To me, it seems like if you're hateful enough to murder someone, you're hateful enough to move a body to a place where the family would find it just to taunt them. I can definitely see someone committing a hate crime, hearing that the police had stopped searching and that the family was going to look and moving his body there to scare them away or to 'teach them a lesson' or whatever sadistic reasoning they came up with.
Genuinely. I can’t believe people hate others because of the color of their skin, shame on them, justice will be served. Lord please let justice be served.
I hope and pray that everyone that helped protect the killer and the killer get the maximum punishment available in this country. Anyone that could intentionally hurt a person and then compound a families grief by intentionally placing their body where family would find it is a sick, twisted, evil type of person. They shouldn't ever be allowed to feel freedom again. They need locked in a dungeon and the key thrown away until they finally meet their maker
@@elizabethschmidt7410 you can edit your comment, plus after correcting Alonzo’s name say you’d spelt it incorrectly & everyone should make sure they spell a victim’s name correctly. Some people might only know him as Zo, that makes the correct spelling even more important. Such a sad story too 💔
I don’t understand how Justin could say “Everything was fine when I left him” when he witnessed Alonzo in a fight with someone who called him racial slurs. In what way is that okay??
His friends never said anyone called him any racial slurs during that fight though. It was supposedly other witnesses that heard him being called racial slurs at that party after his friends left.
I think Justin didn’t want to get in trouble for a d.U.i or something like that. I think he went to the store drunk, got lost, and was afraid to attempt to go back.
I constantly stress the importance of the buddy system to my 16yr old niece. I’ve given her a set of rules to live by bc she is just starting to drive and has more freedom now. The most important rule being NEVER go anywhere alone, not even to the bathroom! Also never leave a friend alone, if you come together, you leave together. Make sure the location is on your phone, and always message someone to let them know who you’re with. If your plans change, let someone know!! Watching true crime has taught me so much.
My oldest niece is 4 years old right now and I have 3 nieces who are under a year old. I'm going to instill this into them before they are even old enough to go out on their own. Man, this world is scary, but you're a great Auntie and I wish I had adults to guide me when I was a kid. I'll be that for my nieces though.
I have been following this rule all my life. My mom taught me this and I taught this to my baby sister. My friends and I drop each other off. Wait until they get in. In addition to all this I also got my baby sister a mace because my country is one of the most unsafe places for women. But it is good to hear that you taught this to others and it is a very important life lesson.
You’re a great Auntie! The buddy system is sooo important! I’m in my 30’s, and even now when my BFF and I leave town we tell each other exactly where we’re going, who we’ll be with, when we’re leaving, when we should be arriving and when we will be returning home. We check in whenever possible… the buddy system should never end, even if you’re not together.
@@BriLovesKirra for their 14th birthdays give them the necklaces that have emergency buttons in them, there’s necklaces bracelets scrunchies, there’s many many things to help notify emergency contacts and the police in an emergency
Of course law enforcement knows, hence them closing the case so soon. It was nothing more than a waste of time for them because they weren't going to "solve it". All the kids involved and their parents were protected from day one.
If you're from a small Kansas town you'd know the chances of him going whacky after using meth and ending up dead is a lot more likely than him being murdered by the KKK. Come on, act like you got some sense.
Shout out to Kendall for being SO respectful and empathetic of the victims and families she covers! She is such a class act, and I appreciate that she reminds the true crime community that there are people on the other side of these stories.
I don't want to shame his friend, but the buddy system is SO SO SO important! I was taught about it as a little girl, but it's important for everyone even grown men. It doesn't matter if your stone cold sober, never leave a friend behind. Hell, I'm in my 30s and when I drop off a friend at night I make sure they get into their house, and everything's okay. I also make them text me when they made it home safe if we're leaving in different vehicles.
Absolutely agreed! Everyone should do these things. I have a friend who used to just drop me off and leave! I eventually asked him to wait until he saw me get inside. It surprised me that not everyone does this. (Also if the friend forgets to text that they made it back to their own home if they're driving themselves, I alllways reach out after a certain length of time.)
100% I have a few friends who think I’m weird for wanting them to drop me to my house or car if they drove or parked closer but it’s sooo important !!! It’s simple things that are so so worth it.
@@samanthawhat hahaha I do the same! And if they don't text back right away I get worried, and ask them to just please say anything so I know you're alive. It's just something my family has always done. My grandparents taught my mom to do it and my mom taught my brother and I to do it. Heck, I'm 33 and if I take my kids camping or something I share my location with them. My mom is an OG true crimer
i agree. i could never leave my friend at a house they’ve never been to with people they don’t know. i also don’t even leave my friends house after dropping them off until i know they made it inside. you just never know what could happen.
I also think that as white people we need to stop saying things like, "Color doesn't matter in our friend group." It matters, and if you are not aware of that, at some point you will let your Black friends down. This should have been avoided if only the group had been more aware.
I feel like they closed his case because they know who killed him they are just protecting the killer cause he's a good ol'boy. I pray someone tells the truth about what happened.
Exactly, after this aired on unsolved mysteries this case started gaining traction real fast again and almost everyone was convinced it was gonna get solved but the whole case died down very quickly again. There's no way that at this point that some people don't know who this is
They literally left their friend alone in a sundown town that's now protecting his killers. This is why you have to see color and protect your friends.....
this is a lynching... and i'm positive everyone in that town know who did it, including police. his friends at best were naive, ignorant and negligent, at worst an accessory.
Right?? wtf ...who leaves in the middle of nowhere to go get cigarettes late at night when your far away from the closest town of 1,300 - where there were likely no stores open. You would just bum off one of the dozens of people there....and if he turned the wrong way, he had to reverse his direction to get back - so should have stopped to pick up Zo. Zo's Mom also said in another interview that the guys weren't close friends - and none ever helped in any of the searches, or called her again. Between all those three facts, that's all I need to know.
They need to plant some young detectives that can act like "good Ole boys" in the town. After a while and getting drunk with some people, they would find out what happened.
I can’t imagine the nervousness in his mom when she realized he wasn’t home.. and calling for him and nobody knew where he was… my mom heart breaks for her.
Is it just me, but this story gives me a horror or thriller movie vibe where there is a super creepy town, with creepy people who do creepy , cruel things to unsuspecting strangers and everyone in the town knows about it , the governor, the sheriff and all his department, and even that ‘nice’ old lady, the forensic pathologist in the town all know and work to protect the killer. Reality is so much scarier than fiction.
I think this is part of the reason this stuck with me so much. The idea that an 'outsider' can be killed and an entire town, including its law enforcement, will rally around to hide it? It gives me chills.
The worst part is knowing that there are several towns that are like this. I live in Columbus, OH but, just 30 minutes outside of here, there are several towns that are still considered sundown towns. It’s so incredibly terrifying. I’ve driven through some of them, and they make me feel uncomfortable; you can sense the bigotry.
My mom went missing here in Alaska. Fairbanks Alaska. It’s been two years and still nothing. You can look up her case online. Her name was shanna Oman. She was a eagle river resident and went to Fairbanks often. So… I can imagine how his family feels… only just not the finding part. My heart goes out to them. I seriously hope they will have justice one day. Because I sure would love to know or even have my mom home again
You can fill out a request form for Kendall to do your Mums case and get more information out there. I’m so sorry you’ve been through this and I hope she is found or you get the answers you need ❤️❤️
i’m so so glad they reopened this case. it wasn’t an accident, paper doesn’t stay in almost perfect condition after a month in water. i’m sure his friend already blames himself enough but it’s such a shame he left him there. never leave ur friends alone anywhere :(
Thank you for bringing attention to stories of black people and people of color. We dont get nearly as much attention as others. I appreciate the integrity and care you put into each video.
Didn’t one of Alonzo’s “friends” Say that there wasn’t really any proper shops in the area so why would you leave a friend to go and buy a pack of cigarettes that is basically a one hour drive And not take Alonzo with him , he left him in a party where he doesn’t know a single soul ? Very very weird
Exactly. I understand that people can have a lapse in judgement, but you’re telling me that they drove forever to get to the party and then were willing to drive to get cigs? Doubt it.
This was definitely a murder. His ankle was sprained so it’s HIGHLY unlikely he’d walk home. His body was found in a creek but it hadn’t completely decomposed AND the papers in his pocket were in tact? Someone killed him at that party and moved his body. Who was the person that told them to leave the property when they searched the day after??? Why were his shoes scattered across the field…so far from where his body was?
