After the case was labeled cold, the family remained diligent in trying to apply public and private pressure to the law enforcement agencies. The FBI reopened the case in 2019, and on June 11, 2020, announced an $100,000 reward for any information that led to an arrest, prosecution, or conviction in the case. If hes been beaten, theres nothing left identifiable. They found his body clearly So we dont know the cause of death, which is what physically killed him, though we can assume there was some sort of trauma to the body based on that statement, injuries and wounds of some kind. The examiners report concludes that his death was a homicide. Sitting in a circle in the living room, Maria Ramirez, Billy Brooks Jr., Felicia and Demetria Brooks, and Angela Ramirez-Cox recount tales of his quirks. The next day Brooks did not return to Gardner and was deemed to be missing. The bank of the creek is steep and obscured by trees and brush, but today the creek is relatively shallow and calm. Maria Ramirez thinks about her son Alonzo Brooks every day. He says there were no penetrating injuries as cause of death, no evidence of acute bone fracture, no evidence of a sharp force injury, no gun shot., He goes on to say Could he have drowned? But shes also just glad the case is still getting attention, and that people are keeping her sons memory alive. [10], On June 11, 2020, the FBI reopened the cold case and issued a $100,000 reward for information related to Brooks' death.[11]. As his siblings got older and moved out, Alonzo and his mom moved to the town of Gardner outside of Topeka. Justin says when he left, he was having a great time so he took off and said be right back. Even at family gatherings, he would keep to himself. His description was that the body was decomposing, it was fully clothed with several personal items including a ring. Alonzo Brooks death ruled a homicide 17 years after hes mysteriously found in creek: FBI by Jacquelyn Gray April 12, 2021 3,112 Shares Tweet A federal 2014 jeep wrangler oil cooler replacement cost; who said never underestimate the stupidity of the american voter; alonzo brooks creek photo; by in sandra ruffin obituary. A lot of families cases never get solved, says Felica Brooks, one of Alonzos older sisters. "He used to get behind me and just mess my hair up right after I had it fixed up, and I used to get so mad at him, Maria said. [1], Alonzo Tyree Brooks was born on May 19, 1980, to Billy Brooks Sr. and Maria Ramirez. At least we had found him. There was no water in his lungs to indicate drowning. An Associated Press article from 1993 states that Mitchell had engaged in misconduct, including harvesting organs without family permission and improperly storing skeletons in his office. Their second cousin, Mandy Jenkins, who was eleven at the time, says of the Boones: People love and people hate them.. They describe the crowd as being a lot more country than they were used to, pointing out especially how many cowboy hats there were. They say he always got along with everyone. Alonzo never made it back to his home in Gardner, Kansas. In that initial investigation, McAllister said, There was a lot of activity, all kinds of interview reports, but no strong coordination.. They were surrounded by cornfields, and woods when they approached the farmhouses long gated driveway. His body turned up a month later in a creek right behind the house where he disappeared, offering other puzzling details. A lot of rather violent and aggressive partiers from that second party ended up at the farmhouse party, which was already having its own altercations, McAllister told WDAF. An autopsy was unable to determine the cause of his death. Brooks body was exhumed last July and transported to the Dover Air Force Base, where an Armed Forces Medical Examiner completed an autopsy that confirmed his death was a homicide. Could he have been strangled? She filed a police report that morning. While the details of the examination are being withheld for investigative purposes, the new autopsy focuses on injuries to Brooks body that the examiner concluded are inconsistent with normal patterns of decomposition, according to the release. Nothing can describe that pain.. I first heard about it when Unsolved Mysteries made an inquiry of our office, and indicated they were going to do an episode about it, McAllister said. Alonzos family told Dateline that he rode to the party with friends, but they left before he did, leaving him without a ride home. They had to pull me back., I didnt think we were going to find him that day, Angela Ramirez-Cox says. Email me at. He also says that as they were searching in the brush on the side of the road, someone came down from the farmhouse on a four wheeler and told them to leave. Pratt now lives in Vancouver, Canada. If you know something please come forward. [1], On July 1, 2020, Brooks' death was featured in the fourth episode "No Ride Home" of the fifteenth season of Unsolved Mysteries