Precious Doe

Erica Green
Born Erica Michelle Marie Green
May 15, 1997(1997-05-15)[1]
Mabel Bassett Correctional Center, Oklahoma, USA[2]
Died 12-48 hours before remains found on April 28, 2001 (aged 3)[3][4]
Kansas City, Missouri, USA[5]
Cause of death Murder
Body discovered

On April 28, 2001 (body) & May 1, 2001 (head)[3]

Body found near Hibbs Park, 59th Street and Kensington Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri, USA.[6]
Head found approximately 150 to 200 yards southeast of the body recovery site.[3]
Resting place Memorial Park Cemetery, Kansas City, Missouri, USA[1]
Nationality American
Ethnicity African American
Citizenship United States
Parents Michelle M. Johnson (mother),
Larry Green (father),
Harrell Johnson (stepfather)
Relatives Jasmine (sibling), L'Kaila (sibling), Elisha (sibling), Larry Jr. (sibling)[7]

Precious Doe (May 15, 1997 - April 28, 2001) was a pseudonym assigned to an unidentified female corpse (presumed to be 3 to 4 years of age) discovered on April 28, 2001, in Kansas City, Missouri. The girl had been murdered and decapitated (between 12 and 48 hours prior to discovery).[3][4] The body was naked and the head was wrapped in a trash bag and dumped nearby. The brutality of the crime, and the fact that the child went unidentified for a long period, sparked national interest.[8] In an effort to identify the girl, police released sketches, computerized likenesses, and at least two busts depicting the victim.[9] The case was featured on the TV programs America's Most Wanted[10][11] and Cold Case Files several times.[12] On May 5, 2005, the body was identified as Erica Michelle Marie Green, age three,[13] and her mother Michelle Johnson (also known as Michelle Pierce) and stepfather Harrell Johnson were charged with her murder and extradited from Oklahoma to face charges in Missouri.[14] The eight other children of Erica's mother were taken into state custody or placed with relatives.[15] On December 3, 2005, prosecutors announced that they would seek the death penalty against Erica's stepfather, Harrell Johnson.[16] Police have said that after Erica died, Harrell Johnson said he used hedge clippers to sever her head.[17] Johnson's cousin, Lawanda Driskell, said that Erica's mother helped Harrell dispose of the body by taking Erica from the house as if sleeping in a stroller and telling Driskell she had given Erica to the woman who had raised her.[17]

On October 8, 2008, Harrell Johnson was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.[18] On October 22, 2008, Michelle Johnson was sentenced to 25 years in prison, in exchange for her 2007 guilty plea to second-degree murder and testimony against her husband.[19]

References

  1. ^ a b Precious Doe at Find a Grave
  2. ^ Cosgrove-Mather, Bootie (2005-05-10). "Precious Doe Born In Prison". CBS News. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/05/10/national/main694331.shtml. 
  3. ^ a b c d Infolope: Murdered victim - Precious Doe knowledgecash.com.
  4. ^ a b "2 Charged With Murder In 'Precious Doe' Slaying". KMBC. May 5, 2005. http://www.kmbc.com/r/4452082/detail.html. "...one night late in April 2001...She was left on the floor for two days." 
  5. ^ "Tipster Tricked Precious Doe Suspect Into Providing Hair Sample". Kansas City News (KMBC.com). May 6, 2005. http://www.kmbc.com/r/4461626/detail.html. "Authorities said the little girl was killed in Kansas City, where the family had been staying with friends or family." 
  6. ^ "Oklahoma Man Claims To Know Girl's Identity, Who Killed Her". Kansas City News. KMBC.com. May 3, 2005. http://www.kmbc.com/r/4445568/detail.html. 
  7. ^ Meadows, Bob (May 23, 2005). "Who Was Precious Doe? A Mystery Solved". People 63 (20). http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20147633,00.html. 
  8. ^ Goldblatt, Jeff (2002-08-08). "Slain Mystery Girl Brings Community Together". FOX News Network. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,59905,00.html. Retrieved 2006-06-30. 
  9. ^ "Police Release New Bust Of 'Precious Doe'". KMBC-TV (TheKansasCityChannel.com). 2003-09-19. http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/news/2497018/detail.html. Retrieved 2006-06-30. 
  10. ^ "Harrell Johnson (Suspected Precious Doe Killer)". America's Most Wanted. Twentieth Century Fox Film. 2005-05-05. http://www.amw.com/fugitives/brief.cfm?id=31729. Retrieved 2006-06-30. 
  11. ^ "Michelle Johnson (Suspected Precious Doe Killer)". America's Most Wanted. Twentieth Century Fox Film. 2005-05-04. http://www.amw.com/fugitives/brief.cfm?id=31709. Retrieved 2006-06-30. 
  12. ^ "INSPIRED STORY 1: Hour 60 - Precious Doe". AETV.com. http://www.aetv.com/cold_case_files/ccf_inspired_stories.jsp. Retrieved 2011-01-21. 
  13. ^ "Charges In 'Precious Doe' Case". CBS Broadcasting. 2005-05-05. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/05/05/national/main693165.shtml. Retrieved 2006-06-30. 
  14. ^ "Mother, stepfather charged in 'Precious Doe' killing". Cable News Network. 2005-05-06. http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/05/precious.doe/index.html. Retrieved 2006-06-30. 
  15. ^ Associated Press (2005-05-10). "Okla. Never Monitored 'Precious Doe' Case". phillyBurbs.com (Calkins Media). http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/278-05102005-487325.html. Retrieved 2006-06-30. 
  16. ^ Associated Press (2005-12-03). "Prosecutor Seeks Death Penalty in 'Precious Doe' Case". FOX News Network. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,177609,00.html. Retrieved 2006-06-30. 
  17. ^ a b Duarte Jr, Hector (2005-05-07). "Cousin of Harrell Johnson Details Final Days Of Precious Doe". All Headline News. Archived from the original on Apr 22, 2006. http://web.archive.org/web/20060422074952/http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/2230953560. Retrieved 2006-06-30. 
  18. ^ Gross, Andale (October 8, 2008). "Man Convicted of Murder in Mo. 'Precious Doe' Case". Associated Press, via Fox News. http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Oct08/0,4670,PreciousDoe,00.html. Retrieved 2008-12-19. 
  19. ^ Associated Press (2008-10-22). "‘Precious Doe’ mother gets 25 years". Muskogee Phoenix. http://muskogeephoenix.com/local/x2129010773/-Precious-Doe-mother-gets-25-years. 

External links