His ankle was not broken it was only injured or sprained. Im sure he could have walked away on it if he wanted. He did walk around the party and of course alcohol would have dulled the pain or at least make it to where it was more tolerable. Im not saying he did walk away but it is possible
@@purplehaze2250 Did you see her last sentence? She said she’s NOT saying that he walked away, just that him having a sore ankle probably wouldn’t have been the thing that stopped him from being able to walk away given how he was walking around at the party. Again, not that he did walk away, just that it was still physically POSSIBLE for him to walk on his ankle, thus making it POSSIBLE for him to have walked down the road. It’s clearly a VERY low probability that he would have decided to leave the party by walking on the road, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still a possibility, however unlikely it may be. Hypothetically speaking, he could have gotten in an altercation at the party, realized there wasn’t a possibility of getting a ride with someone and decided to walk away from a scene he knew was dangerous, then ended up being killed (whether by a party goer or someone else living in the area). One way or another we know he was murdered, we just don’t know what took place before he was killed, thus there are many possible speculations and theories for what occurred, including the walking theory.
This is why being “colorblind” in terms of race and identity is more harmful than it is helpful. A group of Black friends would’ve never left their Black friend in that environment. No matter how cool it seems bc they’d be very aware of the danger around them. I hope his killers are found and his family has the peace they deserve.
Lmfao girl please that's not true and not cool that you plaster race in front of everything. Its actually what I live by "judge by the content of character not color of skin" but I see how you move lol
His body being in such good condition makes me think he was kept somewhere until they wanted him to be found. Also, the bugs being so attracted to his neck specifically makes me think that that’s how he was killed because there was a wound there and they were drawn to that one spot and the rest was untouched by them. Such a sad and tragic situation. I hope the family gets answers soon. I can’t imagine the pain they feel every day.
Also idk if you have researched the case further but there is a lot of speculation about the Boone boys being apart of his murder and one of them was caught bragging about how they used a dog shock color on a person of color...makes me wonder if it was Alonzo 😔
Yes, because bugs eat away at damaged flesh. That is actually in the show and they use bugs in the Hulu show called Big Sky. An entomologist would have known.
I love how you always tell how the victim was as a person. You focus so much on making sure your audience knows that these victims are also people. They had likes and dislikes, family, friends, hobbies. I always feel like I get to know the victim as who they were, and not just hear about the terrible things that happened to them. You put so much love into your cases and it shows! Thank you for sharing their stories!
That's one of the most important changes in True Crime coverage in the last few years. Increasing the humanity of the victims instead of building the criminals (when known) up like modern day boogeymen. Because it's the victim's name that should be known. Locally there was a horrible case a few years ago (Joleen Cummings) that is soon going to trial, and it turned out the killer is a woman who has been travelling under over 35 aliases across the country. But most stories about it are fighting to refer to the case by the victim's name instead.
She said that he still looked- alive. That means he hadn't decomposed enough to be out in the wild. They moved him there. There is a place in hell for people like that.
I've lived in Gardner my entire life, but I was 4 when this case happened. When the Netflix documentary came out it was the talk of the entire town and it is so troubling that there are no answers yet. La Cygne is not a place you want to be. There is a theory about a restaurant called the Family Cafe that is rumored to have held his body in a freezer before it was put in the creek. I wouldn't put it past them.
Justin is a good example of how there’s a difference between being friends with a person of color and actually BEING a friend TO a person of color. Of course you love and treat all your friends the same and may not “see race,” but it’s SO important to have racial awareness, because the truth is there are many dangers that exist for people of color that do not exist for white people. Protect your friends. Be aware. Stay educated.
@@meaghansmith3321 That's not the topic now, is it? Stop trying to get attention because a black man's case FINALLY gets some attention. If someone tells you they're dying of cancer, you don't say your sick with a cold as well and pitty yourself.
I have learned so much from true crime. You NEVER leave someone at a party even if it’s a party where you know everyone. If you go together you leave together!! Please please please take care of each other.
Some “friends” he had. I would NEVER leave my friend at some random party. Especially if I KNEW tensions were high already. It’s just a sad situation all around, but idk I’m definitely side eyeing those “friends” he went to the party with.
Even if I didn't want to be there I would have still waited in the car until they got done I have done this before only because I really do love my friends and want to make sure they okay
This case is so sad and so messed up. Whoever did this definitely put his body in plain view for his family to find. I'm willing to bet that the police department was involved. It's a small town where everyone knows everyone and are willing to cover for "their own".. just my personal opinion. I truly hope everyone involved get what they deserve and God bless this family 🙏❤
I was thinking that. I can't see random civilian racists preserving the body and keeping his belongings pristine just to be nice. I don't think a police officer did it, but I can see where there could be motivation to cover up the crime.
As someone who was a heavy smoker, leaving a party to grab smokes and come back still seems like an odd move to me. If I ran out of cigarettes at a party, I would either find someone else who smokes and bum one, or tough it out. I don’t know why this stick with me. Obviously if a gas station was like 5 minutes away it wouldn’t be a huge deal. But this sounds like it would be a commute. Odd. Can’t get this fact out of my head.
As a smoker I would bring MORE than enough to make sure I can make it through the whole party. It's a major addiction and I always have more cigarettes on me than I know I need.
@@loudbrunette420 when I was a smoker, I would do the same thing. I would stop and buy 2 packs before going to any event, just to be safe. If one of my friends ran out, they knew that 2nd pack was typically for everyone else who ran out. I had my fresh pack to myself along with however many I had in the pack I was smoking already before getting the 2 new ones. I was always prepared! So this story about going to get a pack of cigarettes when you had to go that far in an unfamiliar area???🤔 Yeah, that's not making sense to me.
Yeah but also if he owns the property it’s kinda understandable if I had complete strangers on my land I would to but if I knew they were looking for a missing friend I would let them look
Alonzo's friends never should have left him alone at that party. I know his friends have expressed regret for doing so, but I am still so unnerved by it.
Yeah I think its weird that he stayed too, they all should have left when the fight went down. Especially considering the age differences. If my buddy was the oldest one at a mostly teen party and he had gotten into a physical fight with one of them.. id make him leave with me immediately
If his body was in such pristine condition, why was the coroner unable to determine a cause and time of death? That seems odd to me. They just found Gabby Petito after three weeks out in the elements, and they were able to determine she was killed.
Also this was 16-17 years ago so forensics have progressed a lot more since then. But I also think like the other comment said they didn’t handle this case well.
I’m not sure about the cause of death but I think being able to give a time of death is difficult because his body was in water and also because a good amount of time had passed but yet his body was still in good enough condition that his family/friends thought he looked like he was just laying there at the time.
I just wanna know the 55 people who have disliked this video already. Y’all must be the heffers who know something about this case! This is truly heart breaking! Thank you Kendall for bringing this case to your viewers attention! I hope Zo’s family gets some answers soon!
I actually never understood people who dislike these type of videos or people talking about mental health or anything sensitive, like people are that bored with life or have so much hate. To dislike anything important, if you do not want to watch calmly EXIT without disliking, I wonder if it was their family members will they dislike the videos ???? Humans are something I tell ya it’s scary 😟
I have come to the conclusion that when someone dislikes a video it may not be that they object to the video itself but rather the event that was Tragic or upsetting.
I will never understand what the colour of someone’s skin has to do with anything. I can’t get my head around that. He deserved so much more and I hope his family get the answers they are looking for.
For real that is so awesome that you knew him Zoe seemed like such a good dude, my heart goes out to his family and I really hope his family gets justice
These videos are so, so important. Mysterious WV solved a cold case less than a month ago after reporting on a man missing for 50+ years. A viewer knew something, commented on the video, it was followed up, and they solved a decades-old family mystery.
@@JuLayLeeBee It's a great channel. Mysterious WV stands for Mysterious West Virginia; hosted by Sean McCracken (not sure of the spelling). Thoroughly researched and well-presented. Definitely recommend it.
Kendall - The effort and time you put into giving each and every family’s story you share a platform to set the facts straight and raise awareness, is such an incredible gift. I feel so fortunate to have witnessed this channel grow into what it has become, and am consistently amazed by your loving and caring heart - and how you are teaching others about genuine compassion by setting an example through your own actions.
@@KendallRae You are so welcome, but It is simply the truth! You are deserving of so many more comments like it, & I feel incredibly disappointed when I see negativity directed at you in the comments section.
@@hannahelizabeth1571 Just trying to do my part to offset any of those bringing negativity to the table here! Kendall is a truly selfless person and deserves so much more credit than people take the time to give.