TV series. They brought in the Kansas Bureau of Investigation two days after Alonzo was declared a missing person. While they havent revealed much about the contents of their interviews with party goers, theyve made it clear that there seems to be a code of silence among many of the kids who were there that night. U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Kansas and the FBI reopened the investigation into Brooks death in 2019. And thats what happened.. Maria described her son as a good-natured prankster who loved football, animals and playing with his nieces and nephews. The body was exhumed on July 22; no new information had been disclosed to the family as of press time. Missing in Massachusetts: The Case of Neo Maximus AKA Charlie Allen Jr. I do not know the circumstances of his death. We could tell.. They called the Linn County Sheriffs Office and a search was launched by multiple agencies. A Brew with a View If youve ever seen Fourth Tucked between Lees Summit and Harrisonville on Highway 7 lies On one map of national parkland, Missouri ranks near the We love Kansas City like family. It's got twists and turns, it's got possible race relations, it's got young drunkenness, bravado. The witnesses then have grown up, they've moved on whether that's moved on from the situation or just grown up in life, Ramana said. Their friends were already there and the party was already in full swing so they grabbed their beer and got to it. Something is wrong. His family called authorities in Linn County, Kansas and the Linn County Sheriffs Department launched a search. In addition to his boots, Alonzo wore his signature skull beanie, something he was hardly ever without. None of them were really close with anyone at the party, just a couple acquaintances I think, but it was something to do. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. But by 2019, the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner and Michael Brown had sparked a new movement. I think many people know. April 5, 2021 New Autopsy Determines Death of Alonzo Brooks was a Homicide KANSAS CITY, KSThe death of a Kansas man whose body was found in a His death certainly was suspicious, and someone, likely multiple people, know(s) what happened that night in April 2004, McAllister said on June 11. There hasnt been a day that goes by that I dont work on Alonzos case or think of him, Josh said. A crisp white shirt and bow tie and a ring perched on his right hand all preserved in a slightly grainy picture bring you back to the time before everything The family used search dogs and wore orange vests as they trudged through woods and fields. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/kansascity/news/press-releases/new-autopsy-determines-death-of-alonzo-brooks-was-a-homicide, https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-10-13/the-fbi-ruled-this-17-year-cold-case-in-kansas-a-homicide-but-still-no-answers-for-alonzo-brooks-family, https://www.facebook.com/Justice-for-Alonzo-Brooks-555822191216556/, Murdered in Kansas: The Case of Alonzo Brooks, Missing in Minnesota: The Case of Brandon Swanson, Murdered in DC: The Case of the Freeway Phantom, Unsolved in California: The Case of the Keddie Cabin Murders. Lees Summit Underwater Rescue and Dive Team was brought in. And someone -- or several people -- know what happened to him. Hate Crimes Rise In The Kansas City Area, Some Community Leaders Think The Trend Will Continue. Where had he been this whole time?? Thats when the Brooks family decided to take matters into their own hands. Meta?! We know what makes it great, we know how it struggles, and we know its secrets. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Kansas previously said Brooks was one of three African-Americans at the gathering attended by 100 other partygoers. Over the years, Alonzos friends and family have continued their fight for justice and answers in the confusing death. (Kansas City reached out to the Boones without reply.) After nearly a month, the family was finally given permission to go search the property themselves. Alonzos mother told Dateline she believes her son was targeted for his race. A short time later, Alonzos boots and hat were found in the weeds just across the street from the farmhouse where the party had been held. We are very cautious of our kids now.. One of the accusations in that case is that he removed organs from corpses without the consent of the families. An entomologist looking at the photos of Alonzos clothing and there were maggots on that clothing. The FBI has determined that the 2004 death of Alonzo Brooks was a a homicide. This resulted in a hung jury and ultimately his resignation in New York. I just hope now they will have the courage and kindness in their heart to come forward.. New York Woman Abducted, Killed in Shootout Between Kidnapper, Virginia Police, Former Victim Advocate Planned to Sexually Abuse 8-Year-Old at Hotel, Opening Statements Set for Monday in Trial of Cult Mom Lori Vallow Daybell, violent and aggressive partiers from that second party, subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. Gardner was suburban and quiet, without the city life and diverse population he was accustomed to in his early years. His father told Dateline he always wonders what kind of man his son would have turned out to be and what sort of life he would have led. The first autopsy conducted in the case could not The FBI has re-opened the case and is investigating his death as a potential racially-motivated hate crime. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2. It just led to a kind of, I think, throwing up their hands when they didn't end up with an obvious suspect, he said. But one major question that no one could seem to answer was WHY hadnt Alonzo been found in the 27 days since hed been missing! In the days after Brooks vanished, authorities from Linn County, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation became involved. It changed the whole dynamic of the family for years, she said. One by one, Justins closest friends began calling it a night and making their way back home, leaving just Justin and Alonzo at the party. Alonzo Brooks was killed. Perhaps they saw the situation differently in their young, naive minds, and are now starting to wonder if some things might need to be shared. His body was exhumed last year, Brooks case got a second chance in 2019, though, when Stephen McAllister, then the U.S. District Attorney for the state of Kansas, decided to take another look. Dateline's online series Cold Case Spotlight. We just hope this all points us in the direction of who did itsomeone who knows someone who did it, someone who knows something, Felica Brooks says. But Justin got lost. Story after story, laugh after laugh. I think I lost it in the move from Gardner. According to an investigation by the FBI, there were approximately 100 people ages of 16-25 at the party and Alonzo was one of only three African-American men in attendance. When Alonzo didnt make it home by the next day, his family knew something was wrong. His family and friends found it frustrating to keep track of what could be true, and what was ridiculous. She remembers peeking into his room in the morning only to see Alonzos bed undisturbed. All the extra attention has taken a toll on Brooks family, which is still reeling from the loss. On May 1, 2004, Alonzos body was found in the brush of a creek in Linn County. It is past time for the truth to come out. So hes mixed. This new examination by a team of the worlds best forensic pathologists and experts establishes it was no accident. I can find out what happened. Attendees left the party after a fight broke out, then headed to the farmhouse where Alonzo was last seen.[13]. Pops Are Here, 'The Mandalorian' Just Delivered S3's Best Episode, Get Ready for Even More 'Game of Thrones', Lukas Matsson Was Screwed Over in 'Succession'. Theres endless ones of them.. Details of the examination are being withheld for investigative purposes. We are doing everything we can, and will spare no resources, to bring those responsible to justiceThe new autopsy focuses on injuries to parts of Brooks body that the examiner concluded are inconsistent with normal patterns of decomposition. Alonzo Brooks did that same thing I grew up doing, but he didnt make it home.. Perhaps someone who was there that night saw something and didnt want to come forward, assuming it wouldnt be much, it probably didnt mean anything, I doubt I can help. You can also submit an anonymous tip online at tips.fbi.gov. Josh and his team have been working on a documentary and accompanying podcast based on Alonzos case. They found him to be dismissive, as he repeated what the police had told Maria. The incident left Alonzo with a singular dot on his chestwhich he proudly showed off as his tattoo. Investigators have said that Brooks body got tangled among the branches, and was submerged because of heavy rain that flooded the creek. They reported that the water was at most 3 feet deep, so that teams of three were going all the way across and clearing out brush. Brooks mom, Maria Ramirez, attributes her recent cancer diagnosis to the stress and sorrow shes experienced. At least we had found him. The FBIs released an official statement of their findings, Amelia will you read part of that for us? When the family found him and saw what he looked like, we knew that there was foul play, said Angela Cox, one of Brooks aunts. Furthermore, Mitchells testimony on a murder trial in NY was called into question when he changed the time of death at trial, when the prosecutions entire case had been based on his original testimony. She said those maggots often can tell a story of how long that body had been exposed. It wasnt how we wanted to find him, but at least we did.. But on April 3, 2004, Alonzo decided to go with some friends to the party in a rural area just outside of La Cygne in