Johnson case: The man who found Donna's body

Donna Ogletree, age 1

Johnson case: The man who found Donna's body

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Thursday, July 22. 2010

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Part five in a serialization of interviews published on the 26th anniversary of the brutal murder of Donna Johnson:

Herman Coffey volunteered to look for his neighbor Donna Johnson after he heard she was missing. He ultimately found her body at about 7:20 p.m.

“I am very aware of the anniversary of Donna’s death. It is like yesterday to me.

“I still get mad. Whoever did it came right between me and (then sheriff, now deceased) Frank Monaghan. It was raining so hard you couldn’t see one car length.

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#1 Anonymous on 07/22/10 at 10:32 AM

So, Waller never interviewed the man who found the body?

#2 Anonymous on 07/22/10 at 12:12 PM

I say bring in a few Psychics, I mean even if you dont believe in that kind of thing what can it hurt, thats how the bragg case got solved in Thomaston,Ga, they even did an episode on Psychic Investigators on the cable channel, A & E.
I believe the man that solved that was Phil Jordan, Many people were skeptical, but the muder was solved, and the psychic gace them info that led to the arrest and conviction of the murderer, Im just throwing that idea out there..IT CANT HURT ANYTHING TO TRY, GOD REST HER SOUL! and may her murder/ers be caught

#3 wally tolbert on 07/22/10 at 01:21 PM

you won't see anything done on this case as long as waller is in office.unless he makes a show just before the elections in 2012 and then he may not.one of "wallers group" Mr white will run for sheriff so they can keep the good ol boy network alive.the only hope this case had was Joe Buice.like him or not he tried.he just had a DA that didn't like him.Joe got to close to finding out the secrets of the old families of this county and their crooked ways and they made sure that wasn't going to happen.

#4 Anonymous on 07/22/10 at 02:26 PM

Oh shut up Wally. Get over it already. Maybe Walter can come up with a blog just for you so you can keep harping about how great Joe Buice WAS! You getting the campaign started early for him? I hope you dont think people will vote for him just because he worked on this case, as many others have. If he had evidence, it would have went to trial. That would have made him and the DA look great...right??? Who has secrets Wally? Who are you so jealous of? I bet you and old JB have secrets too...Is Mr.White one of the good ol boys? Does he have money and secrets too?

And by the way, I would vote for Brad. He has more knowledge of the law in his little finger than the past administration had or ever will have.

Name one thing he did that is so outstanding. Something greater than any sheriff past or present. Having someone in his dept that taped a flash bang to an inmates neck does not count. Having money missing doesnt count either.

#5 Linda Walker on 07/22/10 at 02:32 PM

Mr. Wally - for the record, do you not remember the show by Buice, remember "the sharks are circling?" Whether you like Waller or not, it sure would be nice if you and others could express facts and not just your trumped up ideas. You know, there are a few secrets that some refuse to expose about the Buice administration............. Talk about crooked ways, Joe is a champion. I only know of one good ole boy network and it seems to be between Buice and the press.

#6 Anonymous on 07/22/10 at 02:59 PM

I am not nor have I ever been a Buice supporter. I do commend him for digging into this case. I have never been aware of the actions the LCSO took on this case while under the direction of Waller. It is something I now would be interested in knowing. I would love to know everyone's reason for never requesting FBI assistance for such a heinous crime.

#7 Anonymous on 07/22/10 at 03:16 PM

Well there's one positive thing here.

While these men, including the corrupt good ole boys, won't do their time in jail they have an eternity ahead of them awaiting in HELL!

I hope it's hot enough for them.

#8 Anonymous on 07/22/10 at 03:17 PM

Waller is a joke.

Look at what is going on with his investigators.

#9 Anonymous on 07/22/10 at 04:46 PM

Using your own remarks, you say if there was evidence it would have gone to trial and then you use the Smith grenade incident in your debate? Remember, according to you, if it didn't go to trial, there is no evidence. So you can't really use this case for your argument.

#10 Linda Walker on 07/22/10 at 05:19 PM

Whether it is heaven or hell, that is between them and their maker, --but they will have a name, just like you.

#11 Anonymous on 07/22/10 at 05:37 PM

That lady Sylvia Browne is a good psychic I would love for her to come down here and rattle a few nerves wouldnt you.

#12 Anonymous on 07/22/10 at 06:07 PM

There is nothing going on with his investigators. Someone quit? Thats one verses the many that were hired and fired by JB. I wonder what the compairalble ture-over rate is between Waller and Buice???

