alonzo brooks creek photo

A crisp white shirt and bow tie and a ring perched on his right hand all preserved in a slightly grainy picture bring you back to the time before everything changed for the Brooks family. His death certainly was suspicious, and someone, likely multiple people, know(s) what happened that night in April 2004, McAllister said on June 11. Details of the examination are being withheld for investigative purposes. As his siblings got older and moved out, Alonzo and his mom moved to the town of Gardner outside of Topeka. They radioed the group of searched Weve got him, weve got Zo. His case was recently reopened by the @FBI who are offering a $100K reward for tips leading to an arrest. The determination was made after Brooks' body was exhumed and taken to Dover Air Force Base. They continued to look and found first one boot, then another. Thats one of the last things Maria Ramirez remembers asking her son before he left their Gardner, Kansas, home. Friends and family have denied Brooks killed himself or drowned and many suspect he was the victim of a hate crime. Cox and Ramirez both think race played a part in his killing; the 23-year-old was Latino and African American, and one of the few people of color at the party. Ill go outside and little things, you know it just could be the wind, and I think thats him messing my hair, Ramirez said. Dumping his body there was not convenient. In the days after Brooks vanished, authorities from Linn County, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation became involved. Beer cans, bricks, beads and glass remind you that in the past this creek has floodedbut in 2004 it didnt. (LogOut/ Alonzo Brooks, 23, of Gardner, vanished from a party April 3, 2004, at a farmhouse near La Cygne. Wait, wait, wait, wait, tell her about the tattoo, Angela Ramirez-Cox says. Alonzo and his friends Justin Sprague, Daniel Fune and Tyler Broughard were some of those in attendance. The next morning, he was missing, with only his shoes and hat found at the site of the party. After he failed to come home the next day, his family contacted the police who began searching for Brooks. The local Sheriff's department as well as Kansas State investigators searched the area as well in the days following Alonzos disappearance, but found nothing. They killed two. He was the youngest of 5 children, and though it frustrated him to be the baby of the family when he was young, it made him especially close with his mother Maria Ramirez. The latest autopsy noted that injuries on Brooks body were inconsistent with typical patterns of decomposition. The majority of partygoers were from Gardner and were people Alonzo was familiar with, according to Josh Pratt, a filmmaker who has been researching the story for over six years. From the beginning of his case, rumors swirled that Brooks was a victim of foul play. Calvary Cemetery, and performed a second autopsy. For their part, the Brooks family and online sleuths believe it highly unlikely that Alonzo wandered out to the relatively shallow creek, tripped and fell only to be left undiscovered for a month. The FBI reopened the case in 2019, and on June 11, 2020, announced an $100,000 reward for any information that led to an arrest, prosecution, or conviction in the case. His body was found in a creek a month after. Alonzos best friend Rodney from Topeka came to town to help track him down. Their friend was not walking off a bender for 11 days with no shoes. Photo by YURI GRIPAS/AFP via Getty Images, NOW WATCH: Inside the Massachusetts police department that could set the example for helping the homeless. Josh created a forum on his website for those interested in the story or for those who may have information about what happened that night. Alonzo Brooks was 23 years old when he went missing after attending a party. McAllister says this triggered him do take another look at the closed file, and it raised enough concerns for him to bring it to the FBI for reopening. Another man was convicted of murder based on Mitchells testimony, and was later exonerated after serving 12 years when Mitchell changed his testimony to say that the death was actually suicide, not murder. Maria said she hopes a renewed investigation by the FBI and a recent reward offer of $100,000 will help bring their family closer to the truth. Update: The body of Alonzo Brooks was exhumed this morning. Yes, but there are no specific anatomical signs to show drowning. Or kill one race. But for years, the case went cold. Were not giving up.. His body was found a month later in a creek. Brooks, 23, vanished while attending a party at a farmhouse in La Cygne, Kansas, on April 3, 2004. At this point, theyre all close to 40 years old or more, and maybe their consciences are weighing on them, making it hard to sleep at night. Alonzo, who was 23 years old at the time, was getting ready to head out for a party for someone who was leaving to join the Navy. I work with reporters to make sure our stories reflect the fullest view of the place we call home, so listeners and readers feel primed to explore the places, projects and people who make up a vibrant Kansas City. A native of Topeka, Kansas, Brooks was of African American and Mexican descent. All the extra attention has taken a toll on Brooks family, which is still reeling from the loss. He was very particular.Alonzos older sister talks about how he always had to have everything a certain way, from meticulously making his bed every morning to ironing his money and boxers. We are investigating whether Alonzo was murdered, US Attorney Stephen McAllister said in a news release at the time. Angela Ramirez-Cox, who runs the Facebook page Justice for Alonzo and coordinates all media interviews for the family, was contacted by someone with the Unsolved Mysteriesproduction team, which was shooting a reboot of the series that ultimately landed on Netflix. On May 1, 2004, they found a decayed body covered in brush on the bank of the creek, right behind the farmhousean area that any proper search by law enforcement would have previously covered. But even