Linn County. Seventeen years after Brooks death, his mother and aunt are still unhappy about that first investigation. U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister and FBI Special Agent in Charge Timothy Langan announced the Yes, but there are no specific anatomical signs to show drowning. Thats one of the last things Maria Ramirez remembers asking her son before he left their Gardner, Kansas, home. But if age and maturity arent enough to get people to talk, perhaps the $100,000 reward will inspire some people to do the right thing and talk. Someone took that away from us. The Linn County Sheriffs OfficeMarvin Stites, who has since passed away, was the sheriff at the timeconducted searches of the area and tried to question those at the party about what happened, according to county officials. The mysterious death of Alonzo Brooks caught national attention after his story was featured on Netflix's Unsolved Mysteries. She immediately began calling his friends to find him. Alonzo Brooks, 23, of Gardner, vanished from a party April 3, 2004, at a farmhouse near La Cygne. All Rights Reserved. (None of Alonzos friends could be reached for comment by Kansas City magazine.). The FBI reopened the case, offering a hundred-thousand-dollar reward and exhuming Alonzos body for a new autopsy in July. Sprague never returned. as well as other partner offers and accept our. Webmensagens de carinho e amizade; signs your deceased pet is visiting you; alonzo brooks creek photo; April 6, 2023 Discovery Company. Alonzo Brooks, 23, attended a party at a house in a rural area outside of La Cygne, Kansas, on the night of April 3, 2004. Rodney says they werent tucked under anything, nobody had tried to hide them, it looked to him as if someone had just tossed them out a window on their way out of the driveway. Billy says that his brother was not at all bloated like hed been in the water, and his color even looked almost normal, as if he was still alive. Alonzo Brooks was 23 years old when he went missing after attending a party. After the official autopsy performed in 2004 didnt determine a cause of death, Brooks case went nowhere. She said he didnt go out much and preferred to stay home and spend time with his family. Finally, Brooks family found his body on a pile of broken tree branches that had collected in Middle Creek, just east of La Cygne and less than 650 feet from the He was one of only three African-American men at the party, which 100 or more people attended. Still the change did take some getting used to. Alonzo and his friends Justin Sprague, Daniel Fune and Tyler Broughard were some of those in attendance. They searched the creek bed looking for evidence, they brought in air scent tracking dogs, and even deployed helicopters for aerial searches for Alonzo. At the time, his body was so decomposed that the Linn County coroner could not ascertain his cause of death. After a period of investigation The KBI sent a letter to the family that said, in part, that no evidence or information came from the investigating indicating that his death was a crime, for this reason the investigation into his death was closed But many people simply didnt agree. Josh Pratt, a filmmaker who lived in Paola, Kansas, at the time of Alonzo's death and knew many of the people at the party, has been trying to answer that question for Alonzos family for the past five years. She gathered with family and waited, holding their breath for answers that would never come. It wasnt how we wanted to find him, but at least we did.. On Monday, April 5, nine months after Brooks' body I got this! WebOne of the screenshots a woman is talking about how its not right to drag the Boones name through the ground and then goes on to say they arent racists in that town. They all could feel the weight and the urgency of the situation with Alonzos belongings in their hands as they were kicked off the property. As the party continued, Brooks's friends left the party at La Cygne at different times, accidentally leaving Brooks behind due to a perceived misunderstanding on how he would be getting a ride home to Gardner. Over the next eleven days, the family held their breath while extensive searches were done of the property and surrounding areas led by the KBI and their evidence recovery team. Update: The body of Alonzo Brooks was exhumed this morning. Body of Alonzo Brooks was exhumed today in Topeka. His body was recovered from a creek bed in the same city on May 1, 2004. Additionally, Slinkard stated that the FBI is doing everything that they can and that they will spare no resources in order to bring justice to those who were responsible for Brooks' death. The Sheriff reports that countless polygraph exams were done in the investigation, but Alonzos friend Daniel openly claims that many people lawyered up and refused the test, something the Sheriff left from his interviews. But no matter what happened, everyone always came home in one piece. Alonzo Brooks