Found Deceased TX - Felicia Marie Johnson, 24, bloody cellphone found, Houston, 15 Apr 2022 *POI charged*

[mlhenn]

Missing in Houston, TX: Felicia Johnson, 24, last seen April 15 | khou.com

A reward is being offered for information that helps solve her case.

Her father told us Felicia was last seen on April 15 at Cover Girls gentlemen’s club on West Little York where she had applied for a job. Johnson said his oldest daughter came here from California to celebrate her birthday and earn some extra cash.

"She fell into something that she couldn’t get out of,” Johnson believes.

He is hoping a $5.000 Crime Stoppers reward, on top of other money being raised, may motivate someone to do the right thing.

KHOU went by the Cover Girls club where manager referred us to an attorney, who said the club is fully cooperating with police and turning over any pertinent surveillance video. They attorney added they hope Felicia is found safe.

It is unclear if HPD got any potential surveillance or other information there.

 

[mlhenn]

Family of San Diego Woman Missing in Houston Says They Found Her Phone Covered in Blood – NBC 7 San Diego

April 26, updated

“Just if you know anything Call crime stoppers, they got $5,000 reward out for any information leading to her rescue. So just finding your heart to try to help if you know something,” Kevin Johnson said.

…..
Felicia Johnson was last seen at Cover Girls Night Club in Houston.

She was waiting on the Uber driver to come and pick her up. That Uber was taking too long so a gentleman at the club offered her to give her a ride. She accepted an offer and she got in the car with him, and ever since then, no one has seen or heard from her at all,” Houston community activist Quanell X said.

……
The Houston Police Department confirmed to NBC 7 that the case remains open and is being investigated as a missing persons case.

NBC 7 reached out to Cover Girls Night Club but they have not returned our request for comment.

 

[CocoChanel]

It looks like there is an exemption for Cover Girls, making it a non sexually oriented business, based on a 2013 settlement with the city, in exchange for annual donations.

So scratch that.. she didn’t need a license or permit.

Strange bedfellows: City of Houston partners with strip clubs to combat human trafficking

Not sure how accurate or current that info is above since the article is from 2013, almost 9 years ago.
The current info that I found for the City of Houston 2022 regarding licensing is here:
http://www.houstontx.gov/ara/cp/permitapplicationfees.pdf
It lists the licensing fees for SOB enterprises and entertainers.
I am unclear what the current SOB laws are for the city of Houston.

Harris County SOB ordinances are HERE.

The irony is that the 2013 article states this unusual partnership is to help combat human trafficking, yet that is the fear of what may have happened in this disappearance. I agree with Quanell X that there have been too many young black women who have gone missing and subsequently found murdered in the Houston area in the past several months. One is too many. Multiple cases is outrageous and unacceptable. I am hoping and praying Felicia is found and not added to this tragic number.

 

[sraybella]

Not sure how accurate or current that info is above since the article is from 2013, almost 9 years ago.
The current info that I found for the City of Houston 2022 regarding licensing is here:
http://www.houstontx.gov/ara/cp/permitapplicationfees.pdf
It lists the licensing fees for SOB enterprises and entertainers.
I am unclear what the current SOB laws are for the city of Houston.

Harris County SOB ordinances are HERE.

The irony is that the 2013 article states this unusual partnership is to help combat human trafficking, yet that is the fear of what may have happened in this disappearance. I agree with Quanell X that there have been too many young black women who have gone missing and subsequently found murdered in the Houston area in the past several months. One is too many. Multiple cases is outrageous and unacceptable. I am hoping and praying Felicia is found and not added to this tragic number.

Yes, I posted that link earlier before seeing all of the articles about the exemption. I only posted the older one since it included the details about the initial agreement.

However, it’s still in place. Or was in 2018.

Another stop club countersued the city a few years ago, demanding to be part of this agreement and it was granted.
Controversial Houston strip club reaches settlement with city, can reopen, for now

I agree, as a black woman in Houston, I am very disturbed by that number and hope and pray that Felicia is found safe.

ETA: Houston’s SOB laws are included in the link you provided if you want to look. I happened to see them earlier when I was on the permitting site.

 

[GuyfromCanada]

FBI has joined the case.

FBI joins search for missing woman Felicia Johnson in Houston | khou.com

 

[SimplyCass]

So when they say "earlier this month," how much earlier? Am I right in assuming that when you book a flight, you need to specify a date for the return flight? How long was she planning on being in Houston? How much was the trip planned out and how much of on the fly?

Can someone elaborate/explain more about her applying for a job at the club? It confuses me a bit. Upthread someone mentioned that dancers are considered 'independent contractors'. So if you walk in, and they agree to have you on, everything can be set up to start that night? And if they turn you down, would you just go to another club, or instead 'fall back' on another type of work?

How typical is it for someone to give a ride when an Uber is late? First, I guess, how does cancelling an Uber even work. If you initiate the cancel, does another drive get the chance to take the gig? Does LE know what the intended destination was? (User needs to specify a destination when requesting the ride.) Is it implied/believed that this unknown person harmed her?

It was mentioned that the family's P.I found her cell phone and it was bloodied. Any more info about if it was her blood or the condition of the phone? (was it damaged like it was tossed out of a car, or intentionally planted there).

 

[mlhenn]

FBI joins search for missing woman Felicia Johnson in Houston | khou.com

To Note:
•also uses the name Felivia Marie
•came to Houston on April 13.
•came to Houston to celebrate her birthday and to earn some extra cash
•FBI is now assisting HPD
•There will be a rally in front of Houston's City Hall Thursday to bring awareness to Felicia's disappearance.

