WEBVTT 1 00:00:07.519 --> 00:00:11.119 The tragic death of nineteen year old Levenna Lynn Johnson, 2 00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:14.880 a private first Class Army soldier who is serving in Iraq, 3 00:00:15.439 --> 00:00:19.000 is a story that may have unveiled troubling secrets within 4 00:00:19.039 --> 00:00:23.320 the United States Army. Her untimely death has been ruled 5 00:00:23.320 --> 00:00:27.320 a suicide, even though evidence points to a murder, as 6 00:00:27.320 --> 00:00:31.519 her body shows signs of abuse, sexual assault, and a 7 00:00:31.600 --> 00:00:33.679 death beyond self infliction. 8 00:00:35.200 --> 00:00:38.520 My name's Ben, I'm Nicole, and you're listening to Wicked 9 00:00:38.560 --> 00:00:40.679 and Grim, a true crime podcast. 10 00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:50.240 The following past material intend for a mature audience. Listener 11 00:00:50.280 --> 00:01:15.519 Discretion is advised. It's playoff season. The NHL Stanley Playoffs 12 00:01:15.599 --> 00:01:18.680 are on right now. Sorry, and just we're super excited. 13 00:01:18.719 --> 00:01:20.920 We watched the Canucks play their first opening game the 14 00:01:20.920 --> 00:01:25.280 other day, which they won. They did against Nashville Predators. 15 00:01:25.319 --> 00:01:27.239 It was a fantastic game on both sides. But we 16 00:01:27.280 --> 00:01:29.560 are rooting for the Canucks to go all the way 17 00:01:29.599 --> 00:01:29.959 this year. 18 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:32.560 We totally are. I actually meant to throw on some 19 00:01:32.599 --> 00:01:34.760 of the games because there were some other Canadian teams 20 00:01:34.799 --> 00:01:38.760 playing tonight, but we were working. Yes, I just forgot, 21 00:01:38.799 --> 00:01:40.280 so we're gonna have to look up those scores. 22 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:41.959 Fair enough I don't know if any of you guys 23 00:01:41.959 --> 00:01:45.879 out there are sports fans, we generally speaking aren't. We 24 00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:48.680 watched playoff hockey, and like, we root for the Canucks, 25 00:01:48.719 --> 00:01:51.000 but we really got into it this year. 26 00:01:51.439 --> 00:01:54.319 So yeah, we needed a winter hobby. 27 00:01:54.400 --> 00:01:57.280 And it's good because the Canucks just so happened to 28 00:01:57.280 --> 00:01:59.760 be doing phenomenal this year. So we can say that 29 00:01:59.799 --> 00:02:04.200 we're not bandwagoners because we watched almost their entire preseason. 30 00:02:03.719 --> 00:02:07.000 Games too, So yeah, pretty well, Hey, yeah, I think 31 00:02:07.040 --> 00:02:09.159 we missed a little bit at the beginning, but not 32 00:02:09.240 --> 00:02:09.719 a whole lot. 33 00:02:09.759 --> 00:02:13.000 We maybe missed. I bet you're like eight ten games 34 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:15.680 at the beginning, and then we're watching them and they 35 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:17.840 were doing really good, and then there was a bit 36 00:02:17.879 --> 00:02:20.520 of a lull where they weren't doing so good, but 37 00:02:20.599 --> 00:02:23.520 they're bringing it back and they play phenomenal first first 38 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:25.599 NFL Stanley Cup playoff game. 39 00:02:25.800 --> 00:02:30.520 Yeah. Ripley hates our dog hates when when we're watching 40 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:33.639 hockey because we get excited the playoffs. I feel like 41 00:02:33.719 --> 00:02:37.120 yesterday we got pretty dang excited, and she's like, oh man, 42 00:02:37.319 --> 00:02:40.560 she doesn't like it when like someone's kind of showing 43 00:02:40.840 --> 00:02:44.120 or being loud or kind of apprehensive or something right. 44 00:02:44.280 --> 00:02:48.360 She doesn't like loud emotion because she's like, is something wrong? 45 00:02:48.360 --> 00:02:49.039 Are you okay? 46 00:02:49.159 --> 00:02:51.080 She'll literally come up and like want to give you 47 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:55.280 a hug and like confront, like comfort you, and yeah, even. 48 00:02:55.159 --> 00:02:57.240 If it's good emotions, she thinks that something could be 49 00:02:57.280 --> 00:02:59.960 wrong and you might be upset because like you're loud, 50 00:03:00.039 --> 00:03:01.879 you must be yelling, you must be angry, you must 51 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:03.479 be mad, must be upset. 