Investigators know where Donna Ogletree Johnson’s body was found.
They know where her car was found – though many, if not all, believe that scene at the dumpster site was staged.
What they don’t know is where she was tortured and killed.
Murder victim Donna Johnson
Where was Donna Johnson killed?
One man who contacted The Herald-Gazette last month thinks he knows. He has contacted the Lamar sheriff’s office to report his information to no avail.
The informant has lived and worked here his entire life.
He is convinced Donna was killed in a small trailer located on what is now a blueberry farm on Piedmont Road. He thinks the killers were two white males and, perhaps, a black man who hung out at the trailer with them.
He claims to have first hand knowledge that the wife of one of the men came home to the small trailer the day Donna was found dead and found all the carpet in the dwelling had been removed.
The husband explained that he had killed a deer and cleaned it inside the trailer.
“There is just no way you would kill a deer in the middle of July and then clean it inside with all the ticks and fleas and mess,” the informant said. The man’s wife must have felt the same way.
“Three days later she moved to Missouri and nobody around here has seen her since,” the source said.
Before she could leave, the second of the source’s white male suspects moved to Alabama.
After The Herald-Gazette series on the murder started, the source called the sheriff’s office and asked that an investigator be sent to hear his story.
A few days later, an investigator arrived at his home. A family member called him and he passed on the information that he would be home in about 20 minutes.
When he arrived, the investigator was gone.
“He said he would catch up with me later but he hasn’t. I don’t think they care. I really don’t think they want to solve this case,” he said.
The source was also familiar with The Mansion, the drug house featured in the August 24 installment of this series. “The Pike County sheriff was making money off that crack house and one of the Pike deputies was out there smoking dope all the time. He was black but he was going with one of the white girls that hung out there,” he said.
“That’s how they stayed in business so long.”
Note: The Herald-Gazette has relayed the source’s name and contact information to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
From the 8.31.2010 print/e-edition of The Herald-Gazette.
Subscribe here.
The informant has lived and worked here his entire life.
He is convinced Donna was killed in a small trailer located on what is now a blueberry farm on Piedmont Road. He thinks the killers were two white males and, perhaps, a black man who hung out at the trailer with them.
He claims to have first hand knowledge that the wife of one of the men came home to the small trailer the day Donna was found dead and found all the carpet in the dwelling had been removed.
The husband explained that he had killed a deer and cleaned it inside the trailer.
“There is just no way you would kill a deer in the middle of July and then clean it inside with all the ticks and fleas and mess,” the informant said. The man’s wife must have felt the same way.
“Three days later she moved to Missouri and nobody around here has seen her since,” the source said.
Before she could leave, the second of the source’s white male suspects moved to Alabama.
After The Herald-Gazette series on the murder started, the source called the sheriff’s office and asked that an investigator be sent to hear his story.
A few days later, an investigator arrived at his home. A family member called him and he passed on the information that he would be home in about 20 minutes.
When he arrived, the investigator was gone.
“He said he would catch up with me later but he hasn’t. I don’t think they care. I really don’t think they want to solve this case,” he said.
The source was also familiar with The Mansion, the drug house featured in the August 24 installment of this series. “The Pike County sheriff was making money off that crack house and one of the Pike deputies was out there smoking dope all the time. He was black but he was going with one of the white girls that hung out there,” he said.
“That’s how they stayed in business so long.”
Note: The Herald-Gazette has relayed the source’s name and contact information to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
From the 8.31.2010 print/e-edition of The Herald-Gazette.
Subscribe here.
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I am so sorry to be the one to have to make this call Anonymous. But your daughter has been hogtied, sodomized, cut, gagged, run over and then beat-to-death. Evidence shows that she put up a mighty fight, but she still lost. She suffered a long time before she was allowed to die. You will get over it in a few years, and feel all better. Time heals all wounds. Just pray and put it in Jesus' hands. As years pass, the various levels of law will just think about the event when they are reminded of it through various meaningful anniversaries. They will only remember then because some people like Walter Geiger and Donna's sister Becky refuse to let it die. The District Attorney will refuse to let Donna's facts go before the Grand Jury as if their are secrets that should be kept from the public. I do not know how our local law sleeps at night. But heck, Anonymous, it was just your daughter. The DA has more important pleas to make now. He does not have time to worry about that old brutal death of Donna's. The murderer(s) are probably still walking around today. So just be quiet and do not rock the boat, is that OK? Please?
Hell NO it AIN'T OK. There is evidence from a professional society that strongly indicates that SUFFICIENT evidence shows that the murderer is currently known and has been known by the DA and the local sheriff.
