SAN JOSE — The alleged suicide of Lower Lake High School 2006 graduate Gregory Johnson, Jr., 20 has left his parents with questions regarding the investigation of his death. Denise and Gregory Johnson, Sr. turned to the NAACP for help in finding some answers that may help them understand what happened to their son.
The Johnsons do not think that their son took his own life and claim there is no evidence supporting that he did.
Along with an alleged lack of evidence, the Johnsons say there was no motive for suicide.
“He had everything in front of him. He had a year and a half to go before he graduated and already had his AA in Political Science. He was well-loved by his friends and peers and had intentions of running for fraternity president,” Denise Johnson said.
“He was talking about his 21st birthday and what he was going to do. He was making plans to live, not to die.”
Gregory Johnson Jr. would have turned 21 on March 1.
According to his parents, the body of Gregory Johnson, Jr. was found on the basement floor of the Sigma Chi fraternity house at San Jose State University by at least two fraternity brothers at 2:45 p.m. Nov. 22.
Although autopsy results have reportedly determined death to have been caused by ligature hanging, when the Johnsons viewed their son”s body, they said they found no bruises or strangulation marks on his neck.
The Johnsons brought pictures to the newsroom allegedly taken at the mortuary prior to cosmetics that show no bruising on the man.
The entire investigation surrounding their son”s death alarmed the Johnsons.
“I think the investigation was poorly handled. I feel that he wasn”t treated as a human being, let alone a student who was achieving; a popular student who was well on his way to graduation,” Denise Johnson said. “I feel that this has been swept under the rug. I feel that the suspects were treated like witnesses instead of suspects in a hate crime.”
The Johnsons said that they were notified by Clearlake Police Department of their son”s death at 9:30 p.m. the day his body was discovered. Denise Johnson said that she was told that her son had committed suicide. The officer who reportedly delivered the news was unavailable for comment as of press time.
Johnson said she contacted her oldest son, Sekou Gilchrist, in Tracy and asked him to drive to San Jose to identify his brother”s body. Gilchrist was reportedly not allowed to identify the body and was told that the frat brothers had already identified the deceased.
Gilchrist said he was told by campus police that case would be closed within a few days. “They told me that the investigation would be over by the following Wednesday because the case was ?cut and dry.” Those were the words he used,” Gilchrist said.
When his parents arrived in San Jose the next day they were also denied a viewing of the body. According to Lake County Coroner”s Office it is common for a body to be sealed after identification until an autopsy is performed and the body is released to the mortuary.
According to the Johnsons, when they arrived at the fraternity house at approximately 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 23, the scene had already been cleaned and disinfected. Denise Johnson said they were shown the room where their son was found and thought the manner in which he supposedly hung himself was close to impossible.
Johnson said that she and her husband were told that their son was found hanging from the basement ceiling with his legs straight out and his buttocks inches from the floor. “There is not a mark on my child and there is no way he hung there while he was alive,” Denise Johnson said. “Gregory was 6”2″ 197 pounds. They showed me the ceiling where he was found and it wasn”t even a good six-feet-high. His father had to duck down inside the room.”
The Johnsons claim that the case was immediately turned over from the San Jose Police to the San Jose State Campus Police. According to San Jose Police Sgt. Morales the case was turned over to the campus police because the incident took place within its jurisdiction. Campus police are sworn officers.
According to San Jose State Campus Police the investigation remains open as a death investigation and interviews with witnesses are continuing. “We are still conducting a death investigation. We have not gotten an official report from the coroner but from what we”ve gathered at the scene and the continuing investigations, there is nothing to lead us to believe that it was anything but suicide,” Sgt. Michael Santos said. “Ever since this investigation began there were numerous fraternity members that were interviewed and they will continue to be interviewed until we are satisfied that there is nothing more we can get from them.”
Although the Johnsons maintain that their son would not have committed suicide, the campus police said, “I really feel for the family. As much as possible, we are doing what we can for them. But the information the family is giving us isn”t leading to anything that would lead us to believe that this was foul play,” Sgt. Santos said.
Denise Johnson said she also questions the disappearance of many of her son”s possessions and the misinformation she said the students provided to police in regard to identifying her son”s cell phone.
The Johnsons said they want to bring attention to this case not only to find closure in their son”s death, but also to warn parents so that they may take the proper precautions to keep their children safe.
According to his parents, Gregory Johnson, Jr. had everything going for him in life. He was a certified personal trainer at Bali”s Fitness Gym in San Jose.
He was closing in on a degree in kinesiology and was looking at a possible internship with the Golden State Warriors. Denise Johnson said she just received a report of her son”s grades, which showed him in good academic standing. The document also stated that the Office of Undergraduate Studies would be issuing him a Certificate of Completion within the next few weeks.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