52 00:03:03.919 --> 00:03:06.800 So yeah, so it's going to be allowed a long 53 00:03:06.919 --> 00:03:08.000 playoff season for. 54 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:13.439 Her, yes, most certainly. But before we just start ranting 55 00:03:13.439 --> 00:03:15.479 and raving about hockey, we want to make sure that 56 00:03:15.520 --> 00:03:18.199 we thank our patrons who sign up over on Patreon, 57 00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:21.080 who support us behind the scenes get that extra awesome content. 58 00:03:21.719 --> 00:03:24.319 And this week we had Amy Dunn sign up for Patreon, 59 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:26.240 So Amy, thank you so much. We appreciate you. 60 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:26.879 Thanks Amy. 61 00:03:27.000 --> 00:03:29.400 Yeah, that's awesome. I want to talk about one more 62 00:03:29.479 --> 00:03:32.599 quick little thing before we get into today's episode, and 63 00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:35.479 that is something that we forgot to mention last week, 64 00:03:35.520 --> 00:03:37.400 which I was going to ihad it on my list, 65 00:03:37.840 --> 00:03:38.960 but OJ Simpson died. 66 00:03:39.560 --> 00:03:41.719 Oh okay, I was like, what was what. 67 00:03:41.719 --> 00:03:44.439 Did we So that was massive in the true crime 68 00:03:44.439 --> 00:03:47.520 world because O. J. Simpson, famous for the Hey. 69 00:03:47.520 --> 00:03:49.280 The glove doesn't fit. 70 00:03:50.800 --> 00:03:52.719 He has officially passed. 71 00:03:52.400 --> 00:03:55.319 Away in seventies. I think he was. 72 00:03:55.360 --> 00:03:57.840 Some I think seventy four, I want to say, or no, 73 00:03:57.919 --> 00:04:00.919 seventy six. I got it right here. Yeah, he passed 74 00:04:00.960 --> 00:04:05.000 away April tenth, twenty twenty four. I mean, technically speaking, 75 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:11.240 he's innocent, technically speaking, according to the courts, But there 76 00:04:11.319 --> 00:04:13.520 is a lot that goes into that case which throws 77 00:04:13.560 --> 00:04:16.439 a lot of suspicion at him and the whole Hey, 78 00:04:16.959 --> 00:04:19.439 that glove doesn't fit, even though there's literal footage of 79 00:04:19.519 --> 00:04:21.920 him wearing those gloves and like TV reports and stuff 80 00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:25.639 like that. But yeah, anyways, he passed. 81 00:04:25.399 --> 00:04:28.759 Away, huh, which I feel like is a terrible segue 82 00:04:28.839 --> 00:04:33.480 into this next case because you always think, I don't know, 83 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:36.759 people will get what's coming or whatever right, or like 84 00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:40.839 the I can't even speak today. I'm like Harma fausted, 85 00:04:41.160 --> 00:04:45.240 klarma arma, or just the the court systems, or like 86 00:04:45.480 --> 00:04:46.839 you know, you're going to get in jail if you 87 00:04:46.839 --> 00:04:47.439 did a crime. 88 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:50.279 But I think you do the crime, you do the time. 89 00:04:50.439 --> 00:04:53.720 This one is going to make us mad, isn't it. 90 00:04:53.839 --> 00:04:57.600 Well you're about to find out, because this is the 91 00:04:57.639 --> 00:05:00.879 story of Levenna Lynn Johnson. 92 00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:03.800 Well, even after you read the intro, I was like. 93 00:05:04.079 --> 00:05:06.639 Nineteen, Yes, she's nineteen years old. 94 00:05:06.839 --> 00:05:07.600 That's young. 95 00:05:08.360 --> 00:05:09.959 So let's dive into this. Are you ready? 96 00:05:10.360 --> 00:05:10.920 I think so? 97 00:05:11.480 --> 00:05:14.759 You think so? Okay? Well. She was born on July 98 00:05:14.839 --> 00:05:19.519 twenty seventh, nineteen eighty five, in Florescent, Missouri. Levenna Johnson 99 00:05:19.560 --> 00:05:22.759 grew up in a close knit household with her parents, 100 00:05:22.800 --> 00:05:26.160 doctor Johnson and Linda Johnson. As she approached the end 101 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:29.040 of her high school years, Levenna made the tough decision 102 00:05:29.079 --> 00:05:31.079 that would alter the course of her life and impact 103 00:05:31.079 --> 00:05:33.519 her family deeply. Now, of course, I mean this is 104 00:05:33.759 --> 00:05:37.279 we know, this is a true crime tale. The decision, 105 00:05:37.680 --> 00:05:40.360 regardless of the events that did play out, it's still 106 00:05:40.399 --> 00:05:42.959 a decision if it went the correct way or which 107 00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:45.360 she hoped, It's still a decision that's big and would 108 00:05:45.439 --> 00:05:50.160 impact your life and your family. So, despite her parents' reservations, 109 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:54.519 Levenna resolved to join the military. She wanted to alleviate 110 00:05:54.560 --> 00:05:56.759 some of the financial strain in her family regarding the 111 00:05:56.759 --> 00:06:00.519 looming costs of college tuitions for both herself and her sister. 