Just pray for a TOUGH Grand Jury that knows they got the power to over-ride all passed incompetent decisions and review the case evidence with a new set of eyes. The problem with people who stay in office too long is that they become complacent and appoint themselves as God. But the real God allowed our forefathers the knowledge to form a powerful team called The Grand Jury. Just pray we get a tough one who does not fear these meager elected (probably for the last time) officials.
POWER TO THE GRAND JURY. SHOW YOUR POWER TO THE PEOPLE. GIVE BARNESVILLE BACK TO THE PEOPLE IN DONNA'S CASE. SHOW THE WORLD THAT THE DA IS NOT THE TOP OF THE CHAIN OF JUSTICE. THE PEOPLE ARE!!! GOD BLESS YOU ALL IN YOUR APPOINTMENT FOR JUSTICE.
I hope the 20/20 is about this case. I would love everything to be aired out on national TV.
We need Nancy Grace down here.
You hide behind anonymity and make unsubstantiated accusations about a dead woman's character.
Now, why on earth would you do something like that? Could it be sheer meanness, hatred for the victim, or perhaps an attempt to shift the focus onto different suspects. Could be some combination of the above. Perhaps all three.
Otherwise, STFU.
Also, claiming discrimination over him not reporting all the cold cases is ridiculous. What are you going to do, sue him? Maybe you'll boycott the paper. That's an idea, then you won't have to read about this case any more.
If you don't want to read about this case, QUIT CLICKING THE LINK ON THE STORY!!!
Read that line of yours? Where are you from Afghanistan? We have not ALL had our loved ones brutally murdered. You may need to check the company that you keep. Murder is still a felony in Barnesville. Albeit under cover at the moment, it is still a felony.
Sad, but true.
His DNA should be easy enough to get.
Ask to speak to Walter and let him testify to all the stuff he has found out.
articles only makes me stop reading and caring about this paper and town.
1. Stop reading the website.
2. Cancel your subscription
3. Move
As citizens who want to see this case solved, we can continue what he has started by writing producers for programs such as 20/20 Investigates, Datline Unsolved Mystery, etc. to make them aware of the Donna Johnson crime and request they do a feature for their program.
I've already written both organizations, however I encourage others to do so, as well, since there is power in numbers. The contact email links aren't easy to find, so I'm including them for your convenience.
For 20/20:
http://abcnews.go.com/Site/page?id=3271346&cat=20/20
For Dateline:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18616878/ns/community-firstperson/
They need to understand the brutality and utter depravity of this crime, and why this is something they should feature on their program. Neither allows url links, so you have to write your own summary and mention where they can find additional preliminary information.
Increased publicity, scrutiny and public pressure on all those involved- suspects, accessories, law enforcement- are the best hope we have to bring Donna's killer(s) to justice. National exposure will promote local action.
Keep it going and don't let it go away, like too many people hope it will.
I differ from some on this site who think there might be some organized conspiracy. It's possible, but probably something a little more simple.
Pike looked to Lamar to deal with it, becuase she was found in Lamar. Lamar expected Pike to deal with it, because she was from Pike and they really don't know where the killing occurred. Lamar didn't see it as a priority- not one of their citizens and not a big concern with voters who would re-elect them. PCSO never felt accountability to their voters, because it was Lamar's fault that the case wasn't solved.
Throw in a case that is decidedly more difficult than a local DA is accustomed to dealing with, a big-time defense lawyer who's got a real tough reputation, and a boat load of other slam-dunk crimes that are easier to solve, win and move on.
And so it circles on, through several elections, several administrations. It just gets easier to push back as time goes on.
Nah, it ain't conspiracy, something much more real, much sadder and more personal than that. It's political ambition, intimidation, fear of losing, apathy and denial that's kept this case from being prosecuted.
1. Everyone would love for this case to be solved. We all care.
2. A lot of people are sick of listening to several of you accusing everyone and having absolutely NO facts. That is what people are tired of.
3. Joe Buice lost the election for many many reasons. Not because he intimidated people. There are way to many reason to list on this blog.
4.The real Sheriff is in office now. One that know you just cant accuse people of crimes unless you have evidence....Warrant are a good thing to.
5. This is a big question so please try to answer me without your pathetic name calling and know it all attitude......WHY DIDNT JOE BUICE ARREST THE PERSON HE THINKS IS RESPONSIBLE? HE STATES THERE IS ENOUGH EVIDENCE. IF SO THEN WHY DID HE NOT TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM THEN? DID A JUDGE DENY AN ARREST WARRANT?
6. Why do you think Larry Waller can do what previous administration did NOT do? The old crow society is certainly trying to drag him thru the mud. Do yall want him to continue saying there is no new evidence?
Sheila, NOT Sheila, and Elcie....you're my heros!
