On Labor Day weekend (September 2-3) in 2023, a quiet neighborhood in Augusta, Kansas became the scene of a brutal crime that left residents reeling. Joanne Johnson, a 93-year-old great-grandmother, was found dead in her home, the victim of what authorities describe as a vicious attack.
Nearly a year after the incident, investigators made a startling announcement: two 14-year-old girls were arrested on August 15, 2024, and charged with first-degree murder in connection with Johnson’s death. The suspects, who were 13 at the time of the alleged crime, are currently being held in separate juvenile detention facilities.
According to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), Johnson was beaten to death with a hatchet. The attack was so severe that Johnson’s son reported being unable to recognize his mother when he discovered her body. “If we hadn’t seen her tennis shoes, I wouldn’t have recognized who she was,” he stated.
The motive for the killing remains unclear. Investigators found no evidence of robbery, suggesting that the girls did not target Johnson for her possessions. This lack of apparent motive has left both law enforcement and the community struggling to understand the senseless nature of the crime.
Johnson’s family described her as a kind and caring individual who was always interested in others and remembered details about their lives. Her obituary noted that she was an avid Kansas University Jayhawks basketball fan who dedicated her life to her family, taking great pride in her five grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The case presented significant challenges for investigators. It took nearly a year of intensive work, including a large number of interviews, analysis of multiple items of physical evidence, and the execution of multiple search warrants before arrests were made. According to Melissa Underwood, Communications Director for the KBI, the breakthrough in the case came despite the absence of public tips or information that directly led to solving the crime.
Johnson’s son characterized the incident as an incomprehensible, violent, and meaningless act of murder that took place in a tranquil residential area of their small community. He expressed the extreme improbability of such an event occurring in their town by comparing it to the unlikely scenario of a lightning strike on a clear day.
The case has raised complex legal questions due to the suspects’ age. Under Kansas law, juveniles under 14 cannot be prosecuted as adults. This means that if convicted, the maximum sentence the girls could receive would keep them in juvenile detention facilities only until they reach the age of 22 and a half.
The Johnson family is advocating for the teenage suspects to be tried as adults, citing the extreme brutality of the crime. They argue that the current juvenile justice system’s maximum penalties are insufficient given the nature of the offense. Tim Johnson, the victim’s son, emphasizes the need to balance the heinous nature of the murder with the fact that the accused are juveniles. The family is seeking an interpretation of Kansas law allowing adult prosecution despite the typical age restrictions.
The case attracted significant attention from state officials. In April 2024, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly issued an executive order offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the case’s resolution. Johnson’s family matched this amount, bringing the total reward to $10,000. However, according to the KBI, the arrests were not the result of any public tip or reward-related information.
As news of the arrests spread, a man claiming to be the father of one of the suspects spoke to a local news station, offering a different perspective on the events. According to his account, his daughter claimed that she and her friend were approached by a man in a park on the day of the murder. The man allegedly coerced the girls into going to Johnson’s home, where he retrieved a rusty axe from the garage and committed the murder in front of the teenagers.
The father stated that his daughter held her hands over her friend’s ears to shield her from the sounds of the attack. He also claimed that the man threatened to kill the girls and their families if they spoke about what had happened. However, official sources have not confirmed or addressed these claims, and the investigation is ongoing.
Both teens have pleaded not guilty. Their next court appearance is scheduled for October 31.