112 00:06:01.480 --> 00:06:03.639 So it was a choice, you know, more so for herself, 113 00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:05.800 not one only wanting to provide back to her family, 114 00:06:05.839 --> 00:06:08.680 of course, you know that monetary value, but also provide 115 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:11.319 for herself in an onset in your onsetting adult years, 116 00:06:11.480 --> 00:06:13.879 a sense of independence, you know, is important for someone 117 00:06:13.879 --> 00:06:17.040 as in those younger years, being becoming an adolescent, you know, 118 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:19.279 a young adult or whatever. And I think it was 119 00:06:19.319 --> 00:06:22.240 her way of just just gaining that per se. 120 00:06:22.720 --> 00:06:26.879 Well, it's impressive too that she's thinking about her parents 121 00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:29.680 and them not having to pay for two kids going 122 00:06:29.720 --> 00:06:33.519 to post secondary and you know, wanting to like provide 123 00:06:33.560 --> 00:06:36.600 some financial income herself. 124 00:06:36.920 --> 00:06:38.480 Yeah, no, it's pretty impressive. 125 00:06:38.480 --> 00:06:38.959 It is. 126 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:41.759 It is, And I don't think it was necessarily like 127 00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:43.560 like she was doing. She was thinking of about a 128 00:06:43.560 --> 00:06:47.879 few different angles. One on the surface, she was thinking like, hey, 129 00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:49.639 I want to I want to provide for the family, 130 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:52.639 provide back for the family. But I think like subconsciously 131 00:06:52.800 --> 00:06:55.639 it is that you know, gaining your independence. She's just 132 00:06:55.639 --> 00:06:58.600 just about to graduate high school. That's when we're all 133 00:06:59.079 --> 00:07:01.560 you know, going off in the world and becoming ourselves, 134 00:07:01.560 --> 00:07:06.240 whether it's post secondary, moving out or relationships, whatever it is. 135 00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:09.800 You're spreading your proverbial wings, right, And I think this 136 00:07:10.040 --> 00:07:12.519 was a way of being able to do that, taking 137 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:16.639 on a responsibility as an adult, and I think, you know, 138 00:07:16.720 --> 00:07:19.360 that was a big part of her decision. 139 00:07:19.480 --> 00:07:20.600 Okay, good for her. 140 00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:22.839 I mean her parents, on the other hand, they weren't 141 00:07:22.839 --> 00:07:27.360 exactly concerned about her having to pay even though I 142 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:29.199 means that's what she was trying to do. She's trying 143 00:07:29.199 --> 00:07:31.680 to like pay and ensure that she's putting in this 144 00:07:31.720 --> 00:07:34.160 money with the family as well. But her parents weren't concerned. 145 00:07:34.199 --> 00:07:36.879 They possessed the means to support not only enough money 146 00:07:36.879 --> 00:07:39.920 for her education, but the money for her siblings as well. 147 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:42.680 So, Okay, I wondered because you said he was a doctor, 148 00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:44.759 but I was like, well, maybe not all doctors make 149 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:45.639 good money. I don't know. 150 00:07:45.800 --> 00:07:48.240 No, they had the monetary value, they had the means 151 00:07:48.240 --> 00:07:50.399 of paying it. She just was like, hey, you know what, 152 00:07:51.079 --> 00:07:53.319 I can pay it too. And I think that's that's 153 00:07:53.519 --> 00:07:54.439 good on her for sure. 154 00:07:54.519 --> 00:07:55.279 Yeah, for sure. 155 00:07:56.120 --> 00:07:58.839 Now for her dad, doctor John Johnson, who was a 156 00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:04.120 military psychologist and his career immersed himself within the intricacies 157 00:08:04.160 --> 00:08:07.759 of military life quite a bit. But for him, Leavenna's 158 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:10.680 decision came as quite a surprise. He never wasn't one 159 00:08:10.720 --> 00:08:12.720 to really like press the idea of the military on 160 00:08:12.759 --> 00:08:16.120 his family specifically, So it was kind of like, oh, 161 00:08:16.680 --> 00:08:19.959 almost came out of nowhere for him, and he couldn't 162 00:08:20.160 --> 00:08:23.240 really shake the belief that his daughter had been swayed 163 00:08:23.439 --> 00:08:27.319 by the persuasive recruiters who had frequented her high school. 