Don't forget annie nonomas
I didn't know Ann, Donna, or the 10yo either.
Were it me, I could not be so strong.
Get off your soapboxes. Your own self promotion is obvious, and ridiculous. You "sign" your names here to get personal recognition. If you didn't desire attention, you wouldn't bother, since it is optional.
The only reason people like you do not sign your name is because you "are afraid to speak out." It must be an uncomfortable position sitting on the fence all your life. You should be in politics.
I have voted many times for the losing party. But the way I look at it, "If I lose for the right reasons...I win!"
Who would NOT want that?
No thanks. Some of us have more class than that.
1. Grand Jury.
2. Get more people interested and spread the word.
3. Write Nancy Grace, CNN, 20/20, Dateline.
4. Vote at election time.
I am sure i could come up with more.
5.
No, thank you.
What a great point! Why weren't y'all all up in arms when buice didn't arrest someone after all his "evidence" he claimed to have gotten? I sure don't recall him trying to obtain warrants on this case, but he sure did it on others for a lot less. Even though he wasn't very sucessful about it later in court.
How about this theory: It is only an opinion! Since everyone seems to love making accusations that are baseless, I figure I will give it a try too.
- One person lost an election and is pissed off at the one who won.
-Maybe the person that lost is considering running again?
-How can said looser make himself look beter in the public eye, all the while making his opponent look like the bad guy? Also bringing heat on the DA. Wasnt the DA used as the scape goat for blown cases in the past? Lots of bad blood there Im guessing.
- The BHG seems to make the previous elected official look like he is the only person that has ever tried to work on a case, while at the same time, making sure to point out that the party in office refuses to comment, etc.
Does that sound crazy or what??
It should be noted that the editors opinions inserted in "news" stories here are very obvious. Keep in mind,a newspaper editor is only one person, with their own opinion, and their opinion does not hold any more credibility or accuracy than anyone elses, simply because they have a portal to publish it to the public.
To abuse the position of editor by continuing to make assumptions and baseless accusations and publish them to appear as fact is in very poor taste. I hope for better in the future.
How Transparent.
Waller is a legal expert. If he had enough evidence to have someone charged and convicted, he would do so.
Thats one of the fundamental differences in buice and Waller, buice didn't care too much about conviction, he just wanted to go lock folks up. Waller wants a sound case that will likely result in conviction. Credibility is important.
And I am not one of the above posters. There are other people that don't agree with you name calling, assumptive, internet drama queens.
By the way, I could say the same for you. Do you always post under your name? Im sure you will say yes because of your outstanding character. I find it strange you're so quick to pass judgement on others.
Don't flatter yourself.
One of the stories in the series mentioned that Waller wouldn't comment, because it's their policy not to comment on an open case. Fair enough. Then there's the statement from individual in the above story, in which he came home to meet with the investigator only to find the investigator had already left. My only thought about that was, "Don't two, grown men understand they probably should schedule an appointment to talk?"
If that's the way things happened, that's what should be written- nothing more, nothing less.
Failure to resolve this case didn't cause Buice to lose and a promise to solve it won't be the clincher to get him (or anyone else) re-elected if he runs again. I, for one, am grateful he gave it a sincere effort and cared enough to try.
Geez, stop with the whining. You sound like a bunch of four-year-olds in a sand box. "It's not my job, because he shoulda' done it already..." "Mama, he's talkin' bad about me and my friend." E-damned-nough!!!
While everybody bickers for 26 years over who's responsibility it's not and who's to blame because this case hasn't been solved, there's a murderer (or murderers) walking free, a victim's family who is still awaiting justice and citizens who are less safe because the monster who did this hasn't been put to death or at least behind bars for life.
It's no more Waller and Milam's responsibility to solve this case than it was any of the previous sheriffs' and DAs'- but it's no less, either.
Please, please bring this to trial for Donna, her family and for the citizens of this county.
The issue is that this has turned political. You can't say we are all on this blog working for campaigns. I am a regular citizens that wants this family to have closure. I didn't know much at all about this case until I read these serializations.
I think it would be odd if people didn't want answers about this case and gruesome murder.
This wasn't a shot in the head execution. This was pure evil. This was someone who did this and felt like God when he was doing it. He WOULD do it again.
A cop would fit the profile for this murder. He obviously knew about the importance of evidence since there is none. Except for that rope. Thankfully the GBI took good care of that rope.
So what about asking all of those close to this case for a voluntary DNA sample? The samples could be compared to any possible DNA found on the rope.
Would you PLEASE run for office, since we need people like you in leadership positions?
It's a no win situation.
For now, I think I will chill on the sidelines and armchair quarterback.
Why wouldn't these innocent people volunteer for a DNA test?
zzzzzzz