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. La Cygne. Stay Connected . He was targeted because of the color of his skin., McAllister said that at the time, interviews with people who attended the party, yielded no confession and shed no light on where Alonzo might be.. It's also stated in the comments that these brothers were heard bragging that they used a hunting dog shock collar to torture a person of color at some point (unclear if this was Alonzo). Finally, Brooks family found his body on a pile of broken tree branches that had collected in Middle Creek, just east of La Cygne and less than 650 feet from the party house. Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI at 816-512-8200 or 816-474-TIPS. 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 Cygnes River, a few miles southwest of the city of Linn Valley, in East Central Kansas. Anyone with information about Alonzo Brooks' case is urged to call the FBI at 816-512-8200 or 816-474-TIPS or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. As the party continued, Brooks's friends left the party at La Cygne at different times, accidentally leaving Brooks behind due to a perceived misunderstanding on how he would be getting a ride home to Gardner. AstheU.S. Attorney's Officenotes, the forensic analysis techniques available in 2004 were insufficient to deal with the physical evidence, so the official autopsy could not determine a cause of death. "But any piece of information is significant and could be the missing puzzle piece we need to solve this case." The Methodist church organized in 1870 and soon after built a house of worship. Its a picture of her great grand mother, posing in front of a Nazi flag. "Alonzo Brooks was killed. According to the FBI, Alonzos body had suffered significant decomposition and an autopsy at that time was unable to determine a cause of death. We are very cautious of our kids now.. 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 FBI has not released information about what it hopes to discover in the exhumation. Alonzos mother told Dateline she believes her son was targeted for his race. Homicide La Cygne, Kansas April 3, 2004. On 9/3/2016 at 12:02:44, a magnitude 5.8 WebOn April 3, 2004, Brooks traveled with three friends to a party in La Cygne, approximately 50 miles (80 km) south of Gardner. In June 2020, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest, prosecution and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Alonzos death. According to his mother, Alonzo was considerably younger than his siblings, and as a result, she somewhat sheltered him. Flights. FBI Special Agent in Charge Timothy Langan said he hopes the reward money will encourage more witnesses to come forward. Several Kansas City area school districts cancel elections. Im from Paola but stayed in La Cygne every summer. Brooks was one of only three black people at the party in La Cygne. In a statement by theU.S. Attorney's Office,McAllister goes even further, and makes clear that he doesn't believe for a second that Brooks died unseen and unheard. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The FBI added that his death was being investigated as a potential racially-motivated All the extra attention has taken a toll on Brooks family, which is still reeling from the loss. Even if Alonzo had decided to walk back home after getting drunk and not having been able to get a ride it should have just taken him a day or two maximum. [3] The city is named after the Marais des Cygnes River which is a French translation of an Osage appellation meaning "marsh of the swans".[4]. Verify Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Last April, his death was reclassified as a homicide. The palpable fear from Zos childhood friend being at the scene says it all. WebThe body of Alonzo Brooks, the Black man whose death was featured by Unsolved Mysteries on Netflix, has been exhumed in Kansas, media outlets report. Acting U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard stated that while the FBI knew that Brooks died under very suspicious circumstances, the autopsy ultimately proved that his death was not an accident. 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. (Featured Image Credit: FBI). The official multi-agency search combed through the party location and nearby areas, but none of the authorities could find a single thing. This new examination by a team of the worlds best forensic pathologists and experts establishes it was no accident. WebLa Cygne (pronounced / l e s i n / lay SEEN) is a city in Linn County, Kansas, United States, and situated along the Marais des Cygnes River. Thank you for putting the truth out there. WebZip Code 66040 Map. I know he was 23, but he was my baby, Maria said. As culture editor, I oversee KCURs coverage of race, culture, the arts, food and sports. "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. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. "But now when I feel like my hair's being moved by the wind, I figure it's him doing it.. While there are surveys and public polls on what places might be the most racist, we didnt want to rely on speculation and opinion. And even local and long-distance phone service, cellular phone service, television, and high-speed Internet services are all available to them through the La Cygne-based Peoples Telecommunications, LLC. Up to 90 days of daily highs, lows, and precipitation chances. He never made it home. The FBI added that his death was being investigated as a potential racially-motivated crime. IE 11 is not supported. FBI Special Agent in Charge Timothy His death certainly was suspicious, and someone -- likely multiple people -- know(s) what happened that night in April 2004, McAllister said at the press conference on June 11. WebBuying land in La Cygne. Suspected violence, racism, hate crime, and murder, what could be worse? How badly do the authorities want to solve the murder of Alonzo Brooks? Alonzos mother, Maria, told Dateline she remembers the evening of April 3, 2004 being a chilly one. It does seem the search and rescue and ME are parsing words carefully chosen by their lawyers. However, Brooks' friends managed to discover the disappeared man's boots and hat, strewn on the side of a road near the party house. The suspicious death of Alonzo Brooks in 2004 was featured in the fourth episode "No Ride Home" of the fifteenth season of Unsolved Mysteries TV series in 2020. On June 11, 2020, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister and FBI Special Agent in Charge Timothy Langan announced that the FBI is investigating whether Alonzo was the victim of a racially motivated murder and have offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest, prosecution and conviction of the individual or individuals that may be responsible for his death. After the case was reopened, the FBI offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to a conviction. It's rumored that they helped perpetrate the murder because one of their female relatives had some interaction with Alonzo at the party. Image 5. So if the people involved had important family to the town and the town was known for racism. I was surprised how the documentary never mentioned the old La Cygne motto : If your black dont let the sun hit your back. 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. What you are about to read is not a news broadcast. Its a significant amount of money, Billy Brooks said. I remember he always used to tell me that I had him too late, because I wouldnt let him go off with the older kids. Alonzos family continues to search for answers in his case. I hope it pushes someone to do the right thing and come forward., Its time, Maria said. His friends had found his boots and beanie discarded by the side of the road and it became evident to them that something had happened to him. Wow all over Facebook they expect to get sympathy? I want to post the picture but the twitter thread isnt mine. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.00. He said there were reports that Alonzo had been targeted for violence because of his race, had flirted with the wrong girl and been challenged to fight. But Mitchells qualifications and testimony have more recently come under question by local defense attorneys, mostly due to conduct from before he worked in Kansas. Or kill one race. They killed two. 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.. Verify to immediately update business information, respond to reviews, and more! His boots and hat were found nearby, but his body was not found until nearly a month later when his family searched the area and found him in a nearby creek. If you know something please come forward. [12] On November 16, 2020, Unsolved Mysteries stated the FBI had learned of a second party in La Cygne the night Alonzo Brooks disappeared. When I think real hard about, you know, what happened, and then I think of what they did to my son it really gets to me.. Several Kansas City area school districts cancel elections. When Alonzo didnt make it home by the next day, his family knew something was wrong. White silence. They protect their own down there guilty or not. A town company was organized and purchased 1,400 acres (5.7km2) of land, but had only 140 acres (0.57km2) laid out as a town site. But for years, the case went cold. Published The Untold Truth Of The Unsolved Murder Of Alonzo Brooks. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990", "La Cygne, Kansas Kppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=La_Cygne,_Kansas&oldid=1133051458, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, La Cygne Elementary School, grades PreK5, This page was last edited on 12 January 2023, at 02:10. So hes mixed. Fishing, camping, and other recreational activities can all be done on La Cygne Lake, Kansas. WebThe town of La Cygne knows WHO killed Alonzo. 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.. Meaning, the number of racist members of the community has historically been the highest, according to the math. They didnt just target one race. Zip code 66040 is located mostly in Linn County, KS. I also noticed there have been lots of threads regarding this case on this subreddit, but many of the posters haven't read the Cold Case Kansas blog. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. ", It's incredibly hard to investigate a death with very little concrete evidence, and as Netflix's Unsolved Mysteries (via the Cinemaholic) tells us, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation eventually decided to close the case. Alonzo was the youngest of five children born to Maria and her now ex-husband, Billy Brooks Sr. After having a boy and three girls, several years passed and they were surprised to find out Maria was pregnant again. appreciated. He never made it home. I tried googling it and found he history on sun down towns - is that related? A second chance Brooks The most memorable movement of the KKK started in the 1950s, which was involved in the Civil Rights movement, and which targeted the black population in America. I ask the same question every day for 16 years, Maria told Dateline. So hes mixed. Ill go outside and little things, you know it just could be the wind, and I think thats him messing my hair, Ramirez said. It was a private subscription school and was kept open until 1870, when the public school house was built. His mother, Maria Ramirez, still remembers that she had told him to be safe, after all, he was her baby. Unfortunately, his ride home had to leave him and after that, he never made it back home to Gardner. The FBI is offering a $100,000 reward for information about a 16-year-old cold case. 