#13 Anonymous on 07/22/10 at 06:19 PM

Yes...did the good ole boys help GS or just a jury thats dumb as dirt. There was plenty of evidence in that case. Smith even admitted to doing it. Point is it should have been turned over to the GBI whe JB found out about it. With Donnas case, I dont think JB had anything hard to go on, just suspicions. The GBI has all of the evidence...why havent they forced the issue? I think you are just blowing smoke to try an make JB sound like some kind of hero and Walter is selling papers.

I feel for the family and I really do hope this case is solved one day. I think there will have to be hard evidence though or a confession....but now that every detail of the case is being put out for the public, if someone confesses how will anyone determine if it is the truth. I think some aspects of the case should be confidential to prevent something like that from happening.

#14 Anonymous on 07/22/10 at 06:22 PM

Wally Im still waiting for you to answer my question? What has he done that is so great?

#15 Anonymous on 07/22/10 at 06:25 PM

Wally needs her help

#16 Anonymous on 07/22/10 at 06:40 PM

The info has been confidential for 26 years and it hasn't helped yet. When do you finally let out what is known? I.e. What kind of knot was used to hog-tie her? Where could you buy that back then? Were the knots specific kinds of knots or were they just tied hastily? Did any of the previous girlfriends of the person(s) of interest have that type of rope and knot used on her in a deviant sex act while in a relationship with said person of interest? Does anyone know people close to Donna or any person(s) of interest that would have known how to hog-tie someone or roped horses or cattle with certain knots? How would someone connect the dots without the info? I agree ONE specific detail should always be left out to confirm a confession, but that is all. Speaking of the rope...was there any skin cells or dna on the rope? Any substances on it from prior use like a specific type of oil? There are all kinds of ways to narrow down a suspect pool. Who is hostile about their being an investigation? Who wants it to all go away and tells people they should let sleeping dogs lie? It's all in the details; people just need to connect the dots.

#17 Wally Tolbert on 07/23/10 at 08:50 AM

what did Joe Buice do?he brought this case back to the headlines,he made an attempt to try someone for the murder.thats what this artical is about,but the one thing he did that was great in my eyes as well as lots of other people of lamar county is, he didn't embarrass the citizens of this county by acting like a little child when he lost the election,thats for damn sure.

#18 g on 07/23/10 at 08:50 AM

speedy recovery joe. get back in the fight and lay this to rest once and for all. your instints are proven. we are behind you. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED.

#19 Anonymous on 07/23/10 at 10:40 AM

Thats all you have?? He caused plenty of embarassment. Do you want me to make you a list since you cant seem to grasp what he was really like? You sound like a broken record.

#20 Anonymous on 07/23/10 at 10:52 AM

LAMO!!! What do you think he can do now if he couldnt do it then?

Anyway, the only person to blame about this horrible crime is the killer. I do think the sheriff at the time of the crime should have prevented the crime scene from being destroyed. That is what totally screwed this case up and it is sad. He is no longer around to give his side to the story. Joe deserves no glory in this case other than bringing this horrible event back to life. He gets credit for trying to solve it. But dont sit back and blame others for why he didnt get this brought before the court. It is not Wallers fault nor the DA's.

#21 Anonymous on 07/23/10 at 01:33 PM

Just like buice "found" the guy a few days before leaving office who was murdered, and made it a point to have himself all over the news about it? Not impressed.

#22 Anonymous on 07/23/10 at 03:48 PM

"This case will never be closed"

Thanks, that's all I needed to hear. Sleep well Lamar, men of the likes of the quote above are in the night watching over you.

Or maybe sleeping well isn't such a good idea after all. A killer walks free among us and our chief law enforcement officer for the county of Lamar says the above.

Choose carefully next election regardless of who runs.

#23 Sheila Tolley on 07/23/10 at 05:51 PM

The more I read from you people the more confused I become. If you want to give out an award for this case being "so thoroughly detailed" this time around, Walter Geiger and his group deserve it. This is obviously a very time consuming compilation of data that the Herald Gazette has mastered. If you want to give an award for the case being brought back into the light after being dormant for 21 years in 2005 then Joe Buice should get the recognition. The reading audience has turned this into some kind of retroactive "Duel of Sheriffs." To Hell with sheriffs right now. Let us just concentrate on WHO would have had a reason to kill Donna Johnson. If you read "The impact of entomology on Donna Johnson investigation" print edition 7.20.2010. There are some alibis that need some severe adjustments. Let's all stop worrying about which sheriff walks the tallest because I have seen none walking on water and get some facts flowing into the offices of the current people who obviously give a damn. My fact for you....call the paper office and you will be put on the right track. I thank you Walter and Laura for so very much work and dedication on Donna's behalf. I pray it will get resolved this time. I do not want the guilty one(s) to die before they get their earthly attention.

