Nine moths after three Kansas City Chief fans were found ‘frozen to death’ in their friend’s backyard, charges are expected to brought soon – but not against the homeowner, his attorney said.
The bodies of David Harrington, 36, Ricky Johnson, 38, and Clayton McGeeney, 37, were found in the backyard of their friend Jordan Willis’s home in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 9 – two days after they all gathered to watch the Chiefs play the Los Angeles Chargers.
While toxicology reports showed they had cocaine, THC and fentanyl in their systems, officials have not revealed a cause of death for the men.
Their friends and family believe that Willis, an HIV scientist, was involved in their ‘untimely’ deaths.
Willis’ attorney, John Picerno, told Fox News that although ‘charges [will be] forthcoming in the next few weeks,’ his client ‘will not be charged.’
The bodies of David Harrington, 36 (second from left), Ricky Johnson, 38 (far right), and Clayton McGeeney, 37 (second from right) were found in the backyard of their friend Jordan Willis’s home in Kansas City on January 9
John Picerno, the attorney for Jordan Willis, said his client ‘will not be charged’ for his friends’ shocking deaths
‘I can say with confidence that my client will not be charged in that regard. My client will not be charged in any manner with having to do with the untimely death of his friends,’ Picerno revealed.
Instead, Picerno said that anyone who potentially provided the football fans with drugs could face charges.
‘The criminal liability could be for a felony murder charge if somebody provided those young men with drugs,’ he told the outlet.
Picerno said it’s ‘definitely out of the ordinary’ how long it’s taken for the investigation to be completed.
The Kansas City Police Department labeled it a death investigation instead of a homicide.
‘I don’t know what caused this investigation to go on for nine months. That would be a better question answered by the prosecutors,’ Picerno said.
The Kansas City Police Department told DailyMail.com: ‘We have not received any new updates from investigators at this time.’
A spokesperson for the Platte County Prosecutor’s Office told Fox News: ‘It’s still an ongoing investigation. I assume when something is done, [Platte County Prosecutor] Eric [Zahnd] will be doing a press release. We don’t have a timeline to report, unfortunately.’
Despite being ‘confident’ that Willis won’t face criminal charges, Picerno said that civil charges are not out of the question for his client.
The victims’ friends and family believe that Willis, an HIV scientist, was involved in their ‘untimely’ deaths
He added that he’s been contacted by lawyers representing the victim’s families, threatening to file civil suits against Willis.
Still, Jennifer Marquez, Harrington’s mother, is trying not to ‘get any hopes up.’
‘Of course I am extremely happy to hear that there may be something going on,’ she said after hearing about the possible charges.
‘I have not been told anything. They just have not relayed any information to us, the families, though, so I have nothing as far as information.
‘We’ve not been getting the autopsies or any information like that. They do not want us to be able to release anything that would hurt the case, I guess.
‘Of course, I would love to see people held responsible for this and I believe Jordan should be held responsible. It was his home, he had the party, and, you know,’ Marquez added.
Days before their bodies were found in Willis’ backyard, family members tried to get in contact with the homeowner. His lawyer previously said he was ‘asleep on the couch’ for two days. (pictured: Willis’ home)
Days before their bodies were found in Willis’ backyard, family members tried to get in contact with the homeowner. His lawyer previously said Willis was ‘asleep on the couch’ for two days.
Eventually, the fiancée of one of the men broke into the house through the basement and found the first body in the backyard. She then called police, who arrived to find Willis in his underwear, holding a wine glass.
Willis claimed to not have left his home for two days and slept with noise-canceling headphones that blocked the sound of his friends’ family frantic knocking.
Willis moved out of his home within days, fearing retaliation. He then checked into rehab.
Picerno said his client’s ‘life changed forever’ after his friends died.
‘It’s an awful thing when people have already presumed you’re guilty without real evidence. It’s a tough road to home, and he’s managing it as best he can,’ the lawyer said.
A source close to Willis’s family told Fox New that ‘many people have turned on him’ and he ‘still struggles with the aftermath of all of this.’