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ONE YEAR MISSING; The search for Richard Johnson continues

Jessica Johnson in front of her father's birthday poster
Posted at 8:00 PM, May 07, 2024
and last updated 2024-05-08 09:47:14-04
  • Tuesday marks the one-year anniversary of Richard Johnson going missing in Lansing.
  • His family is still searching for answers.
  • The family will hold a Walk for Rick event this Saturday at the Capital. Details can be found below.
  • Video takes you inside the home of Jessica Johnson and lets you hear what this year has been like for her.

(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)

"It kills me because that was my dad. And I still have a lot to do in life and I need my dad to be there too," his daughter Jessica Johnson said.

Jessica Johnson is overwhelmed with emotions with a hole in her heart for the last year.

"One-year anniversary of my father's disappearance," Jessica said.

Richard Johnson missing poster
Richard Johnson missing poster

She says on the evening of May 7, 2023.

Her father Richard Johnson left his apartment at Delta Square to walk over to a friend's apartment at Plumtree.

"He was said to have been there and then he has never been seen again," Jessica said.

Richard has Huntingtons' Disease which made his disappearance even scarier.

So, Jessica and her family have been searching for him non-stop.

"In databases, every time there is a body we are making the phone calls, we've searched NamUs non-stop, go back to his last known place and we always walk that," Jessica said.

She says they feel like the Eaton County Sheriff's Office has been no help.

"He's a missing person, why haven't you called us once a week, once a month? Let us know what you've done and what you're doing," Jessica said.

We reached out to the Eaton County Sheriff's Office to find out where the case stands at this point.

We were told by a spokeswoman:

"We are not putting out any more updates or information on this case," - Jerri Nesbitt, Eaton County Sheriff's Office

"You're starting every day and ending every night not knowing where one of the most important people in your life is. If they are ok are you alive we know absolutely nothing," Jessica said.

As prayer candles burn inside Jessica's home to mark such a somber day she says they are now left with only memories.

"When you see my mom you see my dad. When you see my dad you see my mom. We don't see that anymore," Jessica said.

The family is turning this pain into something positive.

They are having a walk to honor their father on Saturday at the capital.

Walk for Rick
Walk for Rick

"It's a chance for people who may be going through what we are going through to come and share their story,"

And hopefully, start the conversation of adding more resources for families.

"There's not really a missing persons unit in that county. Why not? We need to look into that. Silver Alert is not a thing in Michigan and it needs to be," Jessica said.

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Tianna Jenkins

12:23 PM, Jan 12, 2021

Your Neighborhood Reporter

Tianna Jenkins

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