The son of deceased former NFL player Kevin Johnson wishes for his father to be remembered for more than just his tragic end—beaten and stabbed to death at a homeless camp in Los Angeles last month, allegedly by a serial killer.
“He wasn’t just a homeless man,” Branden Johnson expressed in an interview. There was so much more to his father’s life, he insisted.
Branden, visibly heartbroken, reflected on his father’s identity beyond the tragedy. “He was a father, a friend, a family member, an ex-husband, and he loved everyone around him. I don’t want the encampment to be the only thing people remember him for.”
Johnson, 55, had been staying at the L.A. River encampment for about six months and knew the potential dangers, according to his son.
“He didn’t let that worry me. He balanced his time there,” Branden recalled, highlighting his father’s calm demeanor about the circumstances.
Authorities indicated that this specific camp is connected to at least three other murders, and the same suspect may be responsible for all four.
The coroner ruled Kevin’s death a homicide due to the severe head trauma and stab wounds he suffered. Branden was involved in identifying his father’s body when it was found on January 21.
“My father was my best friend; I spoke to him nearly every day,” Branden said, describing him as a gentle and caring person.
Poor Kevin, who had played three seasons in the NFL, suffered significant tragedy, which investigators believe might have ties to the mental impacts of his football career. Friends mentioned the possibility of CTE, a condition linked with repeated head injuries.
Chantel Hill, Johnson’s ex-wife, shared her disbelief at the incident, stating, “He wasn’t someone who would harm a fly, and anger wasn’t part of his character.”
As police delve deeper into the case, they are still piecing together the motives behind the recent spate of violence.
Over the last four months, the area around the Compton Creek encampment has seen multiple homicides, with authorities actively investigating each case.