164 00:08:27.759 --> 00:08:31.759 So whether she was indoctrinated that way or not, it's 165 00:08:31.759 --> 00:08:34.600 hard to say. And regardless of the origins of her decision, 166 00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:38.080 Levenna was determined to pursue a path in the military. 167 00:08:38.279 --> 00:08:40.200 It was a choice that spoke to her sense of duty, 168 00:08:40.440 --> 00:08:43.879 her purpose, one that she embraced, and it was going 169 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:46.080 to be her conviction. So good on her. 170 00:08:46.440 --> 00:08:48.360 It makes sense a little bit more so to me 171 00:08:48.399 --> 00:08:51.799 now knowing that her dad too was part of it. 172 00:08:51.919 --> 00:08:53.960 Right person, the military, for sure, it does. 173 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:57.240 She kind of grew up with that in the family, 174 00:08:57.639 --> 00:09:00.000 whether he pressed it or not, that still gives you 175 00:09:00.159 --> 00:09:05.240 perspective of that lifestyle or that sense of honor and 176 00:09:05.320 --> 00:09:10.840 respect service sort of things. So I totally get it. Yeah. So, 177 00:09:10.919 --> 00:09:13.639 on May of two thousand and five, just a year 178 00:09:13.639 --> 00:09:16.399 after bidding farewell to her high school days, nineteen year 179 00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:19.559 old Levenna found herself deployed in the one hundred and 180 00:09:19.600 --> 00:09:25.759 twenty ninth Corps Support Battalion to balad Iraq. Despite the 181 00:09:25.799 --> 00:09:28.320 miles that separated her from her home, she made a 182 00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:31.679 point of reaching out very frequently. She would call, write 183 00:09:31.759 --> 00:09:34.080 letters reassure her loved ones of her safety and her 184 00:09:34.120 --> 00:09:37.480 well being. She shared tales of her experiences and service, 185 00:09:38.120 --> 00:09:40.960 and from these conversations she appeared happy with her decision. 186 00:09:41.080 --> 00:09:44.559 She was doing well where she was. However, as the 187 00:09:44.600 --> 00:09:49.519 months passed, Levenna began talking about mistreatment and disrespect from 188 00:09:49.559 --> 00:09:56.840 her superiors. She was always an optimist, but she downplayed 189 00:09:56.879 --> 00:10:00.639 these concerns as best as she could while still venting appropriately. 190 00:10:00.759 --> 00:10:03.840 Right so, she was insisting that the treatment was not 191 00:10:03.960 --> 00:10:06.559 unique to her and urging that her urging to her 192 00:10:06.600 --> 00:10:10.240 parents that there's nothing to worry about, there's nothing excessive 193 00:10:10.320 --> 00:10:16.639 going on. Yet behind these reassuring words, Leah growing unease. 194 00:10:17.519 --> 00:10:20.320 In her letters to her mother, Lavenna detailed the challenges 195 00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:24.759 she faced, including instances where her authority was undermined by 196 00:10:24.919 --> 00:10:29.759 insubordinate soldiers. One particular conversation with her father on January 197 00:10:29.799 --> 00:10:32.759 fourteenth in two thousand and five revealed the depths of 198 00:10:32.799 --> 00:10:36.399 her distress. She talked about an encounter with soldiers who 199 00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:40.559 defied her command. She told them to leave the communication room, 200 00:10:40.759 --> 00:10:45.799 but they ignored her. She felt helpless. She's sitting here 201 00:10:45.879 --> 00:10:49.279 facing this insubordination even though they all knew she was 202 00:10:49.320 --> 00:10:53.639 in charge. Instead of receiving support, though, she found herself 203 00:10:53.720 --> 00:10:59.840 chastisized by her superior officer for her perceived lack of assertiveness. 