#24 To hell with sheriff's on 07/23/10 at 06:36 PM

Hey. Maybe we need a woman sheriff next time, Sheila. And I don't mean some local skank who slept her way to the top. Is there anyone out there, for real, man or woman who doesn't have skeletons in their closet who'd be crazy enough to run? We need a fresh start in this town. Maybe hire someone NOT from this town. Just an idea.

Sorry ya'll for gettin off on a different subject. We need a blog, Walter. Or do we have one? I'm kinda new at all this.

#25 Anonymous on 07/23/10 at 06:42 PM

For those of you who really do not know,the GBI was on the case from the very beginning. They were looking in the dumpster with local law enforcement where Donna's car was found checking to see if she had actually dumped her trash or not. Coffee found the body and all the law enforcement went to the location. There were at least 4 GBI Agents, three Lamar County officers that went down there. A trooper did go down there and did secure the scene as is part of his training. The rain had initially let up, but the down pour started again while they were down there.

Everyone wants to cast stones at everyone else. Everyone has a theory, but no one has facts or proof. I know a lot of the investigators who have worked on this case and they have given it their all. Yes there may have been evidence lost because of the rain and that was the worst enemy that day outside of this killer himself. But one column says there is some evidence and new technology. And we all know in 26 years there has been a lot of new technology regarding forensics. And then maybe, just maybe there is a concious that is being bothered enormously riddled with guilt because they know something and for whatever reason has kept quiet. Guilt is a large burden to bare for eternity.

Stop speculating what is going on with the case, Not a single one of you knows the facts and until there is an arrest and this goes to court you won't know. You shouldn't know all the facts of the case. That's is for law enforcement to know until there is an arrest effected.

#26 stgfox on 07/23/10 at 07:15 PM

you Go Girl! you tell like it is. I agree with you 100 percent.

#27 Sheila Tolley on 07/23/10 at 09:00 PM

Oh yeah, someone out there knows the facts. I will almost guarantee that more than one person knows the facts. Maybe they have children or grandchildren now...............and if they believe in God hopefully they will decide if they "Go ahead and tell the facts," God may spare them from getting the horrific phone call that Donna's family had to hear.

#28 Sheila Tolley on 07/23/10 at 09:03 PM

Will someone please answer this question for me:
WHY did the ambulance stop by the courthouse with Donna's body inside before taking her to the hospital?

#29 Anonymous on 07/23/10 at 09:54 PM

You have to have evidence and facts to try a case, not baseless assumptions. Bragging that "I'm the sheriff" just doesn't cut it.

#30 Anonymous on 07/23/10 at 10:23 PM

''And we all know in 26 years there has been a lot of new technology regarding forensics.''

Is any of this new technology going to be used in THIS case??

''A trooper did go down there and did secure the scene as is part of his training.''

Hmm, wonder why the man who found her, and his story is on this site, say that people were running in from everywhere and the scene was NOT secured??

#31 Anonymous on 07/24/10 at 03:16 AM

Won't ever happen. We were too close to that with the previous sheriff.

#32 Anonymous on 07/24/10 at 06:35 AM

The ambulance did not go to the courthouse with her body. It went straight to the morgue at the Upson County Hospital. And yes the new technology is being used. Will anything pan out. Hopefully but not guaranteed. AND Mr. Coffee ran out of the location where her body was found and did not return to the scene, so he cannot say what happened. I know, I was there. Yes it was a totally disorganized search agreed, but no one can change that so let the investigators now work with what they have, and I like to believe they have something. This was no one particular persons fault, not even then Sheriff Frank Monaghan. Everyone in Piedmont went crazy that day with fear and frustration and they were all running amuck before Law enforcement could could organize anything. They all had good intentions. NO ONE IS TO BLAME except the killer himself and he knows who he is. So please, for the family's sake stop this and let this community come together for a change. Stop worrying about who is Sheriff and who is not, which Sheriff did what when they were in officer. I have watched all of this over the years and there has been great efforts and logn hours trying to get a prosecutable case and Milam is right. Had the suspect been arrested at that time and there was not enough conclusive evidence he may have been found not guilty then set free for the rest of his life. He could never have been prosecuted again because fo "Double Jeopardy" however long that may be, but maybe with whatever they had and with wahtever they hopefully will get there will be conclusive evidence. I know it has been a long time, but let's stop the blame and work together as a community. Lets give the support they need.