If his body was in the river for over 30 days, he would look really bloated and water logged, as well as decomposed. Not like he was just sleeping when they found him. Someone definitely dropped him there
The investigators need to take a deeper look into EVERYONE at the party. How do you leave your best friend at a party where they're the only black person there? There was definitely foul play. I hope Alonzo and his family get justice.
How would they know something like this would happend? Yeah they shouldn’t have leaved him but it’s absolutely not their fault, he got lost and thought someone else would drive him home and come home safe with no problem
@@Olivia-tz8rl how can u leave the person rather friend to a party where they re odd one out bcz of their race n just assume they left with someone without informing the said person?? Sorry but this is not how responsibility works..
@@Olivia-tz8rl umm, he observed his "friend" in a confrontation with several people calling him racial slurs. What do you think was going to happen? Lynchings still happen, and the manner of death is still typically reported as "suicide". Open your eyes. There's no excuse to have your head buried in the sand. Would you leave your drunk girlfriend at a sausage party with men who were taunting her? If so, that's the problem.
They left Alonzo alone in the middle of nowhere. They left him vulnerable, with strangers, in an unfamiliar place. There’s no way in hell any of my friends would EVER leave me at a party alone. Also, I would never ever ever leave someone behind like that. I just don’t understand why his “friends” thought abandoning him there was a good idea? I’ve been completely wrecked at parties before and never once considered just leaving a friend there alone. If we came together, we’re leaving together.
@@jasminefernandez6494 I think so too. It makes my stomach hurt. He thought they were his friends. He trusted them and (to me at least) it seems like they betrayed that trust and the result of that betrayal was Alonzo’s death. It makes my chest ache that his final moments were most likely full heartbreak and terror.
I don’t know why, but something about his friend leaving the party, in general, gave me a bad taste in my mouth.. I really hope this family gets more answers!
I hate people who accuse with 0 evidence. People make mistakes, there’s not always something sinister behind every wrong action. There is NO WAY his friend could have guessed Alonzo would be murdered that night & he asked someone else to drive him home. Men are not like women, the buddy system is important with both genders but men feel a lot tougher & brave than we do so they think they can handle being alone. You need to stop accusing. His friend already feels guilty from making the decision he did but it was a mistake & im sure if he could he would go back in time and change it.
@@Andreawbs however the victims mother also stated the friends are suspicious, they weren’t as close to him like they advertised themselves to be, they didn’t participate in the search neither contacted the family till this day. And she doesn’t believe the story they’re telling till this day, it just doesn’t make sense
If they kept him somewhere, then it *IS* convenient that they dumped his body in a place that was previously searched - maybe they thought nobody would be looking for him there again, since they already did.
That's what I thought as well. I don't think that they left the body in the water because they knew that the family would be searching. Instead, I think that they left it in the water because it had already been searched.
If this was a hate crime, then I'm willing to bet that they got word that the family was coming back to search and intentionally left the body there for the family to find. They wanted Alfonzo's family to find his body.
@@RyanStorey1231 can you explain why they'd want his family to find his body? What would that do? How'd that be different than police finding it? In the end the police got word of it, so I'm just trying to understand.
Imagine hating someone so much just because of what they look like. I've never understood that. My heart goes out to the family and friends of Alonzo. I'm so happy to hear that the case was reopened and is being investigated. The town HAS to know.
This is exactly why being “color blind” isn’t the PC take people think it is. They left him in a situation that was so much more dangerous for him than it was for them. And I don’t trust the friend who was supposed to take him home but just missed him.
Why do people keep forgetting that Alonzo did not want to leave when his friend went for cigarettes. He should have gotten the message that he wasn't wanted there because he had an argument
he genuinely seems like such a sweet, charismatic person. this story is all around tragic. 💔 i hope his family can find peace through all this suffering.
So the fact that they brought 2 separate cars, and clearly meant to separate at some point, for me was a red flag. Why did they purposely bring him all that way, and then leave him behind? Only selfish idiots/racists in that town would be mad about the attention. If they cared so much about how they were viewed, then they should have come together to help find him. But I am 1000% they could have cared less about his well being. I hope the truth comes out one day. Glad more awareness is being brought to this.
Typical of small town white privileged families to be more concerned about how they're viewed than about actually doing the right thing. Makes my blood boil
also if the friends really believed things like, "we never thought about his skin color." then they were just as ignorant, or else they would've realized leaving a young black man at a party full of racists would be a horrible thing. they had already seen him get in a fight and still left him there! they didnt think of him at all, their actions were beyond careless.
All of the credit in the world to this family for their strength in sharing Alonzo’s story. I truly can’t imagine going through something like this, let alone mustering the strength to advocate. Sending so much love their way.
My heart goes out to Alonzo’s family. The fact investigators denied this being a hate crime, in my opinion, makes them a part of the hate crime. His friends that left him there, I just have no words. I hope justice is served once and for all. RIP Alonzo.
I live not far away from La Cygne and it’s a pretty well known rumor that the son of a higher up in the town did it and that’s why it’s so well covered up. You can get away with anything if you have enough power sadly.
Can you elaborate more on the rumor, as in what was 'did'? Intrigued as to how it would fit with the weird details like body not as decomposed as it should have been, unclear cause of death, etc. Obviously rumors are just rumors (...except in small ass towns), but it would still be interesting to postulate about.
@@tam2729 I’m not sure exactly how he (allegedly) did it but I just checked again and the rumor is that it was the son of the governor of Kansas at that time
When I first heard this I thought why would y’all leave him…Justin should have took Alonzo with him to the store. You don’t lave your friend at a party, especially one somewhere unfamiliar .
Maybe guys aren’t really taught that? I know women are, but men generally think they can take care of themselves. Just what I’ve observed from my guy friends and relatives.
@@justineharper3346 True. And you know, statistically, I was surprised to find that men are more likely to be killed by strangers than women (though a lot of that is gang violence). So... they should probably be more careful than they are.
@@justineharper3346 nah it's common sense, you don't leave your friends at parties especially if they were his ride there, seems men don't think of others.
I live in Topeka Kansas, went to the same schools as Alonzo and my sister in law’s brother has an unsolved case almost identical to Alonzo’s case in 2012. This still happens today and it’s so devastating. I’m so glad his family had this episode and people like you to bring awareness!
Professionals searching the creek before and finding nothing, and now Alonzo's body suddenly appears in the creek?naah super scetchy! Glad they reopened the case though.
That person was not his friend. There’s no reason to leave the person you came with especially when they’ve already had a racially motivated confrontation.
Yes, it seems odd that Zo would have 1.agree to stay behind w people he doest know 2. Had a confrontation w somone from that party 3. Wanted a pack of cigarettes but stayed behind - That part doesn't make sense.
mmh i disagree even as someones black. the attack was definitely racially motivated but 9/10 if you got a party and tell your friend that you’ll be back its never really an issue, his friend was stupid for leaving him and is gonna have to live with that guilty forever but i doubt he had malicious intentions
Oh for gods sake stop blaming his friends 🙄 his friend got lost, thats not his fault, and he actually went out his way to make sure someone else could help!!! He didn't have to, he could have just gone home, for all we know he was asked to leave to go the other party and alonzo said no, perhaps he was asked to go to the store and said no, we dont know, dont blame the people that have been pushing to get help, I was out last night with a few people at our local and when I've had enough I just leave, thats what I do, I'm known for it, but that doesn't make me or my friends bad people, so sick of people always blaming the friends
@@cammey3 yikes. I wouldn’t want you as my friend you sound very dismissive. Stop praising him for doing the bare minimum and assuming that because you do something that applies to this situation. You’re right we don’t know, so don’t assume. My opinions are based off the known facts.
This was definitely a hate crime. And you’re right, someone knows something! I hope they come forward. Cowards keeping secrets… ridiculous and so sad. I hope this family gets some answers. Alonzo deserves justice. The cops could have done better- they should have done better.
Knowing the rate of decomposition and the length of time it takes to get at those various rates of decomp-he was DEFINITELY frozen somewhere to have still been so intact after 30 days.