204 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:03.279 She's too soft spoken. So the superior was a general 205 00:11:03.320 --> 00:11:05.519 who came in and ordered the soldiers to leave, and 206 00:11:05.559 --> 00:11:08.360 they did immediately. They listened to him, but they never 207 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:10.159 listened to Levenna. They just ignored her. 208 00:11:10.639 --> 00:11:15.080 That's brutal, Actually it is, huh because no matter what, 209 00:11:15.240 --> 00:11:17.759 no matter say, she's soft spoken or just the way 210 00:11:17.799 --> 00:11:23.159 she speaks, like if she is of higher ranking ranking, 211 00:11:23.240 --> 00:11:25.000 like they should be listening to her. 212 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:29.279 Yeah, And the general like never never reprimanded these these 213 00:11:29.320 --> 00:11:32.879 soldiers for ignoring her either. Instead, he told her, you're 214 00:11:32.919 --> 00:11:35.360 too soft spoken. You need to speak up, you need 215 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:35.960 to do better. 216 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:38.200 That's like showing she has zero support. 217 00:11:38.559 --> 00:11:49.000 Yes, hmmm. So despite her father's suggestion of a battle buddy, 218 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:52.759 a battle buddy battle buddy, Levenna couldn't bring herself to 219 00:11:52.799 --> 00:11:55.879 do it. I mean, so doctor Johnson urged her to 220 00:11:55.879 --> 00:11:58.279 seek this battle buddy, And this battle buddy is a 221 00:11:58.279 --> 00:12:02.200 trusted partner who would stand by a soldier's side through 222 00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:07.240 thick and thin, ensuring their safety in the whole military life. Now, 223 00:12:07.240 --> 00:12:10.200 I think it's more so employed in the field, so 224 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:11.759 it's like you have someone watching. 225 00:12:11.480 --> 00:12:13.720 Your backs, right right, Yeah, that makes sense. 226 00:12:14.320 --> 00:12:17.639 But she feared this. If she implemented this or asked 227 00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:22.000 for this battle buddy, it might reinforce the perception of 228 00:12:22.039 --> 00:12:26.120 her weakness or her soft spokenness that was already being 229 00:12:26.159 --> 00:12:30.279 cast upon her by her superiors. And clearly her those 230 00:12:30.360 --> 00:12:35.000 been blow her as well. So nevertheless, she told her 231 00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:37.759 father that she would seek this out, she would request 232 00:12:37.759 --> 00:12:42.279 this from the general, but in reality, she was going 233 00:12:42.360 --> 00:12:44.200 to face the challenges on her own. 234 00:12:44.960 --> 00:12:47.559 Oh my gosh. And I know she's telling her parents 235 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:51.080 not to worry, but I could only imagine that because 236 00:12:51.080 --> 00:12:53.840 you would be so helpless. So you can't really help 237 00:12:53.879 --> 00:12:54.600 her whatsoever. 238 00:12:55.200 --> 00:12:56.279 Yeah, for sure, you know. 239 00:12:56.320 --> 00:12:58.679 Like her dad's giving her a bit of advice or whatnot, 240 00:12:58.759 --> 00:13:00.799 but he's not there, you. 241 00:13:00.759 --> 00:13:04.000 Know, Yeah, he's not there. He can't protect her. 242 00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:05.720 Yeah. 243 00:13:05.879 --> 00:13:09.720 So anyways, a few weeks later, Levenna called home with 244 00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:12.639 some exciting news. She was going to be returning home 245 00:13:12.759 --> 00:13:13.440 for Christmas. 246 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:15.039 Okay, now, which. 247 00:13:14.919 --> 00:13:18.519 Is fantastic because I know many people who are serving 248 00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:22.639 their country, whether it's across seas or even just stationed, 249 00:13:22.639 --> 00:13:24.879 you know, a few miles away, it's hard to actually 250 00:13:24.960 --> 00:13:27.720 get to come home for Christmas. That was major. 251 00:13:28.200 --> 00:13:31.519 Yeah. I don't imagine a lot of them get that opportunity. 252 00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:34.120 Necessarily, definitely not. And she immediately told her family, like, 253 00:13:34.200 --> 00:13:36.480 don't decorate the Christmas tree. It was her favorite part 254 00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:38.440 of Christmas. She wanted to be there to do it 255 00:13:38.480 --> 00:13:41.279 with them, so they held off on decorating the tree, 256 00:13:41.320 --> 00:13:42.799 waiting for her to get home so she could do 257 00:13:42.840 --> 00:13:43.279 it with them. 258 00:13:43.360 --> 00:13:44.000 That's awesome. 