HATTIESBURG, Miss. — A young woman was tragically found dead in her car on Wednesday in a Mississippi cemetery, and now her father is pointing fingers at a Nashville judge for her untimely demise. Lauren Johansen, 22, was reportedly “mutilated” and wrapped in sheets and trash bags, prompting her grief-stricken father, Lance Johansen, to share his family’s heartbreaking plea against the release of her alleged murderer.
According to Lance Johansen, the family had urgently appealed to Judge Cheryl Blackburn to keep 23-year-old Bricen Rivers in jail pending his aggravated kidnapping, aggravated stalking, and coercion of a witness case. However, the court approved his release without an ankle monitor, dismissing the family’s concerns for Lauren’s safety.
Despite prosecutors objecting to the bond lowering, Rivers allegedly failed to comply with the requirement to stay in Davidson County, Tennessee, and obtain an ankle monitor. He was subsequently arrested and charged with Lauren’s murder across state lines. The tragic events have raised questions about Judge Blackburn’s competency, which local defense lawyers have already raised in recent months.
New details emerged when Lance Johansen shared a chilling message he received from the Davidson County District Attorney’s Office informing him of Rivers’ release. The recording revealed that Rivers had failed to follow the instructions to report to a GPS monitoring company and remain in Davidson County. Concerns grew as Lauren’s father noticed unusual behavior from his daughter and discovered that her location sharing app was disabled.
The nightmare continued when Lauren’s car was eventually located through OnStar in a cemetery in Harrison County. Lance Johansen could only describe the horrific scene he witnessed: “When we got there, her car was in the middle of the cemetery and she was in the back of the car wrapped up in sheets and trash bags. She was basically beaten to death.”
Rivers fled the scene but was apprehended in the woods several hours later. He is currently being held on a $1,000,000 bond.
The tragic death of Lauren Johansen raises serious concerns about the judicial system’s handling of potential risks to victims and the accountability of those making crucial decisions. The grieving father is now left grappling with the devastating loss of his daughter, while demanding answers as to why the judge approved Rivers’ release against their vehement pleas.