War and Cover-up: Untold Story of Pfc. LaVena Johnson

LaVena Johnson's story is now posted on Newsinkling.org but more in depth.

Written by Biloxi
Samstag, 09 Juni 2007

Her name was LaVena Johnson. She was a Missouri native, private first class soldier and only nineteen years old. On July 19, 2005, Pfc. LaVena Johnson she died near Balad, Iraq.

She was just eight days shy of her twentieth birthday. She was the first woman soldier from Missouri to die while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Here is her story.

After an investigation into the death of LaVena, the Army declared LaVena's death a suicide from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Army’s findings were refuted by the Johnson family. The Johnsons believe the evidence shows she was murdered. . In an article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, LaVena’s father pointed to indications that his daughter had endured a physical struggle before she died. There was evidence of two loose front teeth, a busted lip that had to be reconstructed by the funeral home. This suggested that "someone might have punched her in the mouth." From a televised report on KMOV news station in St. Louis, Missouri, the media disclosed troubling details not previously made public:

1. Indications of physical abuse that went unremarked by the autopsy.
2. The absence of psychological indicators of suicidal thoughts; indeed, testimony that. LaVena was happy and healthy prior to her death.
3. Indications, via residue tests, that LaVena may not even have handled the weapon that killed her.
4. A blood trail outside the tent where Lavena's body was found.
5. Indications that someone attempted to set LaVena's body on fire.

More on LaVena's story.