#33 Anonymous on 07/24/10 at 06:46 AM

I don't know any woman who has made it to the top so you better be careful when making these statements

#34 Anonymous on 07/24/10 at 09:05 AM

Didn't that slap you in the face and make you go, "What?"

#35 Anonymous on 07/24/10 at 09:37 AM

Are you wanting a repeat of the famous "Lamar county DNR"?

#36 Sheila Tolley on 07/24/10 at 01:32 PM

The Herald Gazette. Tuesday, July 13, 2010. Page 2A. Continuation from page one. Under title, OVERVIEW: 26 year mystery remains. Fourth paragraph from the end of the article.

"Inexplicably, Donna's body was taken to the courthouse and then to a hospital in Thomaston where she was pronounced dead and an autopsy was performed."

#37 Sheila Tolley on 07/24/10 at 01:37 PM

See my response to 14.1. Unless you wrote both.

#38 anon on 07/24/10 at 03:14 PM

I respect you Sheila you know what youre talking about and you put it to the people like it is keep on fighting and I will to thanks

#39 anon on 07/24/10 at 03:25 PM

I respect you Sheila you know what youre talking about and you put it to the people like it is keep on fighting and I will to thanks Lets bring Sylvia Browne in and she can tell us what really happened and tell us who murdered her.

#40 Anonymous on 07/24/10 at 04:09 PM

I did not write both. It seemed odd to me as well.

#41 Anonymous on 07/24/10 at 04:15 PM

Eye witness testimony is one of the most unreliable types of evidence.

#42 Anonymous on 07/24/10 at 04:31 PM

because when he ran out of there in a panic as anyone would have, he never returned down to the scene where the body was SO....he cannot know what happened with the body AND the scene was secured all night long and the search for evidence continued on the next day, road blocks, neighborhood canvas's. Those of you who lived in Piedmont area should remember all this. I just hope and Pray that Becky remembers how tirelessly officers worked on this case for years and will not listen to this nonsense

#43 Anonymous on 07/25/10 at 10:00 AM

Just because it was reported as so, doesn't mean it actually happened.

#44 Anonymous on 07/25/10 at 11:50 AM

Well, if the investigators will not confirm or deny things, we will never know. We are just working with the information we do have.

#45 Sheila Tolley on 07/25/10 at 01:53 PM

And it doesn't mean it didn't. Now can someone with a full set of chromosomes answer number 14 for me? That is just strange as Hell to me. My bet is that it is TRUE! Now WHY?

#46 Sheila Tolley on 07/25/10 at 01:57 PM

Will someone answer this question also, What garage burned after Donna's death before it could be investigated?

#47 rhoda dunn on 07/25/10 at 02:29 PM

anyone that was in that area at that day should take time and think of any and every detail of that day. even the smallest glue could help solve this murder. someone walking, pulled side road, unusual vehicle or face. someone knows! and that makes them the murders co-pilot and unless you come forward with truth. people help keep this alive until wild animals that did this is dead or behind bars.

#48 Anonymous on 07/25/10 at 03:34 PM

sounds like 14.1 did answer your question because he was there, so it reads

#49 Anonymous on 07/25/10 at 03:44 PM

Anything odd should be investigated. Why would someone NOT investigate that?

#50 Anonymous on 07/26/10 at 01:17 AM

Good Lord, nobody owes you anything, woman. Your opinion is just as relevant as anyone else's.

Maybe it happened, maybe it didn't, it is what it is.

#51 Anonymous on 07/26/10 at 04:42 PM

that is a good question someone please give her an answer or is that top secret to

#52 Anonymous on 07/27/10 at 10:19 AM

I hear that! After 26 years, all of this should be known. Why is the public being kept in the dark?!? WE DEMAND ANSWERS!

#53 NOT Shelia Tolley on 07/27/10 at 10:21 AM

Maybe if someone tortures and murders you, there will be people there who care enough to fight for justice. We pay taxes and vote. THEY DO OWE US ANSWERS!

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