", "U.S. Attorney, FBI Announce $100,000 Reward in Cold Case", "Unsolved Mysteries gives update on Alonzo Brooks case", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Death_of_Alonzo_Brooks&oldid=1139767168, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 16 February 2023, at 20:15. Brooks mother, Maria Ramirez, believes her son was targeted for his race. Rex 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. Then his family searched for Brooks around the farmhouse and found his body in a creek within an hour, according to the FBI. A month is a long time for a dead human body, and according to NBC Dateline, Alonzo Brooks' mortal remains had decomposed quite significantly by the time they were discovered. So hes mixed. Even without that, McAllister said Brooks death was a complicated investigation for any agency to handle. The first school was taught in 1869 in Cady's hall. In fact, the team was able to conclude that Brooks was very definitely killed. As you can probably guess, this means that they weren't writing Brooks' demise off as natural causes and getting on with their day. They then swept the branches of the nearby Middle Creek. I've been reading the comments on this blog for years, and there are tons and tons of accusations, including accusations of police misconduct and community cover up, and of course about the town's reputation for racism. Since Brookswas of Mexican and Black descent and the area he'ddisappeared in was predominantly white, even the FBI got involved, as they were suspecting a possible hate crime. Chasing Chains, LLC. After Alonzo left that night, Ramirez and Brooks Sr. never saw their youngest son alive again. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. There were 517 housing units at an average density of 342.4 per square mile (132.2/km2). I think everyone wants a quick solution to a situation like this, she said, but (a) methodical and tactical (approach) are the best ways to gather the evidence and bring justice.. So badly, it turns out, that they're willing to pay quite a lot of money for it. "Someone knows something, and we are hopeful that with the passage of time and this significant reward this renewed effort will produce results, and provide closure for the Brooks family," Langan states. For one, the coroner who performed Brooks autopsy, Dr. Erik Mitchell, said he couldnt determine the cause of death. A track for BNSF Railway passes through the city. Eventually, the Linn County Police Department turned the case over to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation after failing to locate Brooks. Its a picture of her great grand mother, posing in front of a Nazi flag. That said, I am positive I'm forgetting to include something here. Discovery Company. They talk about the freezer and the sheriff and more. To reach Linn County Park from U.S. 69, take the La Cygne Exit east 0.3 miles to Valley Road and follow the sign north 2 miles to the park entrance. There were reports of racist comments and rumors that some resented Brooks presence there, according to McAllister. In 2004, Brooks, who lived in Gardner, went with friends to a party at a farmhouse in La Cygne, a small east-central Kansas town. Unfortunately, for one reason or another, Brooks never made it back to Gardner, and didn't call home to let his mother know what was keeping him something that was extremely unlike him. You can reach me at jodifortino@kcur.org. WebDirections: La Cygne Lake lies 5 miles east of the town of La Cygne. Several Kansas City area school districts cancel elections. We got nowhere with the local authorities they didnt even want to talk to us, Cox said, at her home in Topeka. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Alonzos mother, Maria, told Dateline she remembers the evening of April 3, 2004 being a chilly one. When the water receded, his body was revealed. The official autopsy at the time didnt determine a cause of death and the case went cold. Update: The body of Alonzo Brooks was exhumed this morning. I definitely knew it was a racist town, but Ive never heard that motto either. He never made it home. With the recent announcement of a $100,000 reward, FBI Agent Leena Ramana told Dateline they have been receiving several tips and are continuing to follow multiple leads in the case. Pause Gallery . Then the original poster posts a screenshot from the womans Facebook. The Department of Justice and the FBI joined forces to reopen the case and have been actively investigating. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. His case was recently reopened by the @FBI who are offering a $100K reward for tips leading to an arrest. "It defies reason to believe that Alonzo's death was a suicide or that he somehow accidentally tumbled into a relatively shallow creek, in Linn County, leaving behind his boots and hat, all with no witnesses whatsoever," McAllister said. For the FBIs lead agent on the case, Leena Ramana, the reopening was an opportunity to see if new technology could turn up any old clues. U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister finds this highly suspicious, and makes no bones about his opinion on the matter. I can get justice for him.. From the beginning of his case, rumors swirled that Brooks was a victim of foul play. He claimed that Alonzo was having a good time whenever he left. The Presbyterian church was organized the same year but had no building for a year afterward. When youre looking at the places in Kansas with the highest number of KKK Klaverns per capita back in the day, this is an accurate list. There are three boat ramps in the main lake and one boat ramp in the cooling pool on the east side U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister has also noted that the crowd was quite rowdy and bigoted, seeing as there were reports of several fights and racist remarks. The city is named after the Marais des Cygnes River, which is a basic French translation of an Osage appellation meaning marsh of the swans.. The U.S. Department of Justice and FBI have recently said they got a credible tip in the investigation of Brooks death, WIBW reported. 