259 00:13:44.240 --> 00:13:48.000 The anticipation of her homecoming filled the household with absolute joy, 260 00:13:48.039 --> 00:13:51.080 in each passing day bringing them closer to reuniting with 261 00:13:51.159 --> 00:13:56.320 their daughter. They couldn't wait. However, the promise of a 262 00:13:56.519 --> 00:14:00.919 reunion would soon be shattered when a somber visitor knocked 263 00:14:00.919 --> 00:14:06.159 on their door just three days after Levenna's phone call. 264 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:14.720 Okay, so shit, she's so young and it's the holidays, correct, Okay, Yeah, 265 00:14:14.879 --> 00:14:17.279 that's just some real shitty icing on the cake. 266 00:14:17.320 --> 00:14:21.879 There with heavy hearts, the Johnson's received the devastating news 267 00:14:21.879 --> 00:14:26.039 that their daughter would not be returning home alive. Levenna's 268 00:14:26.120 --> 00:14:30.159 dreams of college and a future beyond the battlefield were 269 00:14:30.200 --> 00:14:33.759 gone in an instant, eight short weeks after setting foot 270 00:14:33.799 --> 00:14:37.440 in Iraq, in a mere eight days before her twentieth birthday, 271 00:14:37.960 --> 00:14:41.360 Levenna Johnson's life was tragically cut short as the first 272 00:14:41.399 --> 00:14:44.480 female soldier to lose their life in the conflicts in 273 00:14:44.519 --> 00:14:49.360 Iraq and Afghanistan. The messenger standing at their doorstep delivering 274 00:14:49.360 --> 00:14:53.559 the harsh news shattered the Johnson families world, and it 275 00:14:53.639 --> 00:14:56.360 only got heavier when he told them that she had 276 00:14:56.399 --> 00:14:59.879 tragically taken her own life. 277 00:15:00.200 --> 00:15:07.360 Oh shit, Okay, that is the worst knock on the 278 00:15:07.399 --> 00:15:08.679 door you could ever get. 279 00:15:09.440 --> 00:15:11.720 Yeah, I believe so. I can think of something that 280 00:15:11.720 --> 00:15:12.360 would be worse. 281 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:13.279 Yeah. 282 00:15:15.159 --> 00:15:18.639 Now, of course, they were shocked and struggled to believe 283 00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:22.279 what they were hearing about their daughter. Doctor Johnson, drawing 284 00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:25.159 his own on his own military experience, couldn't shake the 285 00:15:25.240 --> 00:15:29.200 immediate nagging sense of suspicion that was gnawing at him, 286 00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:33.159 while his wife, Linda flat out rejected the notion that 287 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:37.960 her daughter could ever take her own life. So immediately 288 00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:39.759 they were suspicious. 289 00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:43.960 Okay, well, yeah, she was pumped to come home. Yeah, 290 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:46.519 so you wouldn't think that, you know, if you have 291 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:48.960 something that exciting to look forward to, that you would 292 00:15:49.080 --> 00:15:54.480 necessarily you know, well not necessarily. 293 00:15:53.840 --> 00:15:57.039 Actually, yeah, I'm I'm. I would rebuttle that and say, 294 00:15:57.080 --> 00:16:01.440 many of the people who are struggling with with depression. 295 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:03.399 Right before, yeah, they. 296 00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:05.279 Often are the ones that have the biggest smile on 297 00:16:05.320 --> 00:16:07.679 their face they hide it, or right. 298 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:11.200 Before they have a little bit of time where you know, 299 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:14.159 they are like quite happy, yeah, and life seems a 300 00:16:14.200 --> 00:16:14.639 lot better. 