@@beckoninglight16 I DON’T believe you cannot find proof that someone was frozen before or after death for that matter...no way a body doesn’t change or leave traces
the theory about him being in the freezer makes so much sense to me. especially out on a farm house where they probably had a freezer to store meat from animals on the farm or if not on this farm he was taken to one probably tied up and put in a trunk and taken there at gunpoint - you know most of these kids would have access to guns being from a small rural farming town it’s second nature to be raised around guns - so he could have been forced by gunpoint to be taken to a meat locker/freezer of some sort where he was frozen alive. or another theory since he was found a whole month later and the body hadn’t been too badly decomposed what if he was kept in a basement or a shed and starved to death or died of dehydration? could have been overlooked because coroners looking for the cause of death of a murder victim wouldn’t expect it to be starvation. i think he was kept somewhere or frozen- possibly both. one more theory is that he died of alcohol poisoning or a drug overdose and it was covered up. weed and beer ain’t the only things these kids do at these small town parties trust me i’ve been to one. it’s a bunch of kids from many surrounding small towns all coming together to get as faded as possible and bring any party favors they can get. either way if that happened they tried to hide it instead of getting him help. i think whoever was involved had parents in law enforcement. in such a small town it’s very common to know multiple people your age who have family on the police force. most likely even connections to the coroner who did the autopsy. that’s why so many crimes like this in towns like these go unsolved it’s a massive cover up bc so and so knows so and so everybody knows everyone. it’s a damn shame. this poor kid man… rest in peace alonzo , prayers and love to you and your family
Some else said that the rumor in that small town is that the Senator's (which later became governor at that time) son may have done it and that's why it was covered up.
@@pumkin54 Only if they are really thorough. A body that has been frozen and thawed looks a LOT like a body that has been submerged in water. The ME could have assumed that any damage to the tissue was caused by the time the body spent in the ravine and creek and then decided not to test the tissue for evidence of freezing.
Number one: no toxicology report?!?! Number two: anyone who has studied forensics or even watched a couple CSI episodes can tell you, that where there is advanced decay, in contrast with the rest of the body, it's a good indication of injury. So when they found his neck to be in such an advanced state, but the rest of him so pristine, why not investigate that further? Number three: of course they try to do the most convenient thing possible when it doesn't impede on them being caught. So if the area is flooded with people they're going to try to do it very discreetly. Hense him being found where he was found. That's just my 3 cents. Thoughts?
This is the first time I've heard of this case and don't know any other details from Reddit threads, etc but good points. I'm only guessing if a forensic medical examiner/autopsy was done, then a toxicology report would have been done as well, maybe just not mentioned here. I'm sure the family would have asked for it too. Your mentioning again about the decomp of the neck compared to the rest of the body now makes me think that if he wasn't hung (autopsy would have shown internal injury or bone broken), then he could have had his neck sliced open & bled out? With the open wound, it makes sense then that insects and animals got to his neck. The thing I don't get is why go to the trouble of hiding his body for a month but leave his boots tossed out on the road like that to be found? And if they're left there, keep them together so it looks more like he took them off himself? And I'm wondering if they dusted the boots for fingerprints?
@@emelphick4742 when Kendall said they didn't "think" he was drugged, it sounded like they were not sure. Which is something they'd be certain about had they done one. This case is terrible. He deserved so much more. And deserves justice.
@@emelphick4742 His body was out there for a month, would a toxicology report be useful at that stage. It seems strange that his shoes and hat were found across the road and then his body discovered a month later just lying out in the open no effort to hide the body. So I don't think someone would go from keeping it hidden in a freezer to then leaving the body out in the open not concealed at all. The body is usually the biggest source of evidence. His body was exhumed July 2020 so you would think they would be closer to the truth by now.
Being from Kansas and living less than 30 mins from lacygne I would hear his story a lot. I’m glad people are finally recognizing it and talking about it. Especially one of my favorite youtubers.
OH MY GOD. I am so so happy you are talking about this!! This case literally haunts me and it saddens me that this beautiful boy never got any justice! Ugh I love you Kendall!
Thank you for covering this case 🙏🏽 this is the exact reason why I became a lawyer. The cases of people of color who are killed suspiciously rarely get the attention they deserve. You’re an advocate and we appreciate you.
I know right. Along with Alonzo, they expect us to believe black people be out here coming suicide by hanging themselves from trees as if that’s a plausible scenario rather than a lynching
Folks that believe he was in water for 30 days with his body still being in decent condition CLEARLY know nothing about decomposition. More specifically the way water can drastically change the decomposition process. This is so sad 😞 Prayers for his family and friends 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Yeah, that’s the part I don’t understand. I’m no forensic expert, but it is often said that only after a few days in water most bodies are beyond recognizable.
This case has bothered me ever since i first saw it. That guy who randomly left to get cigarettes got lost and didn’t come back doesn’t sit right with me. That whole story is sus AF. Somebody knows something and isn’t talking. None of that situation that happened that night makes any sense at all.
I totally agree, 1) I get it’s a different area but how do you get that lost going down the road to get cigarettes 2) why would you not at least go back for your friend, especially since he got in a fight with that guy. (Also I would have told him to just come with me to get the cigarettes but that part is somewhat understandable)
Pat Boone / Jerry Boone - these brothers' names pop up the most in the comments of the blog. It's rumored that they helped perpetrate the murder because one of their female relatives had some interaction with Alonzo at the party. 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). Additionally, the Boone family owned a local restaurant and it's rumored that is where Alonzo's body was stored prior to it being dumped. While Pat and Jerry were much older than the majority of the party-goers, many commenters have stated that it would not be uncommon to find these men at a party at which high school and college aged people were present. Even further, apparently members of the Boone family seem to have served on the city counsel or commission or something, and are still to this day prominent members of the community. Tiffany Boone (now Tiffany VanNorman) is rumored to be the girl that Alonzo Brooks had an interaction with that night, which is allegedly the inciting event of the murder.
Someone knows. Multiple people know, and that is absolutely terrifying. This man was murdered because of his skin color, no question. I do believe this case will be solved. Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not in a year, but I do believe someone will eventually come forward.
That’s what blows my mind about these cases. Someone is just living their life daily knowing they murdered someone and they’re fine with it. How wild and scary.
His "friends" don't sit right with me....how extensively have they been looked into?? Also thank you for covering this case!! Please update when something breaks!
It's 100% not them. Negligent? Sure. Suspects ? Far from it. This case shows how important the buddy system is. But unfortunately these things happen: you never think the worst will happen. Their mind was already set on going to the other party and he said he'll stay there and they're like okay then (and one friend did stay with him: the guy who went for the beers). Its just one of those unfortunate things that occur when really they all thought it would be a simple night at a party for some fun. It's counterproductive to start pointing fingers without ANY concrete proof. Not only that ,they were investigated thoroughly and cleared with flying colours and they called the police for 3 weeks trying to get them to share information
I don’t wanna imagine what his family is going through, I don’t care that it is over 17 years since he died, the pain must eaten on them everyday even today. And I feel so sorry for them and for Alonzo as well, he would prolly be a great adult. Rest In Peace.
Kendall, I grew up in Topeka Kansas with this family, and when this happened everyone knew he was murdered, thank you so much for doing a video on this case, the truth WILL come out, it's only a matter of time 😘😘
This case pisses me off for obvious reasons. I know his friends feel like shit because no matter the situation they weren’t supposed to leave him. Those people in that town know what happened and I can guarantee I know exactly what happened to Alonzo but it’s unfortunate that cases like this get swept under the rug because of his race. We get so much shit these days for being cautious and not wanting to be in these spaces but nobody says anything about why we don’t want to shared these spaces
His mother said in an interview these friends weren’t as close to him as they advertised themselves to be because they apparently did not participate in the search neither contacted the family till this day, something is definitely off with the friends, they know more than what people believe
Bro, my eyes instantly watered when the “friend” left Mr. Alonzo at that party 🤦🏿♂️🤦🏿♂️🤦🏿♂️. There’s no way he left him at the party like that 🤦🏿♂️🤦🏿♂️
Men don’t have the same mentality as women for safety in numbers. I really hope this changes, if you truly care for your friends you wouldn’t leave them at a party alone especially if they were already feeling uncomfortable.
It’s just crazy all the white friends made it home safely! It’s weird the only person of color in the friend group, who had no vehicle of his own was left at a party full of people who didn’t want him there 🤔 seems strange
To the yt people that have friends who are People Of Color, YOU MUST SEE COLOR. So many people think it’s cute to say, “I don’t see color.” You have to see your friends colors so you can love them, respect them, and PROTECT them! Just because you don’t feel that you are in danger, doesn’t mean your friend isn’t ❤️
Yes!!!!! And I believe those kids knew that very well, they are just cowards and don’t want to admit to themselves, much less everyone else, that they essentially fed their friend to the wolves. It makes me so mad and sad!
