Reporter Christian Boone has been following the Kendrick Johnson case since last summer.

The AJC received the 522-page case file from the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department last November, along with the corresponding surveillance footage taken of the gymnasium where Kendrick’s body was found. Earlier this month, the newspaper returned to Valdosta and met with the lieutenant who supervised the investigation.

We also interviewed civil rights activists and the family of two brothers who’ve been linked to the case by some who believe the teen’s death was not an accident. All along, the AJC has been talking with Kendrick’s family and their attorneys.

Keep Reading

Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King (10) runs against Georgia linebacker Raylen Wilson (5) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Credit: AP

Featured

Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez