LAKE COUNTY – After nearly two months of what they call silence, the parents of Gregory Johnson Jr., 20, are still looking for answers regarding his death at a San Jose State University fraternity house in November.
Officials have declared Johnson”s death as “suicide” according to the death certificate issued by the Santa Clara County Coroner”s Office; however, his parents, Denise and Gregory Johnson Sr., say there is no evidence to support the conclusion.
The case remains open under the jurisdiction of the San Jose State Campus Police. According to Pat Harris, media relations director for the university, no evidence of foul play has surfaced.
“The investigation is active but there is still no evidence of foul play. We are waiting for the final report from the Coroner”s Office,” Harris said. “Investigators have interviewed more than 20 people including family, friends, coworkers and professors. Investigators are continuing to follow-up on any leads and would be happy to speak with anyone who may have information regarding the case.”
The certificate issued regarding Johnson”s death sites “ligature hanging” as the immediate cause of death. Time interval between onset and death states “secs.” Description of how injury occurred states “hanged self in basement.”
Denise Johnson said she questions the accuracy of the report. “There is no evidence that he hanged himself. There was no bruising around his neck that would support immediate cause of death by ligature hanging,” she said. “And even if that were the case, how could death occur within ?seconds?” It takes a lot longer to than a few seconds to die by asphyxiation.”
According to Denise Johnson, her son”s head had to be supported with a cushion to hold it up for viewing in the casket. “I have taken these pictures of my son to medical professionals that I know and I was told that his neck was broken all the way through to his spinal column,” she said, pointing out an apparent collapse in Johnson”s neck postmortem.
There is nothing included in the death certificate indicating that Johnson suffered a broken neck.
The Johnsons are adamant that their son did not commit suicide. They say that he was a happy, successful student with a bright future ahead of him. The lack of a suicide note, Denise Johnson said, gives her further cause to question the conclusion derived by officials.
“The first thing we ask for was a note,” Denise Johnson said. “There was no note and that doesn”t make sense to me. I believe there wasn”t a not because he was planning on living. Another thing that just doesn”t make sense is that he loved the holidays; he loved to eat.
He was also looking forward to a Judo tournament the next week. He was talking bout it and he was really excited to be competing in the tournament.”
Johnson”s body was discovered five days prior to Thanksgiving Day.
According to the Christian Broadcasting Network, approximately two-thirds of those who commit suicide do not leave a note.
The Johnsons said that they are still trying to locate some of their son”s personal belongings such as an acoustic guitar, clothes, jeans, shoes, hats and jewelry. They said they did receive word that the campus police is in possession of their son”s wallet; however they were not told how or from whom the item was recovered.
Harris reported that the Santa Clara County District Attorney”s Office is monitoring the investigation as they do with all unattended deaths.
Johnson was a 2006 graduate of Lower Lake High School. He was a certified personal trainer at Bali”s Fitness Gym in San Jose. He was reportedly closing in on a degree in kinesiology and was looking at a possible internship with the Golden State Warriors as well.
Denise Johnson said she received a report of her son”s grades, which showed him to be 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 Reporter Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