Ok the friend that went for the cigarettes and took a wrong turn. He was supposed to go left but went right, was driving 30 minutes before he realized he was going the wrong way and was lost. Wouldn’t he have to turn around and go back in the opposite direction? Wouldn’t he go pass that area where the house was again? Why didn’t he think let me stop and pick him up or make sure he was ok? instead of keep going and asking someone else to take him home he barely knew? And why did the other friends leave so early. Not saying they did it but that just seems very suspicious to me.
idk if he was drunk, but WHY would you go thru that much effort for cigarettes when youre at a party in the middle of nowhere??? That's inconvenient af. If it was me, I would have just bummed some cigarettes from the DOZENS of people at the party. That's what stood out to me and i used to be a heavy smoker.
yeah, it makes no sense. all his friends just left him, it really looked like they didn't care about him at all, they didnt think of him being in danger at all. even after already seeing him get accosted over his skin color, they didnt think about him at all and the worst possible thing happened.
@@okaywow3486 I’m actually watching it on Netflix now and Justin just said that he was lost and realized he was supposed to be going north so that mean he would’ve had to turn around eventually. They really didn’t care abt his well being like that. I couldn’t even imagine leaving my friend with strangers to go get some cigs let alone just leaving them and going home. That’s not a real friend.
I can only imagine how the brother must’ve felt when he saw his body. It probably completely shattered his heart. Poor Alonzo had to be terrified to be left at the party. Rest In Peace 🕊
The whole town including the police knows who did it and they’re protecting them. The killer obviously has ties to the police and probably comes from a well known family in town. This is so sad and I pray his case is solved and him and his family get justice 🙏🏼
@@manilang8753 yes, that is who did do it. the family owned a restaurant down the street and kept him in the freezer until they put him where the family could find him.
I hope he’s resting peacefully. I hope his family are as ok as they can be and I send all my love to them. I hope with everything in me they find some closure one day.
I think men have a lot to learn from women when it comes to buddy systems and just making sure as a group each individual is safe in situations where you’re out at a party, club or wherever else. I’ve spoken to my own boyfriend in detail and the differences in how things like this are handled when he’s out with his guy friends versus when I’m out with girl friends is shocking. He’s said that on multiple occasions when he is out with friends and one of them is bored and wants to leave early they will go off and get a taxi or walk home by themselves depending on the distance. He’s also said that they have gone to the bathroom while leaving their drinks unattended which again me and my girlfriends would never dream of doing. We make sure when the group needs to split up for any reason (eg going to the bathroom or going out for a cigarette etc) that no one is left unaccompanied, but these are things that my boyfriend and his friends as males dont really think about. Which they should! I’ve advised him of the dangers and told him he needs to be more careful and consider that just because he’s a man doesn’t mean that nothing bad could happen to him. I watch multiple true crime cases and so many of the ones that involve a male going missing or turning up dead begin with them being out partying and then going off on their own without their friends or being separated from them in some way. There’s so much emphasis on women being extra cautious while they are out but we need to really ingrain this in young men from an early age as they can easily become victims too 💜
One million percent! When i go out with my girls we are very wary of things like that. We go toilet 2 at a time. We watch our drinks at the bar. It can be scary out here.
I have a group of four; two guys (me included) and two girls we never leave each other backs when we party and if someone needs to go to the bathroom or something we'll split up and I'll stay with my other friend so he/she doesn't stay alone
you are the most sensitive and compassionate true crime youtuber i've ever seen, all while presenting the case so clearly and precisely. i can feel how much you genuinely care for the people you talk about.
i cannot even begin to fathom the thought of stumbling upon my loved ones corpse dumped in a creek after desperately searching for them for a month. “he looked normal, he looked like he was asleep” being the first thing they thought when they saw him shattered my heart-it’s like they could’ve even comprehend what they were looking at, or the state he was in. this whole story is awful. i hope one day the truth about what happened to zo comes to light.
Alonzo sounded like such a great guy and I’m so sorry for his family’s loss. I just cringe any time kids go to parties in neighboring towns or when friends don’t stay together.
He was a great guy, we even in the early stages of life . I can remember back to elementary school....he was literally everyone's friend. Never a bully or rude to a soul
My sister went to Topeka High School at the same time as Alonzo. She said he was a funny guy and loved everyone. He didn’t deserve to be a victim of a hate crime
NEVER LEAVE YOUR FRIENDS…if you arrive together, you leave together
The best comment.
YES! I’m such a mama bear with my friends.
Wish I could like this comment more than once! So damn true
He made a mistake he regrets, chill.
Yess I would never want that to happen to me or anyone else so I always make sure my friends have a ride home☹️☹️
To me, it seems like if you're hateful enough to murder someone, you're hateful enough to move a body to a place where the family would find it just to taunt them. I can definitely see someone committing a hate crime, hearing that the police had stopped searching and that the family was going to look and moving his body there to scare them away or to 'teach them a lesson' or whatever sadistic reasoning they came up with.
That was my thought as well. It was done to not only be rid of the body, but to inflict maximum pain. My heart hurts for them all.
Genuinely. I can’t believe people hate others because of the color of their skin, shame on them, justice will be served. Lord please let justice be served.
Ya farmland, easily moved via small tractor and unseen. Sad
I hope and pray that everyone that helped protect the killer and the killer get the maximum punishment available in this country. Anyone that could intentionally hurt a person and then compound a families grief by intentionally placing their body where family would find it is a sick, twisted, evil type of person. They shouldn't ever be allowed to feel freedom again. They need locked in a dungeon and the key thrown away until they finally meet their maker
Especially if it was racially motivated.
I bet if they put a family undercover in that town for a while, somebody would tell them what happened. The town definitely knows.
agreed
I was just thinking this!
This is a great idea!!
Yeah , somebody will slip up something at a bar
My grandparents lived in this town and I went to the high school a town over. THEY KNOW.
I hate the “48 hr” thing. Everyone knows the first 24 hours are the most crucial time in a missing persons case!
I wanna have a chit-chat with the person who came up with the 48 hour nonsense
48 hours, you can get across the country in less than 48 hours!!!
right??? This always always ALWAYS made me seethe.
The stupid 48hr thing is none sense, how would they feel if a member of their own family was missing, would they tell them to wait 48hr, I think not?
It's almost like they don't wanna do their fucking jobs.
I’m hoping so desperately Alonzo’s case will finally be solved. Him and his family deserve justice
Alonzo. It’s important to get the spelling of a victim’s name right
right
@@raven.rosa. of course! Thanks for correcting me
@@elizabethschmidt7410 you can edit your comment, plus after correcting Alonzo’s name say you’d spelt it incorrectly & everyone should make sure they spell a victim’s name correctly. Some people might only know him as Zo, that makes the correct spelling even more important. Such a sad story too 💔
How can a person murder someone and continue living their lives these monsters don’t have a Conscience🙏🏼
I don’t understand how Justin could say “Everything was fine when I left him” when he witnessed Alonzo in a fight with someone who called him racial slurs. In what way is that okay??
Exactly!!
Feels like a setup tbh
Right ?? They should of tried to get him out that situation there and then surely??
His friends never said anyone called him any racial slurs during that fight though. It was supposedly other witnesses that heard him being called racial slurs at that party after his friends left.
I think Justin didn’t want to get in trouble for a d.U.i or something like that. I think he went to the store drunk, got lost, and was afraid to attempt to go back.
I constantly stress the importance of the buddy system to my 16yr old niece. I’ve given her a set of rules to live by bc she is just starting to drive and has more freedom now. The most important rule being NEVER go anywhere alone, not even to the bathroom! Also never leave a friend alone, if you come together, you leave together. Make sure the location is on your phone, and always message someone to let them know who you’re with. If your plans change, let someone know!! Watching true crime has taught me so much.
My oldest niece is 4 years old right now and I have 3 nieces who are under a year old. I'm going to instill this into them before they are even old enough to go out on their own. Man, this world is scary, but you're a great Auntie and I wish I had adults to guide me when I was a kid. I'll be that for my nieces though.
Great advice, you're a fab Auntie
I have been following this rule all my life. My mom taught me this and I taught this to my baby sister. My friends and I drop each other off. Wait until they get in. In addition to all this I also got my baby sister a mace because my country is one of the most unsafe places for women. But it is good to hear that you taught this to others and it is a very important life lesson.
You’re a great Auntie! The buddy system is sooo important! I’m in my 30’s, and even now when my BFF and I leave town we tell each other exactly where we’re going, who we’ll be with, when we’re leaving, when we should be arriving and when we will be returning home. We check in whenever possible… the buddy system should never end, even if you’re not together.