301 00:16:14.759 --> 00:16:19.720 Yeah. Generally speaking, you can never see this coming. Yeah, 302 00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:23.240 So I would say that regardless of how happy she 303 00:16:23.480 --> 00:16:27.399 was or regardless of her mood, you never know. But 304 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:29.399 there was a feeling that her parents had in their gut. 305 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:33.039 They're like, there's no way they knew, and they just 306 00:16:33.159 --> 00:16:36.919 rejected that notion immediately. Now, a day later, a call 307 00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:39.440 came from one of the generals and they gave them 308 00:16:39.480 --> 00:16:42.440 more information and offered a glimpse into the events that 309 00:16:42.559 --> 00:16:47.679 led up to Levenna's untimely death. The investigation that ensued 310 00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:53.399 uncovered details that painted the puzzling picture. After completing her 311 00:16:53.399 --> 00:16:56.960 morning shift as usual, Levenna got changed into her training clothes, 312 00:16:57.000 --> 00:16:59.960 but failed to show up to meet her comrades for training. 313 00:17:01.240 --> 00:17:03.600 A soldier was sent to search for her, and they 314 00:17:03.639 --> 00:17:09.000 ultimately discovered her lifeless body in a contractor's tent, surrounded 315 00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:11.000 by charred remnants of paper. 316 00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:13.039 What the shit? 317 00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:17.319 The general believed that Levenna had been grappling with pain 318 00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:20.319 of a recent breakup with her boyfriend of two months, 319 00:17:20.680 --> 00:17:25.640 which he had done callously through email. They suggested that 320 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:28.359 she had printed out these hurtful emails, tucked them away 321 00:17:28.359 --> 00:17:31.279 in her pocket, and then went on a errand to 322 00:17:31.319 --> 00:17:35.839 purchase some snacks and a six pack of pop or soda. 323 00:17:35.920 --> 00:17:37.519 Whether you're from the States or Canada, you call it 324 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:40.880 pap or soda. And along with her on this little 325 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:44.920 trek she went with an unnamed other soldier and in 326 00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:48.000 tow she had her N sixteen service weapon with her. 327 00:17:48.359 --> 00:17:51.680 So when M sixteen is a rifle? As a military 328 00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:57.079 narrative unfolded, doctor Johnson found himself increasingly troubled by the 329 00:17:57.119 --> 00:18:03.920 discrepancy surrounding Levena's death. Despite the official conclusion of suicide, 330 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:06.079 He and his wife couldn't shake the idea their daughter 331 00:18:06.119 --> 00:18:08.880 had instead been murdered and someone was covering it up. 332 00:18:10.039 --> 00:18:15.119 One particular inconsistency inconsistency immediately cast out on the military's 333 00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:19.880 account the sheer physical impossibility of Levenna, standing at just 334 00:18:20.079 --> 00:18:22.599 five foot one inch tall and weighing less than one 335 00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:27.400 hundred pounds, maneuvering the bulky forty inch long M sixteen 336 00:18:27.559 --> 00:18:31.279 rifle into her mouth to fire the fatal shot upon 337 00:18:31.319 --> 00:18:34.880 herself as they said she did. They said she put 338 00:18:34.920 --> 00:18:37.279 the gun in her mouth, managed to pull the trigger 339 00:18:37.319 --> 00:18:41.279 to end her life. But a defied logic and deflated 340 00:18:41.359 --> 00:18:46.000 any sense of credibility upon the official version of events. 341 00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:51.359 Holy shit, Okay. Also, she's tiny. 342 00:18:51.480 --> 00:18:57.119 He she is very small. Yes. So, before Levena's body 343 00:18:57.359 --> 00:19:00.279 was returned home for burial, the military claim that they 344 00:19:00.279 --> 00:19:04.359 have conducted an autopsy as well, purportedly confirming their narrative 345 00:19:04.440 --> 00:19:10.200 on how events unfolded. As Levena's casket, draped in the 346 00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:13.640 American flag, arrived at the airport, the Johnsons grappled with 347 00:19:13.720 --> 00:19:16.759 the profound sense of loss and disbelief as they picked 348 00:19:16.839 --> 00:19:21.240 up the casket of their daughter. They were advised against 349 00:19:21.359 --> 00:19:25.640 viewing their daughter's body and having an open casket due 350 00:19:25.720 --> 00:19:29.079 to the grim condition of her remains. I mean, she 351 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:33.160 had a loaded weapon, pulled the trigger with the barrel 352 00:19:33.240 --> 00:19:36.880 pointed in her mouth upwards. It wouldn't be a pretty sight. 