 

[sraybella]

FBI joins search for missing woman Felicia Johnson in Houston | khou.com

To Note:
•also uses the name Felivia Marie
•came to Houston on April 13.
•came to Houston to celebrate her birthday and to earn some extra cash
•FBI is now assisting HPD
•There will be a rally in front of Houston's City Hall Thursday to bring awareness to Felicia's disappearance.

There it is, finally….the official date she arrived in Houston. I have been wondering when she actually arrived.

 

[lawandorder]

Is the strip club inside city limits or outside?

I have a Houston address but I’m technically outside the city limits.

it makes a difference in the SOB laws mandated by the city of Houston versus Harris County.

 

[MimosaMornings]

When was her flight home?

 

[cvaldez1975]

Fourth case in six months?!

it is for sure. i named them upthread.

 

[cvaldez1975]

Father of woman who vanished after leaving Houston strip club says she's a victim of human trafficking – FOX 26 Houston
<snipped & BBM>
Her father, Kevin Johnson, says his daughter traveled to Houston to visit family from San Diego. While in town, she tried to get a job as a dancer at Cover Girls.

[...]

"I’m running off of pure faith and just not giving up on her, that we’re going to get her back," said Johnson.

[...]

"I think she got caught up in one of those sex trafficking, human trafficking situations where they are snatching up these out of town girls and putting them to work. That’s what I think happened to her. I don’t have proof, but in my heart I feel like the strip club had something to do with it," Johnson said.

FOX 26 reached out to Cover Girls for a comment. We were told the owners never come into the establishment and there was no way for us to speak with them. They also said the manager doesn’t take phone calls.

the last bold, i feel that makes it more likely that they are letting lower management / bouncers run it and makes it actually more possible that HT can occur there.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Google: Davari Brothers Houston
(for insight into the strip club scene history)
JMO

 

[cvaldez1975]

Former Houston dancer says strip clubs denied work because there were 'too many Black girls'

“Her suit targets the Davari brothers — Ali and Hassan — who own the string of clubs where Nicholson said she routinely experienced this practice: Centerfolds Houston, the Cover Girls, Splendor Gentlemens Club and Solid Platinum Cabaret.”

yes i shared this upthread. it jibes with what the PI was told.

 

[cvaldez1975]

This is exactly my question. You do not know the details of her leaving with a male patron without seeing said male patron. I am one of those people that have a really difficult time recognizing faces and describing someone’s appearance after the fact unless something about them really stands out, so I can maybe understand not being able to offer up a good description… however that place has a ton of security cameras and the witness should at least be able to identify them on video. I’m curious what degree of cooperation LE is receiving from the club. I think sometimes in those environments, there can be an inherent mistrust of the authorities, which would really be a shame if applicable here for Felicia and her family. All MOO.

BBM little to none according to the presser w QX

 

[cvaldez1975]

So when they say "earlier this month," how much earlier? Am I right in assuming that when you book a flight, you need to specify a date for the return flight? How long was she planning on being in Houston? How much was the trip planned out and how much of on the fly?

Can someone elaborate/explain more about her applying for a job at the club? It confuses me a bit. Upthread someone mentioned that dancers are considered 'independent contractors'. So if you walk in, and they agree to have you on, everything can be set up to start that night? And if they turn you down, would you just go to another club, or instead 'fall back' on another type of work?

How typical is it for someone to give a ride when an Uber is late? First, I guess, how does cancelling an Uber even work. If you initiate the cancel, does another drive get the chance to take the gig? Does LE know what the intended destination was? (User needs to specify a destination when requesting the ride.) Is it implied/believed that this unknown person harmed her?

It was mentioned that the family's P.I found her cell phone and it was bloodied. Any more info about if it was her blood or the condition of the phone? (was it damaged like it was tossed out of a car, or intentionally planted there).

if you walk in and they give you a shift, it doesnt guarantee that you have a daily job there. if you become a regular dancer there, and clients pay well for your sets, then you would be likely to dance regularly there. you can try a different establishment if you dont get a shift at the first one. as for falling back on other work, that is up to the dancer herself.

 

[cvaldez1975]

i want to share some anecdotal info. there has been questions about her return flight. im the proud owner of several young adult children and they are really different these days. mine will fly by the seat of their pants. last year, they went to miami w one way tickets, got a ticket to PR there and them back, then booked flights home to cali. all of their gf's are the same (one also dances) i know it may not be the case here, but i always smh at their lack of planning myself.

 

[JurassicParker]

Well now I'm confused on how the family knew she was turned away? If they didn't hear from her again that night. Did the club tell them that? Did she call a ride or did someone at the club offer her a ride to a different club? I'm also curious now as to whether there is a serial killer targeting black women in the city. It's crazy how things like this slip through the cracks.

 

[SimplyCass]

if you walk in and they give you a shift, it doesnt guarantee that you have a daily job there. if you become a regular dancer there, and clients pay well for your sets, then you would be likely to dance regularly there. you can try a different establishment if you dont get a shift at the first one. as for falling back on other work, that is up to the dancer herself.

Thanks. I guess what I'm trying to get at is: where did Felicia intend to go? An Uber to another establishment? Would she have agreed to let this person take her because he/she said they were going there as well?

I know any and all answers would be opinion/speculative. Just trying to get ahead here and think what her plan would be (and backup plan).

 

[GuyfromCanada]

The club's attorney released a statement Thursday, reassuring the club is still working with the Houston Police Department in the search for Felicia and denied any involvement in her disappearance.

Read the full statement below:

Felicia Johnson: California missing in Houston for nearly 2 weeks | khou.com