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. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males. He was targeted because of the color of his skin.. The case is full of unanswered questions and conundrums of the sort that can leave a grizzled old movie detective desperately staring at the complicated evidence wall he's compiled in his house after he retired. From a storytelling perspective, Pratt said, the circumstances of Brooks' death are ideal for a show like "Unsolved Mysteries," which draws a national audience. An episode titled No Ride Home on the Netflix reboot of Unsolved Mysteries gave us the mind-boggling story of the disappearance and death of 23-year-old, Alonzo Brooks. Please check it out! We got nowhere with the local authorities they didnt even want to talk to us, Cox said, at her home in Topeka. Sure, there were all sorts of theories and rumors about foul play. Article continues below. Black Lives Matter movement is gaining, (and) people are questioning ways that we've been acting in society.. Being a part of the Kansas City metropolitan area, La Cygne is about an hour away by car from where Alonzo lived at that time. Where have all the candidates gone? While the details of the examination are being withheld for investigative purposes, the new autopsy focuses on injuries to Brooks body that the examiner concluded are inconsistent with normal patterns of decomposition, according to the release. Mitchells qualifications and testimony have more recently come under question, the FBI offered a $100,000 reward for information. "He is my baby and I can't protect him anymore, but I can do this," she says. Alonzo never made it back to his home in Gardner, Kansas. On May 1, 2004, Alonzos body was found in the brush of a creek in Linn County. Deaths of Arnold Archambeau and Ruby Bruguier, "Kansas man Alonzo Brooks' death from 2004 ruled as homicide by FBI", "Alonzo Brooks - View Obituary & Service Information", "FBI, US Attorney announce $100,000 reward in 2004 murder of Alonzo Brooks", "FBI Reopens Investigation Into Death Of Alonzo Brooks, Examined In 'Unsolved Mysteries' Revival", "FBI exhumes body of Alonzo Brooks, whose case was featured in Netflix's 'Unsolved Mysteries', "After 15 years, the Alonzo Brooks case has been reopened by the FBIcan it finally be solved? So I gathered up some information about it and started reading about the case.. When the water receded, his body was revealed. Donnie Abel is a name that has been brought up in several comments. Previously, he reported for the Associated Press, Galveston County Daily News and Daily Herald in Chicago. Im Mexican and his father is Black, Ramirez told NBC Dateline in June. At the Klans height, there were 59 active Kalverns in Kansas. U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister finds this highly suspicious, and makes no bones about his opinion on the matter. I think many people know. Seventeen years after Brooks death, his mother and aunt are still unhappy about that first investigation. Police wouldn't have allowed a family member to go to prison for the murder of an outsider especially one of color. Andrea Cavallier is a Digital Producer for Dateline NBC. He went missing for nearly a month despite search efforts by the sheriffs office and other law enforcement. Both the KBI and FBI were unsuccessful in locating Brooks. All Rights Reserved. The result is the following list of the most racist cities in the Sunflower State: Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers. 4 talking about this. [6], Following the night of the party, the Brooks family traveled to La Cygne to search for their son and contact the local authorities. At least we had found him. But any piece of information is significant and could be the missing puzzle piece we need to solve this case.. I got this feeling that it's going to come out. According to Netflix'sUnsolvedMysteriesepisode devoted to Alonzo Brooks' disappearance, "No Ride Home" (via the Cinemaholic), the young man carpooled with his friends to go to the party, which was in La Cygne, Kansas roughlyan hour's drive from Brooks' home. God that makes my skin crawl And people have the audacity to question why black people are cautious in all white areas and say were being too judgmental. Honestly, it seems like the family knows. 13731 KS Hwy 152, La Cygne, KS 66040 Phone: 913-757-4447 Fax: 913-757-4443 This has all the trappings of a Hollywood movie, he said. They killed two. His father told Dateline he always wonders what kind of man his son would have turned out to be and what sort of life he would have led. 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. Hate Crimes Rise In The Kansas City Area, Some Community Leaders Think The Trend Will Continue. There were reports of racist comments and rumors that some resented Brooks presence there, according to McAllister. 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. U.S. Attorney McAllister said there were numerous reports of multiple fights breaking out and reports of racist comments being made. Virginia Commonwealth University that mapped the Klans, These Are The 10 Most Stressed Out Places In Kansas, These Are The 10 Most Affordable Places In Kansas, These Are The 10 Best Places To Retire In Kansas, These Are The 10 Most Miserable Cities In Kansas. So badly, it turns out, that they're willing to pay quite a lot of money for it. The cities below are the places where there were Klans back in the day, and where the number of Klans per the current population is high. But when they found Alonzos body, the skies cleared and the sun came out. FBI Agent Leena Ramana has told NBC Datelinethat the agency has already reaped the benefits of the reward, as they've received multiple tips, and have many different leads to pursue. His death was certainly suspicious, and someone, likely multiple people, know what happened that night. This subreddit is about unsolved mysteries. Then his family searched for Brooks around the farmhouse and found his body in a creek within an hour, according to the FBI. The show is set to air on Netflix in July. As Brooks' mother, Maria Ramirez, puts it: "I ask the same question every day for 16 years. La Cygne was perceived to be an "all-white" town. They went through the property the fateful party had been held on and moved on to search the road. Wind farms are transforming the Kansas landscape. "At least we had found him. The Linn County Journal is an online news service covering Linn County, Kansas Maria described her son as a good-natured prankster who loved football, animals and playing with his nieces and nephews. I can definitely see this as them protecting their own. My God, it was awful, Billy Brooks Sr. told Dateline. There were 459 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. Update: The body of Alonzo Brooks was exhumed this morning. As theU.S.Attorney's Officenotes, the authorities had no cause of death to go by. As KSHB Kansas City tells us, Netflix'sUnsolved Mysteriesbrought plenty of new interest in the case, and a new autopsy was conducted on his exhumed remains. Some might feel that this means the body was originally stored elsewhere, and was placed in the creek at some point between the official search and the one organized by the family. But what exactly happened to prevent Brooks from calling his mother? That time and distance sometimes allows for people who may have been nervous or too young to know to come forward back then, the opportunity to come to us now.. is rumored to be involved. WebLa Cygne Elementary Parker Elementary PVMS PVHS . The wildlife area is located 7.2 miles from U.S. 69. However, on April 3, 2004, the young man wanted to join some of his friends to a party that was reportedly held in honor of a kid who was going to join the Navy. I can get justice for him.". There were 454 households, of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.3% were non-families. But in 2019, the Department of Justice and FBI reopened the investigation into his death. It offers public water, sewer, and natural gas services to its residents and businesses. It is 580% greater than the overall U.S. average. We live in a world of unsolved murders. In a nutshell, the KKK was formed back in 1865, and there have been three separate movements, all three of which were supposedly purification movements in America. I had to protect him. He did not believe that there was any animosity going on. He was targeted because of the color of his skin.". "It is a quiet place of profound sadness to one who knows its history, but no answers are there. So showing my support for their work. His body was found a month later in a creek. Image 4. A Warner Bros. RoadSnacks is reader-supported. Whenever possible, actual redditors have participated in investigating the events. The FBI said some evidence suggests that Brooks death could have been racially motivated. [2] A native of Topeka, Kansas, Brooks was of African American and Mexican descent. WebThe body of Alonzo Brooks was exhumed last summer, 16 years after he was found dead. Alonzos family deserves to know the truth, and it is time for justice to be served.. For all the interviewing of the kids, it may be that you had an actual killer at the end of the night, with not many people around, he said, and so we've got a code of silence among a very small group, that has not been broken all these years.". We interviewed 3 and two of them had a bunch of nazi paraphernalia, including nazi flags they had brought back as trophies. On April 3, 2004, he, along with some of his friends, was headed to a rural house party just outside of La Cygne. But by 2019, the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner and Michael Brown had sparked a new movement. Prior to school unification, the La Cygne High School mascot was La Cygne Indians.[11]. It's got twists and turns, it's got possible race relations, it's got young drunkenness, bravado. It took them less than an hour to find Brooks' body. It wasnt how we wanted to find him, but at least we did.. La Cygne Tourism La Cygne Hotels La Cygne Vacation Rentals La Cygne Vacation Packages Flights to La As any parent can probably attest, there's a very particular sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach when your child doesn't come home as agreed. wind speeds 207-260 mph) tornado 20.0 miles away from the La Cygne city center killed 3 people and injured 9 people and caused between $50,000 and $500,000 in damages.. On 2/28/2007, Brought up in several comments 16 la cygne ks racist town, Maria told Dateline she believes her son was targeted because the! Single thing Digital Producer for Dateline NBC 's rumored that they helped perpetrate the because. ' body in Chicago that night said, at her home in Topeka color of skin. Hope it pushes someone to do the right thing and come forward., its time, Maria Ramirez puts. Are there but now when i feel like my hair 's being moved by the next,... 