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VALDOSTA, Ga. — The investigation into Kendrick Johnson’s death is still active, according to a statement from the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office dated April 20, 2026.
Kendrick Johnson, a 17-year-old from Valdosta, Georgia, was discovered deceased inside a rolled-up gym mat at Lowndes High School in 2013, an incident that has drawn widespread attention and controversy.
The case was initially closed in 2016 when the Department of Justice concluded there was “insufficient evidence to support federal criminal charges,” aligning with state and local authorities’ determination that his death was a tragic accident.
On Facebook, the sheriff’s office reiterated the ongoing status of the case.
In 2021, Sheriff Ashley Paulk of Lowndes County announced he was personally reopening the investigation into Johnson’s death, following the receipt of 17 boxes of evidence from the U.S. Justice Department after their inquiry had concluded.
Sheriff Paulk’s reward money in the amount of $500,000 still stands for information leading to the arrest and conviction in the death of Kendrick Johnson.
If anyone has any information, come to the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, 120 Prison Farm Road or if you reside in another jurisdiction–go to your local law enforcement agency to make a statement in reference to this case.
In 2021, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk said he was personally leading a new examination into the Jonson’s death after the U.S. Justice Department gave law enforcement 17 boxes of evidence it collected when its own investigation ended.
In 2022, Sheriff Paulk concluded there was no evidence of foul play after reviewing the tons of evidence collected by federal investigators. In a report he stated, “all of the physical evidence, interviews and grand jury testimony “does not produce anything to prove any criminal act by anyone that would have resulted in the death of Kendrick Johnson.” He also dismissed allegations of a cover-up.
Johnson’s parents have long insisted that someone killed him, and that school officials and law enforcement covered up the crime.
Other media outlets reported that the lawsuit his parents recently filed alleging a cover-up was dismissed, though NewsChannel 6 has not independently confirmed this.
A petition on Change.org is calling for the appointment of a special prosecutor to review and investigate the 17-year-old’s death.