was killed. Maria knew this was bad news because it was so out of character for her son. Alonzo, who was 23 years old at the time, was getting ready to head out for a party for someone who was leaving to join the Navy. Alonzo Brooks was killed. An Associated Press story from 1993 said Mitchell routinely removed organs from corpses without the consent of victims families, and he improperly stored body parts in his New York office. Witnesses recalled flirtation between Brooks and a white woman later on at the party, prompting theories of a hate crime motive. Calvary Cemetery, and performed a second autopsy. An autopsy conducted at the timestandard protocol in such disappearanceswas not able to conclude how Alonzo died. His body was found in a creek a month after. The code of silence must be broken. The examiner concluded in their report that Brooks's death was due to homicide. Theyd ask for updates, and beg to go search the area themselves. The case has been cold since 2004, but a recently released episode on the Netflix reboot of Unsolved Mysteries has renewed interest. Maria told Alonzo to bundle up before he left. [3] At the time of his disappearance, he was 23 years old and working as a custodian for Countryside Maintenance in Gardner, Kansas. And those kids are now in their early 30s. For so many people, especially in Kansas, myself included, going to a barn party or a field party is a rite of passage, he says. Unsolved Mysteries | Official Trailer | Netflix, New Evidence In the Alonzo Brooks Case From Unsolved Mysteries Indicates His Death Was 'No Accident', Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. But I couldnt protect him from what happened to him.. A crisp white shirt and bow tie and a ring perched on his right hand all preserved in a slightly grainy picture bring you back to the time before everything changed for the Brooks family. Or kill one race. But in 2019, the Department of Justice and FBI reopened the investigation into his death. As part of the new investigation, the FBI also announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for Alonzos death. I remember searches happening and lots of police cars out there, says the current mayor of La Cygne, Debra Wilson, but they really limited any news or real information. "We knew that Alonzo Brooks died under very suspicious circumstances," said Acting US Attorney Duston Slinkard. Anyone with information about Alonzos case is urged to call the FBI at 816-512-8200 or 816-474-TIPS or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. He was a clean freak, Felicia Brooks says. [8] Consequently, the pathologist could not determine a cause of death. He was very particular.Alonzos older sister talks about how he always had to have everything a certain way, from meticulously making his bed every morning to ironing his money and boxers. Alonzo Brooks was born May 19th 1980 in Topeka Kansas. I got this! Felicia Brooks says. According to the Netflix episode, several rumors swirled at the time that Brooks body had been preserved in a freezer following his death while police were still searching the area. Its been covered by news organizations from Dateline to CNN, and there are Reddit threads with hundreds of posts theorizing about what happened to Alonzo and calling for justice. Billy said during their search that day, the skies had been overcast and threatened rain. He had this little red truck, a Hot Wheels one, that he took everywhere when he was younger. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. His report was as follows: Alonzo wasnt in the house, we walked the creek bed that night, there was no indication that he was there. Her heart sank. I can get justice for him.. He was one of only three Black men at a party in La Cygne, Kansas, that had about 100 guests, according to the FBI. Alonzo Brooks ' loved ones are one step closer to answers in the 17-year search for the truth about his death. The FBI is keeping that information to themselves for the investigation, but they have told us that his manner of death was homicide, rather than undetermined, meaning that someone else is responsible for taking his life. I think everyone wants a quick solution to a situation like this, she said, but (a) methodical and tactical (approach) are the best ways to gather the evidence and bring justice.. His cause of death remains contested: his body was well-preserved upon its discovery, despite having apparently rested in a creek for a month. He was targeted because of the color of his skin.. I just started crying, Maria Ramirez says. We got nowhere with the local authorities they didnt even want to talk to us, Cox said, at her home in Topeka. I almost fell. Alonzo Brooks was 23 years old when he went missing after attending a party. 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Brooks case got a second chance in 2019, though, when Stephen McAllister, then the U.S. District Attorney for the state of Kansas, decided to take another look. 