353 00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:40.480 No, no, no, parent or no, yeah, you wouldn't. 354 00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:43.279 Want to see that, No, definitely not. But they did. 355 00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:47.519 Holy shit, Okay, it did not stop them because they 356 00:19:47.599 --> 00:19:49.640 just they knew, they just knew something was wrong. 357 00:19:49.680 --> 00:19:54.359 They knew knew something was wrong, and they were determined 358 00:19:54.359 --> 00:19:56.759 to face the truth. And they made the decision to 359 00:19:56.920 --> 00:19:58.640 open her casket. 360 00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:01.279 Okay, but fuck that that. They even had to you know, 361 00:20:01.559 --> 00:20:03.599 I know, like they had to look at that. 362 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:10.960 So with trembling hands and heavy hearts, they began to 363 00:20:11.039 --> 00:20:14.480 lift the lid, and in that moment, as they gazed 364 00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:19.880 upon the face of their deceased daughter, she was remarkably intact, 365 00:20:20.359 --> 00:20:24.359 near perfectly intact. The fuck not what you expect from 366 00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:27.160 someone who shot themselves in the head with an M 367 00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:31.599 sixteen via the roof of their mouth. There was, however, 368 00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:35.759 a small hole, which was a gunshot wound, just on 369 00:20:35.799 --> 00:20:38.400 the left side of her head, and it sent a 370 00:20:38.440 --> 00:20:42.519 shiver down doctor Johnson's spine when he saw it. As 371 00:20:42.519 --> 00:20:46.200 he gazed upon his daughter, the realization dawned on him. 372 00:20:46.519 --> 00:20:50.319 Someone had gone through great lengths to conceal the truth 373 00:20:50.359 --> 00:20:53.880 behind Levena's death. Not only did she not have a 374 00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:56.720 gunshot wound in her mouth and exiting through the back 375 00:20:56.759 --> 00:20:58.440 of her head, the gunshot was on the side of 376 00:20:58.440 --> 00:21:03.279 her head. She had some abrasions, cuts, some bruising on 377 00:21:03.319 --> 00:21:07.079 her body around her neck, and even a broken tooth. 378 00:21:08.200 --> 00:21:11.200 They found much more than a discrepancy in the bullet 379 00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:15.000 wound these small minor abrasions on her remains. They also 380 00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:18.039 made the discovery that plastic surgery, which was done to 381 00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:21.480 mend her broken nose post mortem, existed. 382 00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:27.240 Holy shit, are you serious? 383 00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:27.759 Yes? 384 00:21:28.599 --> 00:21:32.279 Okay, this is making me feel like sick. Yes, like 385 00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:34.559 sick to my stomach. Holy shit. 386 00:21:34.960 --> 00:21:38.200 Yes, So she had a broken nose, plastic surgery was 387 00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:39.920 done to cover that up. 388 00:21:42.680 --> 00:21:47.799 Huh. Okay, that's a lot to take in there. 389 00:21:48.359 --> 00:21:55.799 Yeah. So, despite the military's inconsistencies and insistence that the 390 00:21:55.839 --> 00:22:01.480 wound was done with an M sixteen rifle, experts Donald 391 00:22:01.680 --> 00:22:06.039 Marion and Cyril wetch contested this assertion, pointing to the 392 00:22:06.079 --> 00:22:10.119 evidence suggesting that a nine millimeter pistol was likely the 393 00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:14.240 weapon instead, and for some unknown reason, the bullet from 394 00:22:14.279 --> 00:22:16.960 this incident was not recovered, so there could not be 395 00:22:17.079 --> 00:22:18.279 a match to prove this. 396 00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:22.160 Okay, so they were just sorry, my brain's just going 397 00:22:22.599 --> 00:22:26.039 like spinning here, No spin away, they were. They were 398 00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:29.240 just coming up with some sort of story that would 399 00:22:30.200 --> 00:22:33.440 kind of would show like, would make a parent not 400 00:22:33.519 --> 00:22:35.680 want to open the coffin, right. 401 00:22:35.720 --> 00:22:36.799