@@BriLovesKirra for their 14th birthdays give them the necklaces that have emergency buttons in them, there’s necklaces bracelets scrunchies, there’s many many things to help notify emergency contacts and the police in an emergency
As a POC from a small town in Kansas I have no doubt that the entire town knows what happened and the police are just covering it up
I'm from here too and big same. They know exactly what happened.
Of course law enforcement knows, hence them closing the case so soon. It was nothing more than a waste of time for them because they weren't going to "solve it". All the kids involved and their parents were protected from day one.
If you're from a small Kansas town you'd know the chances of him going whacky after using meth and ending up dead is a lot more likely than him being murdered by the KKK. Come on, act like you got some sense.
This is my step dads cousin and everyone is still shocked to this day
Shout out to Kendall for being SO respectful and empathetic of the victims and families she covers! She is such a class act, and I appreciate that she reminds the true crime community that there are people on the other side of these stories.
True
And that she encourages us to be respectful in our comments. She IS a class act.
I love this too!!!
I don't want to shame his friend, but the buddy system is SO SO SO important! I was taught about it as a little girl, but it's important for everyone even grown men. It doesn't matter if your stone cold sober, never leave a friend behind. Hell, I'm in my 30s and when I drop off a friend at night I make sure they get into their house, and everything's okay. I also make them text me when they made it home safe if we're leaving in different vehicles.
Absolutely agreed! Everyone should do these things. I have a friend who used to just drop me off and leave! I eventually asked him to wait until he saw me get inside. It surprised me that not everyone does this. (Also if the friend forgets to text that they made it back to their own home if they're driving themselves, I alllways reach out after a certain length of time.)
100% I have a few friends who think I’m weird for wanting them to drop me to my house or car if they drove or parked closer but it’s sooo important !!! It’s simple things that are so so worth it.
@@samanthawhat hahaha I do the same! And if they don't text back right away I get worried, and ask them to just please say anything so I know you're alive. It's just something my family has always done. My grandparents taught my mom to do it and my mom taught my brother and I to do it. Heck, I'm 33 and if I take my kids camping or something I share my location with them. My mom is an OG true crimer
i agree. i could never leave my friend at a house they’ve never been to with people they don’t know. i also don’t even leave my friends house after dropping them off until i know they made it inside. you just never know what could happen.
I also think that as white people we need to stop saying things like, "Color doesn't matter in our friend group." It matters, and if you are not aware of that, at some point you will let your Black friends down. This should have been avoided if only the group had been more aware.
I feel like they closed his case because they know who killed him they are just protecting the killer cause he's a good ol'boy. I pray someone tells the truth about what happened.
My thoughts exactly. There’s no way they don’t know who the killer is.
Someone at that party knows what happened I hope their mind eats em up and they tell what they know
Exactly, after this aired on unsolved mysteries this case started gaining traction real fast again and almost everyone was convinced it was gonna get solved but the whole case died down very quickly again. There's no way that at this point that some people don't know who this is
Agreed!!
Probably a relative of the sheriff.
They literally left their friend alone in a sundown town that's now protecting his killers. This is why you have to see color and protect your friends.....
That's what I'm sayin
Even the term "sundown town" gives me chills 😕
Yes! I believe so too!
It's weird though because I looked online at a site that has every sundown town listed in the U.S. and Linn County Kansas isn't listed as one
@@nelixsulu6201 Most towns don’t want to admit to it, and there are definitely a lot more than actually listed.
this is a lynching... and i'm positive everyone in that town know who did it, including police. his friends at best were naive, ignorant and negligent, at worst an accessory.
I totally agree!
Agreed!
True. That's why my indigenous self is sketchy around whites, blacks, Hispanics and Asians . I don't trust any of you.
When she said the tissue around his neck was decomposed, I was like, this is a clear case of a hanging!
@@aneshiadixon8762 I'm so sorry that you don't feel able to trust anyone. Stay safe
Real friends don’t leave you especially when you’re at a disadvantage of any kind.
I agree. They left him knowing his ankle was injured and that some people at the party had a problem with his race.
they had witnessed the issues themselves and didn't think twice about it! they were just as ignorant as the others ar the party.
Right?? wtf ...who leaves in the middle of nowhere to go get cigarettes late at night when your far away from the closest town of 1,300 - where there were likely no stores open. You would just bum off one of the dozens of people there....and if he turned the wrong way, he had to reverse his direction to get back - so should have stopped to pick up Zo. Zo's Mom also said in another interview that the guys weren't close friends - and none ever helped in any of the searches, or called her again. Between all those three facts, that's all I need to know.
Never I’m grown and still will Never leave anybody i go with
Right! If I was at an unfamiliar party with friends I'd definitely go with my friend if they left for any reason. Especially with these circumstances.
Anyone else think it's a bit strange that police wouldn't let family search then they suddenly do and his body magically appears...
YES! I strongly believe that the police are in on it and helping/helped cover up something.
Yep. And the cop who said "it's a murder" then retracting the statement... Sounds very fishy.
Police smh!!! I’m not surprised a lot of those crooks are In on It.
They need to plant some young detectives that can act like "good Ole boys" in the town. After a while and getting drunk with some people, they would find out what happened.
Probably not with newbies in the town
I'm sure the FBI has contacts in the town.
Black Klansmen it
Helll yes this would work. Enough liquor and time and you would get the truth out.
Bold of you to think he wouldn't ended up dead 💀
Let’s keep Zo’s name out there so he and his family can finally get justice! Thank you Kendall for shedding more light to this case!
I can’t imagine the nervousness in his mom when she realized he wasn’t home.. and calling for him and nobody knew where he was… my mom heart breaks for her.
You have a mom heart?
My worst fear as a mother 😢😢
Is it just me, but this story gives me a horror or thriller movie vibe where there is a super creepy town, with creepy people who do creepy , cruel things to unsuspecting strangers and everyone in the town knows about it , the governor, the sheriff and all his department, and even that ‘nice’ old lady, the forensic pathologist in the town all know and work to protect the killer. Reality is so much scarier than fiction.
Yep I thought the Same thing so Creepy tho😔
yes i was literally thinking this
I think this is part of the reason this stuck with me so much. The idea that an 'outsider' can be killed and an entire town, including its law enforcement, will rally around to hide it? It gives me chills.
The worst part is knowing that there are several towns that are like this. I live in Columbus, OH but, just 30 minutes outside of here, there are several towns that are still considered sundown towns. It’s so incredibly terrifying. I’ve driven through some of them, and they make me feel uncomfortable; you can sense the bigotry.
cause all the conspiracy nuts create horror movie level nonsense
My mom went missing here in Alaska. Fairbanks Alaska. It’s been two years and still nothing. You can look up her case online. Her name was shanna Oman. She was a eagle river resident and went to Fairbanks often. So… I can imagine how his family feels… only just not the finding part. My heart goes out to them. I seriously hope they will have justice one day. Because I sure would love to know or even have my mom home again
So sorry to hear about ur mom my prayers r with u and ur family I hope u get answers about ur mom prayers 🙏🙏🙏....
You can fill out a request form for Kendall to do your Mums case and get more information out there. I’m so sorry you’ve been through this and I hope she is found or you get the answers you need ❤️❤️
Sending you love & strength. Stay strong sweetheart 🤍
I pray your mother is found safe send prayers
Was ? I hope this doesn't mean you're thinking the worst
These are the types of cases we should be watching. Unsolved and missing persons. I love when influencers use their platforms to bring awareness.
*i
@@septbaaby what?
i’m so so glad they reopened this case. it wasn’t an accident, paper doesn’t stay in almost perfect condition after a month in water. i’m sure his friend already blames himself enough but it’s such a shame he left him there. never leave ur friends alone anywhere :(
Man exactly, my papers can sit on a table for 2 days and have SOMETHING on it
Thank you for bringing attention to stories of black people and people of color. We dont get nearly as much attention as others. I appreciate the integrity and care you put into each video.
💔 of course. Thank you
This is one of just very few if you scroll down her videos🙄
@@itsnessaokay she said STORIES*
@@krystinahaas903 looks like you're the one "going off" love. LOL
@@krystinahaas903 ... lol 🙄
Didn’t one of Alonzo’s “friends” Say that there wasn’t really any proper shops in the area so why would you leave a friend to go and buy a pack of cigarettes that is basically a one hour drive And not take Alonzo with him , he left him in a party where he doesn’t know a single soul ? Very very weird
What has been done here is absolutely egregious. I’m am sickened that this happened, it absolutely breaks my heart.