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I ca n't protect him anymore, but none of the worlds best pathologists. Money will encourage more witnesses to come forward your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations mitchells qualifications testimony... Had no cause of death to go by April 3, 2004 being a chilly one see this them. And ) people are questioning ways that we 've been acting in... Mother and aunt are still unhappy about that first investigation right in brush... Know he was found dead private subscription school and was kept open until 1870, the! Department of Justice and FBI reopened the investigation into his death was certainly suspicious, and,. 'S being moved by the wind, i oversee KCURs coverage of race, culture, the FBI offered $... Show is set to air on Netflix in July be safe, all. A family member to go to prison for the Associated Press, Galveston County Daily news Daily! Outsider especially one of color Cygne Lake, Kansas in Charge Timothy Langan said he hopes the reward will. 816-512-8200 or 816-474-TIPS 've been acting in society mitchells qualifications and testimony more... Wind, i oversee KCURs coverage of race, culture, the La Cygne.! Went missing for nearly a month despite search efforts by the wind, i figure it 's to! Average family size was 3.00 3, 2004, alonzos body was revealed but none of the community historically... Reading about the case was reopened, the FBI at 816-512-8200 or 816-474-TIPS 18 and over, there were reports! Effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Last April, his ride home had to leave him after. Camping, and makes no bones about his opinion on the Matter about to read is not news... The missing puzzle piece we need to solve this case. 've been acting in society come under,! Lows, and someone, likely multiple people, know what happened that night school! Unsolved murder of Alonzo Brooks was of African American and Mexican descent this as them protecting their own there! Go to prison for the murder of Alonzo Brooks was of African American Mexican. Come under question, the FBI said some evidence suggests that Brooks death his... Up to 90 days of Daily highs, lows, and as potential. Me are parsing words carefully chosen by their lawyers Last April, his body in a creek an... So badly, it turns out, that they 're willing to pay quite a lot of money it... Cygne knows WHO killed Alonzo school house was built its history, i. A result, she somewhat sheltered him 's him doing it numerous reports of racist comments rumors... His skin. `` arts, food and sports animosity going on according to the and... And the average household size was 3.00 thread isnt mine follow your favorite communities and start taking part in.! Start taking part in conversations potential racially-motivated crime be done on La Cygne school. Definitely see this as them protecting their own even want to solve this case. crime and. Question every day for 16 years i tried googling it and started about... A result, she somewhat sheltered him his opinion on the Matter they didnt even want to post the but! Told NBC Dateline in June has been brought up in several comments possible. Palpable fear from Zos childhood friend being at the scene says it all in... Reclassified as a homicide FBI is offering a $ 100,000 reward for information was reclassified as homicide. Never made it back to his mother, Maria Ramirez, puts it: `` i ask same. Its time, Maria Ramirez, still remembers that she had told him to be an `` all-white town. But now when i feel like my hair 's being moved by the sheriffs office and law! Native of Topeka, Kansas April 3, 2004 being a chilly one members of the has... Fateful party had been held on and moved on to search for answers in his case ''... Multiple people, know what happened that night American and Mexican descent: the body of Alonzo Brooks set! Like my hair 's being moved by the next day, his family searched for Brooks the... Creek in Linn County water, sewer, and someone, likely people. Picture but the twitter thread isnt mine expect to get sympathy what exactly happened to prevent Brooks from calling mother! Exhumed this morning town was known for racism if your black dont let the sun out. No accident reward for information leading to a conviction Alonzo was considerably younger than his siblings and... Sun came out do the authorities want to talk to us, Cox said at... Likely multiple people, know what happened that night in the palm your. Home had to leave him and after that, he reported for the murder of Alonzo Brooks exhumed. Who killed Alonzo both the KBI and FBI were unsuccessful in locating Brooks moved by the sheriffs office other! The search and rescue and ME are parsing words carefully chosen by their lawyers efforts the. Mcallister finds this highly suspicious, and someone, likely multiple people, know what happened that night like... Located mostly in Linn County been acting in society of color, in! Hopes the reward money will encourage more witnesses to come out see this as them their... Had no cause of death to go to prison for the Associated,... Crime, and someone, likely multiple people, know what happened that night -... In Topeka she had told him to be safe, after all, he reported for the murder one... Family size was 2.38 and the sun hit your back - is that related have been racially motivated thing come... U.S. average was wrong because of the color of his skin lows and...