Johnia Berry 21 Murdered Dec. 6, 2004, TN
Increased reward, new flyer in Johnia Berry murder October 3, 2006 By ERICA ESTEP 6 News Reporter KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- Joan Berry returned to Knoxville Tuesday with new flyers announcing an increased reward in the unsolved murder of her daughter, Johnia Berry. 6 News walked with Joan as she walked through parking lots in West Knoxville, putting flyers on the windows of vehicles and handing them to anyone who would listen. The reward is up to $70,000. The flyer says, "Help us find this killer! This suspect is wanted for the murder of 21-year-old Johnia Berry on December 6, 2004." Berry tells 6 News, "I can't sleep at night. What really upsets me when I try to go to sleep at night is knowing how terrible the last few minutes of Johnia's life must have been. If the person is still in Knox County, I think every young woman should be in fear of her life." People stopped Berry in the parking lot of the Turkey Creek shopping center, giving her hugs and words of support. Joan says, "It's really sad for me to have to do this. It's not something that you want to do, to have to put a picture of your child that was murdered here. But it's just hoping that someone else will maybe recognize the composite and call the sheriff's department with a lead. That's about all we can hope for now." Joan Berry appeared on the Montel Williams show last week, hoping to generate new information in the case. You can provide tips on the Johnia Berry case anonymously by calling (865)-215-2243 or go to the Berry family web site, http://www.johniaberry.org/. http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=5492536&nav=menu7_2_1

Berrys still unhappy with sheriff's office over daughter's murder case Mike and Joan Berry continue their crusade to find their daughter's killer. December 5, 2006 By LORI TUCKER 6 News Anchor/Reporter KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- Wednesday marks the two year anniversary of Johnia Berry's tragic murder. Her family says the Knox County Sheriff's Office still isn't doing enough to find the killer. But the sheriff says investigators have worked tirelessly on the case. Since December 6, 2004, investigators have interviewed more than 600 people and taken DNA samples for more than 240 people. But they still haven't made any arrests in the stabbing death of 21-year-old Johnia Berry. Mike and Joan Berry continue their crusade to find their daughter's killer, putting out new signs with information about the case. Despite getting two new leads themselves Tuesday, the Berrys say they have trouble getting the sheriff's office to listen. "We get a lot of leads, personally. They call us, our cell phone, or email us personally and give us the lead. It's very hard to get in touch with anybody at the sheriff's department to give them a lead. I'll call repeatedly and leave messages," Joan says. "The sheriff, I don't care if he likes me. I just don't care," Mike says. "All I want him to do is his damn job." In June, the couple turned to Knox County District Attorney General Randy Nichols, who has the power to get the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to help in the case. He turned them down. The Berrys hope Nichols will change his mind. "So tomorrow morning at 9:30, I'm going to ask him the same question again and it's in his court. The TBI won't come unless they're invited. I think they need to be invited in," Mike says. In the meantime, the Berrys refuse to give up hope. "We won't give up, keep trying for that trying to keep it out there let everyone know it's not been solved. Let everyone know we need help," Joan says. "I can still see a beautiful little blond headed girl smiling when I close my eyes and as long as I can do that, we'll keep it going," Mike says. A statement released Tuesday on the sheriff's office Web site gives an update on the Johnia Berry investigation. It reads in its entirety: December 6th marks the two year anniversary that Johnia Berry was stabbed to death at a West Knox County apartment complex. Since that time, detectives with the Knox County Sheriff's Office have worked tirelessly to find the killer. New leads continue to develop that substantiate what our investigators and an FBI profiler have claimed since the beginning-the suspect is here locally. Until leads run dry or take detectives in another direction, the investigation will continue to be targeted locally. The latest on the case now centers on three new DNA samples that were taken recently. We also await the results of 53 other DNA samples to be tested by the TBI lab. "This continues to be an intensive investigation," said Sheriff Tim Hutchison. "We have a detective assigned full-time to this case. During the past two years, we have questioned over six hundred people here locally and across the country. DNA samples have been taken from over 250 people. We have used more resources and manpower on this case than any other in the history of the Sheriff's Office. We have been in contact with various national television programs and have explained that we will ask for their help if evidence shows that the suspect in no longer in this area." Knox County District Attorney General Randy Nichols has stated that this case is being thoroughly investigated and that there is no reason to bring in the TBI. The TBI usually does not enter into investigations in Knoxville or Knox County because its resources are limited and our officers are very experienced in investigating homicides. "We are very sorry for the loss to the Berry family," said Sheriff Hutchison, "and will continue to work extremely hard to find the person who killed this young girl." If you have any information about this case, contact the Knox County Sheriff's Office at (865)-281-6700 or online. http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=5772416&nav=menu7_2_1

Public meeting to be held on Johnia Berry murder case January 19, 2007 KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- The unsolved murder of Johnia Berry will be the focus of a community meeting in Knoxville Friday. The meeting, which is open to the public, will update local residents on the status of the investigation. Organizers will also discuss how the community can support the Berry family and help authorities catch the person responsible for Johnia's death. They have also invited detectives with the Knox County Sheriff's Office, in hopes of learning more about their progress on the investigation. She was stabbed to death at Brendon Park Apartments in December 2004. Three new DNA samples have been taken recently while dozens of other samples await testing at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation crime lab. Friday's meeting starts at 6:00 p.m. at the Cokesbury Center at 9915 Kingston Pike. It's in the Don Ehninger Youth Suite. http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=5951107&nav=menu7_1_3 >

Johnia Berry community meeting draws dozens By: Emily Stroud, Reporter Date created: 1/19/2007 9:49:08 PM Last updated: 1/19/2007 11:14:43 PM Friends of a murder victim's family organized a community safety meeting Friday night to update the unsolved case. Someone stabbed 21-year old Johnia Berry in her own bed in the early morning hours of December 6th, 2004. She bled to death in the foyer of her West Knoxville apartment complex. About 50 people came to the Cokesbury Center on Kingston Pike to talk to the victim's family and to ask questions. Organizers say they invited investigators to participate but the sheriff's office declined. Berry's mother says she's frustrated that 25 months after the murder, nobody faces charges in the crime. "It's equally important to get the person off the street before he does this to someone else, you know, there's a killer out there and he really needs to be off the streets," said Joan Berry. The Knox County Sheriff's Office released this statement: Detectives continue to actively investigate the murder of Johnia Berry. DNA has been obtained from several more individuals in the past month. Investigators targeted those people through tips and leads. http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=41407