Yes, extremely suspect
Yes I find it extremely odd that his friend would leave for cigarettes. Maybe he didn't actually leave and made that up
Especially after having been drinking. Why would you leave alone? And why wouldn't you take your friend and just go home seeing as you're so far out?
Exactly. I understand that people can have a lapse in judgement, but you’re telling me that they drove forever to get to the party and then were willing to drive to get cigs? Doubt it.
This was definitely a murder. His ankle was sprained so it’s HIGHLY unlikely he’d walk home. His body was found in a creek but it hadn’t completely decomposed AND the papers in his pocket were in tact? Someone killed him at that party and moved his body. Who was the person that told them to leave the property when they searched the day after??? Why were his shoes scattered across the field…so far from where his body was?
His ankle was not broken it was only injured or sprained. Im sure he could have walked away on it if he wanted. He did walk around the party and of course alcohol would have dulled the pain or at least make it to where it was more tolerable. Im not saying he did walk away but it is possible
and a month later???
@@shellyseats5630 Okay Shelly 😴🙄
@@purplehaze2250 Did you see her last sentence? She said she’s NOT saying that he walked away, just that him having a sore ankle probably wouldn’t have been the thing that stopped him from being able to walk away given how he was walking around at the party. Again, not that he did walk away, just that it was still physically POSSIBLE for him to walk on his ankle, thus making it POSSIBLE for him to have walked down the road. It’s clearly a VERY low probability that he would have decided to leave the party by walking on the road, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still a possibility, however unlikely it may be. Hypothetically speaking, he could have gotten in an altercation at the party, realized there wasn’t a possibility of getting a ride with someone and decided to walk away from a scene he knew was dangerous, then ended up being killed (whether by a party goer or someone else living in the area). One way or another we know he was murdered, we just don’t know what took place before he was killed, thus there are many possible speculations and theories for what occurred, including the walking theory.
@@BhappyDOkay Brittany😴🙄
This is why being “colorblind” in terms of race and identity is more harmful than it is helpful. A group of Black friends would’ve never left their Black friend in that environment. No matter how cool it seems bc they’d be very aware of the danger around them. I hope his killers are found and his family has the peace they deserve.
THISSS
Lmfao girl please that's not true and not cool that you plaster race in front of everything. Its actually what I live by "judge by the content of character not color of skin" but I see how you
move lol
@@septbaaby ????? stop talking lmao
@@lamb9770 or not? Tf get off the internet if you can't handle it shawty
@@septbaaby you’re ignorant lol shut up
This case was reopened when they showed it on Unsolved Mysteries on Netflix. Thank you for covering it. Maybe someone will come forward
So glad to hear it was reopen I hope it gets solved
His body being in such good condition makes me think he was kept somewhere until they wanted him to be found. Also, the bugs being so attracted to his neck specifically makes me think that that’s how he was killed because there was a wound there and they were drawn to that one spot and the rest was untouched by them. Such a sad and tragic situation. I hope the family gets answers soon. I can’t imagine the pain they feel every day.
Such a good point about the bugs!
That's why I think he might have been lynched
Also idk if you have researched the case further but there is a lot of speculation about the Boone boys being apart of his murder and one of them was caught bragging about how they used a dog shock color on a person of color...makes me wonder if it was Alonzo 😔
Yes, because bugs eat away at damaged flesh. That is actually in the show and they use bugs in the Hulu show called Big Sky. An entomologist would have known.
Wow if he had a neck wound that must mean he probably got hung from his neck! 😩
I love how you always tell how the victim was as a person. You focus so much on making sure your audience knows that these victims are also people. They had likes and dislikes, family, friends, hobbies. I always feel like I get to know the victim as who they were, and not just hear about the terrible things that happened to them. You put so much love into your cases and it shows! Thank you for sharing their stories!
That's one of the most important changes in True Crime coverage in the last few years.
Increasing the humanity of the victims instead of building the criminals (when known) up like modern day boogeymen. Because it's the victim's name that should be known.
Locally there was a horrible case a few years ago (Joleen Cummings) that is soon going to trial, and it turned out the killer is a woman who has been travelling under over 35 aliases across the country. But most stories about it are fighting to refer to the case by the victim's name instead.
Agreed...Kendall is a real one
@@-Ghostess Do you have the name of the killer? Did they catch her?
@@jamieanncadena899
Yes.
She will be in court this month.
But you completely ignored the point of what I said
She said that he still looked- alive. That means he hadn't decomposed enough to be out in the wild. They moved him there. There is a place in hell for people like that.
Exactly.
I've lived in Gardner my entire life, but I was 4 when this case happened. When the Netflix documentary came out it was the talk of the entire town and it is so troubling that there are no answers yet. La Cygne is not a place you want to be. There is a theory about a restaurant called the Family Cafe that is rumored to have held his body in a freezer before it was put in the creek. I wouldn't put it past them.
Literally wouldn't doubt the diner story, I've been to la cygne once an it seemed like straight country I live in joco
Hey, if this is a nickname for you on UA-cam, change it so they don't know you made a comment. Protect yourself, because you are probably right.
That probably explains why his body was in a good condition when he was found
@@spunkycat6144 I was thinking the same exact thing. I looked at the name and said THIS PERSON NEEDS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES
true that place is on the same street where the party happen literally down the road
Justin is a good example of how there’s a difference between being friends with a person of color and actually BEING a friend TO a person of color. Of course you love and treat all your friends the same and may not “see race,” but it’s SO important to have racial awareness, because the truth is there are many dangers that exist for people of color that do not exist for white people. Protect your friends. Be aware. Stay educated.
There are reverse dangers for white people as well.
Yes. Stay aware!!!!
@@meaghansmith3321 but this story is about a black man.
"bUt yT pEoPlE boOhOo"
stfu
@@meaghansmith3321 That's not the topic now, is it? Stop trying to get attention because a black man's case FINALLY gets some attention.
If someone tells you they're dying of cancer, you don't say your sick with a cold as well and pitty yourself.
@@meaghansmith3321 “Won’t somebody PLEASE think of the poor white people?! 😢”
I have learned so much from true crime. You NEVER leave someone at a party even if it’s a party where you know everyone. If you go together you leave together!! Please please please take care of each other.
Some “friends” he had. I would NEVER leave my friend at some random party. Especially if I KNEW tensions were high already. It’s just a sad situation all around, but idk I’m definitely side eyeing those “friends” he went to the party with.
Even if I didn't want to be there I would have still waited in the car until they got done I have done this before only because I really do love my friends and want to make sure they okay
Especially if your a WHOLE HOUR away from your home, like what the actual fuck
Absolute facts.
seriously. if i came with you, i’m not ever leaving without you. especially for fucking cigarettes
IKR... especially when there were supposedly racial slurs thrown at him..
This case is so sad and so messed up. Whoever did this definitely put his body in plain view for his family to find. I'm willing to bet that the police department was involved. It's a small town where everyone knows everyone and are willing to cover for "their own".. just my personal opinion. I truly hope everyone involved get what they deserve and God bless this family 🙏❤
I was thinking that. I can't see random civilian racists preserving the body and keeping his belongings pristine just to be nice. I don't think a police officer did it, but I can see where there could be motivation to cover up the crime.
This is exactly what I think too
Shut up
Yep
@Hellen Ortega - Why? Absolutely NOT!!!
As someone who was a heavy smoker, leaving a party to grab smokes and come back still seems like an odd move to me. If I ran out of cigarettes at a party, I would either find someone else who smokes and bum one, or tough it out. I don’t know why this stick with me. Obviously if a gas station was like 5 minutes away it wouldn’t be a huge deal. But this sounds like it would be a commute.
Odd. Can’t get this fact out of my head.
As a smoker I would bring MORE than enough to make sure I can make it through the whole party. It's a major addiction and I always have more cigarettes on me than I know I need.
right... let alone walk 30 mins out for a pack
Or I would of told him to come so i dont get lost and hes protected
@@loudbrunette420 when I was a smoker, I would do the same thing. I would stop and buy 2 packs before going to any event, just to be safe. If one of my friends ran out, they knew that 2nd pack was typically for everyone else who ran out. I had my fresh pack to myself along with however many I had in the pack I was smoking already before getting the 2 new ones. I was always prepared! So this story about going to get a pack of cigarettes when you had to go that far in an unfamiliar area???🤔 Yeah, that's not making sense to me.
