A homeowner in Kansas City, Missouri, whose frozen bodies were discovered in his backyard two days after they gathered to watch a Kansas City Chiefs game, was arrested earlier this month after the frozen bodies of three of his friends were discovered in his backyard. His lawyer revealed that he had “no knowledge” of the tragedy. .
Kansas City police told FOX News Digital that no crime is suspected in the deaths of Ricky Johnson, 38, Clayton McGeeney, 36, and David Harrington, 37.
Friends and family of the three men said they had gathered at a friend's house on the night of Jan. 7 to watch the Kansas City Chiefs game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Kansas City police said the man's body was discovered at 9:51 p.m. on Jan. 9 after the man's fiance called for a welfare check.
One man's body was found on the back porch of a home in the 5200 block of NW 83rd Terrace, and the other two were found in the backyard.
The men appear to have frozen to death.
“First and foremost, this case is 100% not being investigated as a homicide,” Kansas City Police Department Lt. Jake Becchina told FOX News Digital.
“No arrests have been made. [or] Charges have been filed and no one is in custody. There is no particular threat or concern to the surrounding community at this time,” Becchina said. “The occupants of the home were cooperative with detectives on the day the deceased was discovered.”
It is unclear whether alcohol or drugs played a role in the men's deaths. Becchina said the toxicology report should be available within the next few weeks.
Neighbor Suzanne Reichert told FOX 4 she didn't know three people were in danger across the street.
“I'm so scared because I didn't hear anything. I'm almost at home and I didn't hear anything,” Reichert said.
“It's kind of unsettling. You wonder what's going on,” Reichert continued. “But if you still don't know, could it have been carbon dioxide? It suddenly got colder.”
Family and friends of the three football fans are demanding answers on social media and questioning the motives of the homeowner, who FOX News Digital will not name because no criminal charges have been filed. I made it.
They claim they sent numerous messages to the homeowner in the days before police were called.
“While my friends lay dead in the yard, this man was alive and in the house. For who knows how long,” Kaylee La Tear wrote in a Facebook post earlier this month. “They had all been playing together since after the game on Sunday. He knew people were looking for them. He read the messages of people looking for him on Tuesday.”
“My husband kept banging on my door for 20 minutes.” [minutes]” continued La Tia. “My friend banged on the door, broke her window and loudly announced his presence. She's inside and still nothing from him?” Then 10 police come. [minutes] Then he came out unperturbed in his boxer shorts with an empty wine glass in his hand??! Nothing added up. Dave, Clay, and Ricky need and deserve justice. ”
Attorney John Picerno, who represents the homeowner, said his client didn't know his friend had died until police knocked on his door.
Picerno said in a news release sent to FOX 4, “I had no idea they were in my backyard or that they needed medical attention.”
Additionally, the lawyer claims his client could not hear the two men who came to his home looking for the men – he was said to have been asleep with headphones and a loud fan on. The attorney acknowledged that one of the man's wives contacted his client on Facebook Messenger, but said the homeowner did not see the messages until police contacted him.
Picerno said two of his friends' cars were parked on the street outside his home, but “it's not unusual for friends to leave their cars there overnight.”
“[The homeowner] “I don't know how my friend died,” Picerno said. kansas city star. “Like the rest of us, [the homeowner] is anxiously awaiting the results of the autopsy and toxicology report… [the homeowner] and their families, we would like to express our deepest condolences to the friends and families of these young men and our thoughts and prayers are with them. ”
