GUILTY MI - Gary and Laura Johnson, mid-60's, Portage, Feb 2021 *son arrested*

[PommyMommy]

FEB 11, 2021
Portage police news conference on missing couple

Summary:

LE found a dug out area in the yard about 12" deep underneath a pine tree. However, they did not find anything in it.

There is enough evidence now inside the home, with the vehicles, and other things that lead LE to believe that this is going to be a homicide instead of a welfare check or a missing person case.

"Hopefully we're wrong."

LE is still trying to nail down when the Johnson's were last seen and the best they can tell at this point is "last Wednesday."

"What we're seeing and what we're finding is leading us to believe that they're not alive." LE has their vehicles and their phones.

The storage unit where Nicholas Johnson was found is in the basement of the Mallard Cove apartments which is different from Milham Meadows. They are very close together and some people don't realize they are not the same.

The Chief is asked if Nicholas is a suspect or POI and said it is safe to say he is a POI.

The Chief would not comment on whether or not Nicholas is cooperating with the investigation or where his parents phones were found.

Regarding the investigation of the home, he said, "I think we're going to be out there for a couple more days."

(Quoted statements were made by the Police Chief.)

CORRECTION: All references to statements made by "The Chief" in the above post should be correctly attributed to Nick Armold, Director of Portage Public Safety. Sorry!

 

[PommyMommy]

The petition for personal protection order(s) is in the article.

FEB 11, 2021
Missing Portage couple 'feared for their safety' around estranged son | WWMT
[...]

"Gary and I are concerned for our safety and others safety. I need him to stay away from us for awhile and he needs to seek mental health help," Laura Johnson wrote in an application for a personal protection order granted against her then 24-year-old son Nicholas Johnson in March 2018.

[...]

According to the 2018 protective order taken out against their son, Gary and Laura Johnson feared for their safety around their son and claimed he assaulted them on multiple occasions. Gary Johnson's order expired Sept. 5, 2018 while Laura's expired March 1, 2019.

[...]

A week later, the couple told police Nicholas Johnson crawled into a basement window and entered their home. The couple said their son refused to leave and broke out three windows with his fist before he left the home.

Laura Johnson wrote in the March 2018 protective order that Nick refused to seek mental health help and refused backup plans for housing.

[...]

 

[Ontario Mom]

The petition for personal protection order(s) is in the article.

FEB 11, 2021
Missing Portage couple 'feared for their safety' around estranged son | WWMT
[...]

"Gary and I are concerned for our safety and others safety. I need him to stay away from us for awhile and he needs to seek mental health help," Laura Johnson wrote in an application for a personal protection order granted against her then 24-year-old son Nicholas Johnson in March 2018.

[...]

According to the 2018 protective order taken out against their son, Gary and Laura Johnson feared for their safety around their son and claimed he assaulted them on multiple occasions. Gary Johnson's order expired Sept. 5, 2018 while Laura's expired March 1, 2019.

[...]

A week later, the couple told police Nicholas Johnson crawled into a basement window and entered their home. The couple said their son refused to leave and broke out three windows with his fist before he left the home.

Laura Johnson wrote in the March 2018 protective order that Nick refused to seek mental health help and refused backup plans for housing.

[...]

Being terrorized by your own son, has to be the most heartbreaking ever.
I hate to think how much worse this case is going to end up being. Ugh.

 

[PommyMommy]

Video of the interview with Gary's brother is included in the article.

FEB 11, 2021
'Come back safe:' Brother of missing Portage couple says he's preparing for the worst | WWMT
DJ said if he had one message for his missing younger brother, it would be "come back safe," but he does not think Gary and Laura Johnson would be found alive.

[...]

DJ, brother to Gary Johnson, would not go into much detail about their relationship with Nicholas, but said in the past, his brother expressed some fear.

“If he ever had to physically control Nick, he would be unable to," DJ said.

[...]

He said it would be out of character for them to take off and leave without telling anyone. He said the couple were homebodies, with Laura experiencing mobility issues after knee replacement surgery.

He has not heard from his brother in three weeks, but he said that it was not uncommon since he lives in North Carolina.

[...]

“I do hope that they are found alive. I hope that. I am not expected that, but I hope that. Hoping for the best and planning for the worst has always been one of my guiding philosophies," DJ said.

[...]

According to court documents, the missing couple, Gary and Laura Johnson, had a no-contact order after the home invasion. A judge said their son was not allowed to visit 2304 Romence Road.

[...]

 

[YaYa_521]

TY for all the updates, @PommyMommy! I pray they'll find Gary and Laura soon. This case is heartbreaking and infuriating on so many levels. Our justice and mental health systems in this country are so badly broken I doubt there's even a fix.

 

[modesty blaise]

Omg he was terrorizing his parents.

 

[YaYa_521]

Nothing new...just a recap.
https://wtvbam.com/2021/02/12/conti...-shifting-toward-double-murder-investigation/
Feb 12, 2021 6:30 AM

... investigation into missing couple...has shifted from a missing persons case to what is likely a homicide investigation.

...their son, Nicholas Johnson, is now considered a person of interest...

The Portage couple had feared for their safety and others related to their son’s behavior and even had a personal protection order from him issued.

Despite what looks like a grim turn in the case, investigators are still asking the public to contact Portage police with any detail, big or small, that could help in the case.

