheriffs-office-email-referenced-in-2022-reporthttps://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/21/us/justice-department-ends-inquiry-into-kendrick-johnsons-death.htmlhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/06/20/feds-end-investigation-into-kendrick-johnsons-death/https://www.walb.com/2021/03/11/lowndes-county-sheriff-reopens-kendrick-johnson-case/https://www.findingkendrickjohnson.com/https://media.news4jax.com/document_dev/2018/11/16/393322920-Kendrick-Johnson-Third-Autopsy%20_OP_1_CP__1542413409952_14153911_ver1.0.pdfhttps://www.scribd.com/document/180571710/Kendrick-Johnson-Second-Autopsyhttps://www.scribd.com/document/393322920/Kendrick-Johnson-Third-Autopsyhttps://www.scribd.com/document/523031614/Kendrick-Johnson-Independent-Autopsy-2018https://www.scribd.com/document/180579693/kendrick-johnson-crime-lab-reporthttps://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/justice-department-closes-investigation-death-kendrick-johnson?utm_source=.com

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Feb 18, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

The Death of Kendrick Johnson: Tragic Accident or Murder?

0:00 1:00:01

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

Back to Bardstown VAULT Studios Season four, "Back to Bardstown", is coming Tuesday, March 26.  A puzzling web of victims and suspects now have more overlap than ever before. In season one, host Shay McAlister investigated five unsolved mysteries in Bardstown, Ky. This season, she takes us back to America's 'Most Beautiful Small Town' where shocking arrests and new developments in one case is linking victims and suspects from other cases in a way many only suspected, but never knew for sure. Explicit Another Not Guilty Another Not Guilty Another Not Guilty tells the stories true crime won’t touch — the real cases where the government gets it wrong, the defense fights back, and justice somehow survives. Hosted by public defenders who’ve seen everything from police “oopsies” to prosecutorial plot twists, ANG gives you a front-row seat to the wild, emotional, hilarious, and infuriating world inside America’s courtrooms.Each episode features real public defenders sharing the cases that made them laugh, cry, or question reality. These are true stories of everyday people thrown into a system built to convict — and the defenders who fought like hell to prove otherwise.You’ll hear unforgettable cases like:• “Meth, Murder, and a Missing Boyfriend” — a dark, twisty saga with cartel rumors, a desert crime scene, and a defendant everyone assumed was guilty… until he wasn’t.• “Pin the Gun on the Homie” — where a gun supposedly teleported between suspects.• “Is Explicit Grand Ramblings Hilary Smith & Shelby Tieche Shelby and Hilary are two best friends and kindred spirits who love to discuss the good, the bad, and the downright weird. Join them every week for 30+ minutes of chit-chat about life's little oddities. Lots of laughs, drinking, and breaking out into song is guaranteed. Explicit Curiosity Public's Podcast Curiosity Public Welcome to Curiosity Public - our highly opinionated, thought-provoking, and curiosity-driven journey of all things spirits! Explicit

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Suspects & Spirits?

This episode is 1 hour and 0 minutes long.

When was this Suspects & Spirits episode published?

This episode was published on February 18, 2026.

Can I download this Suspects & Spirits episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!