with all their begging, the KBI and FBI had to move on to other casesWichitas BTK killer had recently reemergedand Alonzos suspicious death was ruled a cold case after only one month. Spreading out across the area, Alonzos uncle Edward Ramirez headed toward a white shed nearby to have a look. This new examination by a team of the worlds best forensic pathologists and experts establishes it was no accident. Another is that he improperly stored skeletons and body parts. Pratt, a Kansas native from Paola, remembers Alonzos story when it happened in 2004 and felt compelled to look into his story. After the official autopsy performed in 2004 didnt determine a cause of death, Brooks case went nowhere. Through investigative work and exclusive interviews with Alonzos closest friends and relatives, law enforcement, and even potential persons of interest, Josh explores different angles of the mystery that he hopes could one day lead to justice for Alonzo. He was just another guy like me trying to find his direction in life. WebAlonzo Tyree Brooks was born on May 19, 1980, to Billy Brooks Sr. and Maria Ramirez. Sign up for notifications from Insider! We know what makes it great, we know how it struggles, and we know its secrets. Brooks body was found in a creek in La Cygne, Kan., on May 1, 2004. A Facebook page Justice for Alonzo Brooks was created to discuss the case and help share awareness. When Alonzo was in his early 20s, he moved from Topeka, Kansas, where he had been working with his dad, to his mothers house in Gardner, Kansas. A group of Alonzos friends pulled up to the road in front of the farmhouse and decided to inspect the woodline nearby. I just started crying, Maria Ramirez says. On May 1, 2004, Alonzos body was found in the brush of a creek in Linn County. Both the KBI and FBI were unsuccessful in locating Brooks. A month passed without answers. Murdered in Texas: The Case of Amber Hagerman, Missing in Texas: The Case of Patty Vaughn, Unidentified in Virginia: The Case of the Christmas Tree Lady, Missing in California: The Case of Khadijah Britton, Unidentified in Texas: The Case of the Galveston Doe, Seeds of Hope: The Closed Case of Mostly Harmless, Missing in Tennessee: The Case of Summer Wells, Missing in Pennsylvania: The Case of Kortne Stouffer, Welcome to the Lost Souls of America Podcast. On the first day of the search effort, Brooks' body was found on the banks of Middle Creek adjacent to the house where he was last seen a month earlier. According to reports at the time, the Sheriffs Department and other law enforcement agencies searched areas around the farmhouse, including parts of nearby Middle Creek, but did not find Alonzo. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. WebAlonzos brother claims that Alonzos skin color was the same as it was when he was living. Alonzos family continues to search for answers in his case. I hope it pushes someone to do the right thing and come forward., Its time, Maria said. After the documentary series Unsolved Mysteries on Netflix aired a special about his case, Brooks family said tips have been coming in, according to CNN affiliate KSNT. It was immediately evident that Alonzo was the only black person in attendance but he was such a friendly guy and theyd come such a long way that he didnt flinch and joined right in. IE 11 is not supported. It catches your eye the minute you walk in: a portrait of him from his brothers wedding. A lot of other things lined up for Alonzo's case to go on a national level at the time, Pratt said. Alonzo was an excellent football player, and his friends say that he was an absolute beast on the field but when hed come off, you could just sit and talk for hours. All of the searches turned up not one speck of evidence that could be linked back to Alonzo, or any indication of what could have happened to him. On Monday, April 5, nine months after Brooks' body Anyone with information about the death of Alonzo Brooks is encouraged to call the FBIs Kansas City office at (816) 512-8200, the Tips Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. Perhaps they saw the situation differently in their young, naive minds, and are now starting to wonder if some things might need to be shared. With a skull on it. You have to wait 48 hours. It is past time for the truth to come out. Before he got it he was like, Im a man. Either way, the predominant rumor seemed to be that Alonzo was jumped by a group of guys. She went down to the police station to file a missing persons report quickly, but you can guess what she was told. Find him. We are doing everything we can, and will spare no resources, to bring those responsible to justiceThe new autopsy focuses on injuries to parts of Brooks body that the examiner concluded are inconsistent with normal patterns of decomposition. Angela Ramirez-Cox says she was cautious at first. Alonzo never made it back to his home in Gardner, Kansas. A Netflix series has revived interest. Maria described her son as a good-natured prankster who loved football, animals and playing with his nieces and nephews. When his friend got lost on a trip to buy cigarettes that night and never returned to collect Brooks from the party theyd journeyed to together, Brooks was left alone in the company of strangers. Brooks, who lived in Gardner, reportedly drove to the party in La Cygne with friends who ultimately left without him. [10], On June 11, 2020, the FBI reopened the cold case and issued a $100,000 reward for information related to Brooks' death.[11]. Change). Billy said during their search that day, the skies had been overcast and threatened rain. Witnesses recalled flirtation between Brooks and a white woman later on at the party, prompting theories of a hate crime motive. For starters, according to the NYTimes, Mitchell was pushed to resign from his post as the medical examiner of Onondaga County NY because he overstepped his authority and mismanaged his office. Daniel Fune and Tyler Broughard were some of those in attendance a creek performed in 2004 it didnt like trying. 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