The bodies of the three Kansas City Chiefs fans who were found frozen to death couldn't be identified until they had "thawed out", a family member has revealed.
The victims, identified as David Harrington, 37, Ricky Johnson, 38, and Clayton McGeeney, 36, had gathered at Jordan Willis' residence for a Chiefs watch party but never returned home.
The fiancée of one of the victims initiated a welfare check, leading authorities to the NW 83rd Terrace residence, where the shocking discovery was made.
One body was found on the back porch, while the other two were discovered in the backyard, succumbing to the extreme cold temperatures.
Speaking to NewsNation, Linda Johnson - the stepmother of Ricky Johnson - provided insight into the unsettling circumstances surrounding the deaths of her son and his two friends.
"When news broke of the deaths, I sought to identify my stepson as soon as possible because you still hold out hope that he is going to come home," she told the outlet.
A disturbing twist emerged as Linda disclosed that the family was not asked to identify the bodies in person. Instead, they were informed that the bodies had to thaw out and that the process might take a few days.
After questioning why she couldn't identify her stepson, she said she was told: "'That’s something that you only see in movies, they don’t need people to identify bodies.'"
"Well, we weren’t really willing to wait that long. So, I called the medical examiner the next day, and I started describing Ricky’s tattoos and his piercings. And she told me that that was one of the deceased," she said.
Linda stated that the family met with Platte County prosecutors, describing the meeting as going well. Although no specifics on evidence were disclosed, they received reassurance that the case is under thorough investigation.
The prosecutors also addressed reports of Willis entering rehab, although they couldn't verify the claims. Willis claimed to have been asleep for nearly 48 hours before the bodies were found, dressed in underwear and holding a wine glass, per Fox Nation.
Newly released footage, captured two days after the men were last seen, circulated on social media, providing a glimpse into the aftermath of the tragic incident.
Ashton Brady, a neighbor who recorded the footage on January 9, recounted the disturbing sequence of events to NewsNation. He observed a distressed woman walking from behind Jordan Willis' house, leading to the arrival of an ambulance and multiple police cars.
In the recorded video, Willis is seen handcuffed on his front stoop as police question him. Brady's confusion is evident as he exclaims: "Bro, what is going on right now... Dude, domestic violence is crazy. Yo, everybody be nice to one another, c’mon now. What is going on?"
Brady later clarified to NewsNation that he initially thought it was a domestic dispute and only learned the truth the next day when the news broke.
A source close to Willis, speaking to Fox Nation, revealed that he is not only dealing with grief but also facing severe online threats, prompting him to relocate for safety reasons.
Alayna Gonzalez, a spokeswoman for the Kansas City Police Department, emphasized: "This still remains a death investigation and nothing more. We still have no evidence or indication of foul play, no one is in police custody."
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