The mother of a Kansas City Chiefs fan who was found frozen to death outside of a friend's home was "celebrating her birthday" when she discovered the fate of her son.
As previously reported, David Harrington, 37, Ricky Johnson, 38, and Clayton McGeeney, 36, had gathered at the home of their friend Jordan Willis on January 7 to watch the Chiefs' final game of the regular season.
Two days later, their lifeless bodies were discovered, raising eyebrows and sparking a series of questions surrounding the tragic event.
The grim discovery unfolded when the fiancée of one of the victims requested a welfare check, leading authorities to the NW 83rd Terrace residence.
Fox News Digital reported that one body was found on the back porch, while the other two were discovered in the backyard, succumbing to the extreme cold.
Jonathan Price, Johnson's brother, has since revealed to PEOPLE that their mother received the devastating news on her birthday.
"That entire week, there [were] no answers... no one knew anything," he said.
John Picerno, the attorney representing Jordan Willis, the friend at whose rental the men were gathered, told People that Willis is unaware of how his friends died and is anxiously awaiting the results of the pending autopsy and toxicology report.
Picerno stated that the last time Willis saw his friends was when they left his house, and he went to bed, unaware of the efforts to locate them until contacted by the police.
Johnson, described as an avid sports fan and a devoted father to his three children, who are aged 14, nine, and four, is remembered as an "amazing brother and uncle, cousin" and a selfless person who would help anyone without hesitation.
A GoFundMe has been established to cover Johnson's funeral expenses and support his daughters during this challenging time.
Picerno suggested that the cause of death appeared to be hypothermia, although official confirmation awaits the results of an autopsy. The temperature on game day was a chilling 29 degrees, remaining below freezing over the subsequent two days.
Picerno insisted that Willis had no involvement in the deaths, stating, "He does not know the timing or manner of their deaths, nor does he know how or when they exited his house."
However, Ricki Johnson Sr., the father of victim Ricky Johnson, voiced suspicions of foul play. He accused Willis, a respected HIV data scientist, of intentionally exposing the trio to extreme weather after allegedly drugging them.
"I believe he drugged them, dragged them outside, and waited two days to call the police," Johnson Sr. said, challenging the notion that the men simply succumbed to the cold. "You're talking about three grown men. If he was out there just freezing like they said, he could've kicked out a window to get into the house."
Investigations are ongoing.