 

[nannymo]

If he did kill them, I think they will not be far from home. He would have to dispose of their bodies and I imagine he would not venture too far.

I think the 12 in deep hole was his attempt to see if he could hide them close, but it was too hard to dig. They must be close by somewhere in a rural area not too far off the road. JMO

 

[NervousNellie]

If he did kill them, I think they will not be far from home. He would have to dispose of their bodies and I imagine he would not venture too far.

I think the 12 in deep hole was his attempt to see if he could hide them close, but it was too hard to dig. They must be close by somewhere in a rural area not too far off the road. JMO

Or a dumpster somewhere.

 

[Ontario Mom]

Since he's a POI, with a criminal history and against his now missing parents, I would hope that would be enough to get a warrant for his phone, at least.

 

[swanniee11]

So sad to read this. This poor couple who felt so afraid that they had to file against their own son which I'm sure was very difficult and now this? Prayers to their family and friends.

 

[Limecat]

If he did kill them, I think they will not be far from home. He would have to dispose of their bodies and I imagine he would not venture too far.

I think the 12 in deep hole was his attempt to see if he could hide them close, but it was too hard to dig. They must be close by somewhere in a rural area not too far off the road. JMO

That’s a very good thought, that he tried to dig a grave ( in his parent’s backyard no less, because LE would never think to check there!) and after trying for a time he gave up and decided to dump them. Clearly he is not a member of the brain trust, so I wouldn’t think he’d be super clever or a criminal mastermind in hiding their bodies.
Gosh I hate typing that. It’s all so horrific there really are no words, only prayers.

 

[chaz]

 

[chaz]

That’s a very good thought, that he tried to dig a grave ( in his parent’s backyard no less, because LE would never think to check there!) and after trying for a time he gave up and decided to dump them. Clearly he is not a member of the brain trust, so I wouldn’t think he’d be super clever or a criminal mastermind in hiding their bodies.
Gosh I hate typing that. It’s all so horrific there really are no words, only prayers.

Perhaps he did't realize how hard the frozen ground was.

 

[bettyboop]

I am following this sad case. The poor parents to be terrorized by your own child. Unfortunately, I am not expecting a good outcome. I pray I am proven wrong.

 

[Flicka1]

So awful!

https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/2021/02/police-believe-they-have-found-burial-site-of-missing-portage-couple.html

 

[GuyfromCanada]

PORTAGE, Mich. — Portage Public Safety Director Nick Armold said the 27-year-old son of a missing Portage couple was also a person of interest in a 2018 disappearance case of a Gobles teen.

Bonifacio Pena, 17, was last seen in Portage on Saturday, May 19, 2018.

Police: Missing couple's son is a person of interest in 2018 missing Gobles teen case

Bonifacio Pena's thread MI - MI - Bonifacio "facio" Miguel Pena, 17, Van Buren County, 19 May 2018

 

[YaYa_521]

Such a sad, sad update. My thoughts and prayers are going out to the Johnsons' families and all personnel who are working to find their remains. I can't even imagine how it must feel knowing what they're about to find.

So awful!
https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazo...nd-burial-site-of-missing-portage-couple.html
Police believe they have found burial site of missing Portage couple

...a wooded area within Gourdneck State Game Area...alongside U.S. 131 in Portage, near Angling Road and Vanderbilt Avenue

“We came out and did an initial survey late last night to try and confirm some of the information,” the chief said. “We were able to do that. As a result, spent the evening making the plans to come back out this morning.”

...saw signs of recent digging in the woods and a Michigan State Police cadaver dog went right to it and hit on the spot, he said.

“The area looked different than everything else around it,” Armold said. “So, not only was it suspicious visually, then you have a dog hit on it.”

“We think we are going to find one or both of the residents from Romence Road,” he said. “As sad as it is, this is the result we thought we’d get.

TY for the update, @Flicka1.

 

[YaYa_521]

Wow...this guy is a monster!!

PORTAGE, Mich. — Portage Public Safety Director Nick Armold said the 27-year-old son of a missing Portage couple was also a person of interest in a 2018 disappearance case of a Gobles teen.

Bonifacio Pena, 17, was last seen in Portage on Saturday, May 19, 2018.

Police: Missing couple's son is a person of interest in 2018 missing Gobles teen case

Bonifacio Pena's thread MI - MI - Bonifacio "facio" Miguel Pena, 17, Van Buren County, 19 May 2018

In 2019, police officers searched the Gourdneck State Game Area for the teen, the same place investigators searched Feb. 12, 2021, for missing Gary and Laura Johnson. Armold said Nicholas Johnson, the son of Gary and Laura, was a person of interest in both his parent's suspected homicide and Pena's disappearance.

 

[Flicka1]

Just when you think how horrible this is already—it gets worse!
Good find @GuyfromCanada

PORTAGE, Mich. — Portage Public Safety Director Nick Armold said the 27-year-old son of a missing Portage couple was also a person of interest in a 2018 disappearance case of a Gobles teen.

Bonifacio Pena, 17, was last seen in Portage on Saturday, May 19, 2018.

Police: Missing couple's son is a person of interest in 2018 missing Gobles teen case

Bonifacio Pena's thread MI - MI - Bonifacio "facio" Miguel Pena, 17, Van Buren County, 19 May 2018