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. It was a commodious two-story brick building containing the graded and high schools. It is past time for the truth to come out, said McAllister. (SMH!) We wanted to get the facts straight and dug into the data in order to identify the most racist cities in Kansas. What's more, even during the original investigation, there were several reports that Brooks might have been a victim of a racially motivated attack, either because he had drawn someone's ire by flirting with a girl at the party, or simply because of his race. Still, as U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister who is taking point in the Brooks case as of 2020, along withFBI Special Agent in Charge Timothy Langan toldNBC Dateline, these led to nothing. "It is past time for the truth to come out. WebOn April 3, 2004, Brooks traveled with three friends to a party in La Cygne, approximately 50 miles (80 km) south of Gardner. In the autopsy, examiners stated that there were injuries that would not be consistent with decomposition. It's got an isolated farmhouse that's completely dark, with no street and very little traffic around, it's got a missing body being found.. Here's hoping that she's correct. The next day Brooks did not return to Gardner and was deemed to be missing. I think the fact we were producing this episode shined a light on the case and helped them want to take a look at this case again, the shows co-creator Terry Dunn Meurer told Entertainment Weekly. La Cygne is located at 382049N 944544W / 38.34694N 94.76222W / 38.34694; -94.76222 (38.346841, -94.762171). Alonzo Brooks was killed. Having said all that, I am not defending the girl who posted the photo and I have no doubt that shit town in Kansas is racist as fuck and that they all know who killed Alonso Brooks. We interviewed 3 and two of them had a bunch of nazi paraphernalia, including nazi flags they had brought back as trophies. Anyway, I just wanted to make a more extensive post regarding the Alonzo Brooks case, and would be interested in any more information anyone has compiled. "At least we had found him. [3] At the time of his disappearance, he was 23 years old and working as a custodian for Countryside Maintenance in Gardner, Kansas. The racial makeup of the city was 96.68% White, 1.43% Native American, 0.27% Black or African American, 0.27% Asian, 0.27% from other races, and 1.08% from two or more races. Curious also the last friend with him didnt participate in UM. It's eating at those people, whoever did it to my son and I know their life is not good.. WebLa Cygne, Kansas City of Swans La Cygne Kansas Situated along the Marais des Cygnes River in the northeast part of Linn County , La Cygne (pronounced luh SEEN) For 16 years, Maria Ramirez and Billy Brooks Sr. have been searching for answers in the suspicious death of their 23-year-old son, Alonzo Brooks, who attended a party outside rural La Cygne, Kansas, on a chilly April night in 2004 and never returned. The code of silence must be broken." The Untold Truth Of The Unsolved Murder Of Alonzo Brooks. I think that for the longest time Alonzo Brooks he was just another Black man who had died or disappeared, Pratt said. 2. There is one particularly big mystery about the death of Alonzo Brooks. 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. 2023 Cable News Network. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. EVERYONE KNEW THIS MOTTO for several towns over, for years, long before this murder. His death was certainly suspicious, and someone, likely multiple people, know what happened that night. "[Brooks']death certainly was suspicious, and someone, likely multiple people, know(s) what happened that night in April 2004," McAllister states. It is unfortunate that Alonzo's family (his mom) tossed "under the bus" by law enforcement because they are of color and poor. The FBI is offering a $100,000 reward for information about a 16-year-old cold case. From the beginning, there were reports of foul play in Alonzos death, McAllister said. 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. "I have stood under the trees on the bank of Middle Creek where Alonzo's body was found," the U.S. Attorney said. With the 17-year-old investigation seemingly about to kick in high gear once more, there's new hope that Brooks' family and friends will finally get closure and that the person or people responsible for his death will finally be brought to justice. Pratt now lives in Vancouver, Canada. Also the scientists on the show is full of shit. Some said Brooks may have flirted with a girl, some said drunken white men wanted to fight an African-American male, and some said racist whites simply resented Brooks presence, the FBI said. According to his mother, Alonzo was considerably younger than his siblings, and as a result, she somewhat sheltered him. Last April, his death was reclassified as a homicide. A month passed without answers. At least we had found him. For Alonzo Brooks' family, that feeling of fear turned into very real horror when they found out that Brooks was still AWOL on the morning after the party. He added that Alonzos ride to the party had left without him. While McAllister says that interviews with party attendees were conducted at the time, they"yielded no confession and shed no light on where Alonzo might be. The people involved were some of the best in the field, and the results they were able to uncover were interesting, to say the least. Located at 382049N 944544W (38.346841, -94.762171), La Cygne (pronounced luh seen) is a small town that is situated on the east bank of the Marais des The examiner concluded in their report that Brooks's death was due to homicide. Police wouldn't have allowed a family member to go to prison for the murder of an outsider especially one of color. "I'm Mexican and his father is Black," she told Dateline. La Cygne was incorporated on January 14, 1870, and a board of trustees was appointed. The son of a local judge (Smith?) They didn't just target one race. The witnesses then have grown up, they've moved on whether that's moved on from the situation or just grown up in life, Ramana said. Ill go outside and little things, you know it just could be the wind, and I think thats him messing my hair, Ramirez said. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.53 square miles (3.96km2), of which, 1.51 square miles (3.91km2) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05km2) is water. Maria described her son as a good-natured prankster who loved football, animals and playing with his nieces and nephews. Image 1 (current) Image 2. It was like my boy was telling me everything was OK now, Billy said. Calvary Cemetery, and performed a second autopsy. Fishing, camping, and other recreational activities can all be done on La Cygne Lake, Kansas. I can get justice for him.". According to NBC Dateline, the party in La Cygne was predominantly white, with only three Black men (counting Alonzo, whose mother is HispanicAmerican) in the crowd of 100 or so people. They didnt just target one race. Anyone with information about Alonzos case is urged to call the FBI at 816-512-8200 or 816-474-TIPS or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. His family even pointed out that when they visited the area they could feel eyes on them from every direction and did not feel safe, at all. The night he vanished, Brooks was one of only three Black men in a crowd of 100 guests at a farmhouse party on the outskirts of La Cygne, about 60 miles south of Kansas City. 33 miles direct in the northwest direction and about 50 miles via road following the US-69 N Route. This reward is a tool to be used as a catalyst to cause people to take a moment and remember that evening, to motivate them to come forward with potential information that may not have seen significant at that time, quite possibly information that they were too fearful to come forward with, Langan said. Brooks was one of only three black people at the party in La Cygne. I'm not at all saying that these people were actually involved, seeing as all of this information is hearsay which was posted (mostly anonymously) by commenters on a small-time cold case blog. 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