I’m not a smoker but why drive a half hour on an unfamiliar road for some cigs? Weird
It was suspicious when the guy on the dirt bike told them to leave... they need to investigate him.
Fr
yep 100%
Because you have strangers on your property, nothing wrong with that!
Yeah but also if he owns the property it’s kinda understandable if I had complete strangers on my land I would to but if I knew they were looking for a missing friend I would let them look
@@rolydio even if you see strangers, why didn't he say "hey do you guys need help? What are you looking for" in a polite way
Alonzo's friends never should have left him alone at that party. I know his friends have expressed regret for doing so, but I am still so unnerved by it.
And those 3 friends know more than what they’re telling
Our rule growing up was never leave a man behind….or woman no matter what!
I agree.
@@michellekrick9044 That’s how we were taught too. LEAVE WITH WHO YOU CAME WITH
Yeah I think its weird that he stayed too, they all should have left when the fight went down. Especially considering the age differences. If my buddy was the oldest one at a mostly teen party and he had gotten into a physical fight with one of them.. id make him leave with me immediately
the fact that someone moved Alonzo’s body there for the family to find is beyond disgusting + evil.
That’s all I could think about… absolutely abhorrent.
If his body was in such pristine condition, why was the coroner unable to determine a cause and time of death? That seems odd to me. They just found Gabby Petito after three weeks out in the elements, and they were able to determine she was killed.
I honestly think that the people handling this case just didn’t care :(
No disrespect to Gabby and her family, but the reality is that she is a white girl and Zo was a POC. That is why.
Also this was 16-17 years ago so forensics have progressed a lot more since then. But I also think like the other comment said they didn’t handle this case well.
In the video she said the soft tissue had decomposed and the bugs had eaten some of it. Plus this was back in 2004
I’m not sure about the cause of death but I think being able to give a time of death is difficult because his body was in water and also because a good amount of time had passed but yet his body was still in good enough condition that his family/friends thought he looked like he was just laying there at the time.
I just wanna know the 55 people who have disliked this video already. Y’all must be the heffers who know something about this case! This is truly heart breaking! Thank you Kendall for bringing this case to your viewers attention! I hope Zo’s family gets some answers soon!
Period
I actually never understood people who dislike these type of videos or people talking about mental health or anything sensitive, like people are that bored with life or have so much hate. To dislike anything important, if you do not want to watch calmly EXIT without disliking, I wonder if it was their family members will they dislike the videos ???? Humans are something I tell ya it’s scary 😟
Either way it helps her out because they clicked on it 🤷🏼♀️😂😂
I have come to the conclusion that when someone dislikes a video it may not be that they object to the video itself but rather the event that was Tragic or upsetting.
Bro 'heffers' havemt heard that in forever😂 but so true
I will never understand what the colour of someone’s skin has to do with anything. I can’t get my head around that. He deserved so much more and I hope his family get the answers they are looking for.
I don't get why people care about skin color too. It's ridiculous. We're all people!! Those types of people make me sick.
Right?! I don’t understand assigning meaning (positive or negative) to someone’s God-given appearance.
Sadly beloved it did and does
I agree. Who T.F. do these haters think they are??? It makes me so angry and reminds me how many horrible people there are in this world.
Couple ignorance with alcohol/drug abuse and awful things can happen. I am so sorry this happened and more sorry that someone is getting away with it
This is a lynching. It’s heartbreaking and I really hope his family gets justice soon.
As someone who grew up with him, thank you for doing this and getting more attention.
For real that is so awesome that you knew him Zoe seemed like such a good dude, my heart goes out to his family and I really hope his family gets justice
These videos are so, so important. Mysterious WV solved a cold case less than a month ago after reporting on a man missing for 50+ years. A viewer knew something, commented on the video, it was followed up, and they solved a decades-old family mystery.
ALMOST HEAVEN
That channel has solved a few cases just reviewing case files.
@@vikkigardner6686 what’s the full name of the channel?!
@@JuLayLeeBee It's a great channel. Mysterious WV stands for Mysterious West Virginia; hosted by Sean McCracken (not sure of the spelling). Thoroughly researched and well-presented. Definitely recommend it.
@@viviansnead4886 thank you sweetheart
Kendall - The effort and time you put into giving each and every family’s story you share a platform to set the facts straight and raise awareness, is such an incredible gift. I feel so fortunate to have witnessed this channel grow into what it has become, and am consistently amazed by your loving and caring heart - and how you are teaching others about genuine compassion by setting an example through your own actions.
This comment mean the world to me, thank you so much 🥺💙
WELL SAID! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
@@KendallRae You are so welcome, but It is simply the truth! You are deserving of so many more comments like it, & I feel incredibly disappointed when I see negativity directed at you in the comments section.
This was the sweetest, most genuine, and truthful comment!!
@@hannahelizabeth1571 Just trying to do my part to offset any of those bringing negativity to the table here! Kendall is a truly selfless person and deserves so much more credit than people take the time to give.
If his body was in the river for over 30 days, he would look really bloated and water logged, as well as decomposed. Not like he was just sleeping when they found him. Someone definitely dropped him there
I definitely agree
I was thinking this as well.
Agree. People there know something. What an evil world we live in... so sad
The investigators need to take a deeper look into EVERYONE at the party. How do you leave your best friend at a party where they're the only black person there? There was definitely foul play. I hope Alonzo and his family get justice.
How would they know something like this would happend? Yeah they shouldn’t have leaved him but it’s absolutely not their fault, he got lost and thought someone else would drive him home and come home safe with no problem
Better yet, how do you leave someone from your clan/tribe/town ALONE with another clan/tribe/town? Fishy.
@@Olivia-tz8rl how can u leave the person rather friend to a party where they re odd one out bcz of their race n just assume they left with someone without informing the said person?? Sorry but this is not how responsibility works..
@@Olivia-tz8rl umm, he observed his "friend" in a confrontation with several people calling him racial slurs. What do you think was going to happen? Lynchings still happen, and the manner of death is still typically reported as "suicide". Open your eyes. There's no excuse to have your head buried in the sand. Would you leave your drunk girlfriend at a sausage party with men who were taunting her? If so, that's the problem.
@@hyunjiniret87 Tiffany Boone bragged her uncles did it
As a black person, I would immediately feel uncomfortable when I’m the only person of color and then I’m surrounded by cowboy hats and boots
Also, we only have this friend’s word that Alonzo was comfortable at that party. For all we know, he wanted to leave from the moment they got there.
@Anna me too l feel very uncomfortable . first all l would not go
Exactly! I doubt this town was as diverse as Topeka was. I wouldn’t go to any party there
@@darkwriter_xx94 !!! 💯
Right I would never… I need a good bit of people that look like me
They left Alonzo alone in the middle of nowhere. They left him vulnerable, with strangers, in an unfamiliar place.
There’s no way in hell any of my friends would EVER leave me at a party alone.
Also, I would never ever ever leave someone behind like that.
I just don’t understand why his “friends” thought abandoning him there was a good idea?
I’ve been completely wrecked at parties before and never once considered just leaving a friend there alone.
If we came together, we’re leaving together.
i 100% agree.... i cannot wrap my head around them leaving him there when they KNEW he was in an argument with someone....
He was set up
Those "friends" set him up
@@jasminefernandez6494 I think so too.
It makes my stomach hurt. He thought they were his friends.
He trusted them and (to me at least) it seems like they betrayed that trust and the result of that betrayal was Alonzo’s death. It makes my chest ache that his final moments were most likely full heartbreak and terror.
Maybe they took him there 🤔 There wasn't a party
Because they don't clean up that nicely that many people with vehicles
I don’t know why, but something about his friend leaving the party, in general, gave me a bad taste in my mouth.. I really hope this family gets more answers!
I hate to think but I suspect of the friends
I hate people who accuse with 0 evidence. People make mistakes, there’s not always something sinister behind every wrong action. There is NO WAY his friend could have guessed Alonzo would be murdered that night & he asked someone else to drive him home. Men are not like women, the buddy system is important with both genders but men feel a lot tougher & brave than we do so they think they can handle being alone. You need to stop accusing. His friend already feels guilty from making the decision he did but it was a mistake & im sure if he could he would go back in time and change it.
The friends had no malicious intent. They made a grave mistake though.
@@Andreawbs however the victims mother also stated the friends are suspicious, they weren’t as close to him like they advertised themselves to be, they didn’t participate in the search neither contacted the family till this day. And she doesn’t believe the story they’re telling till this day, it just doesn’t make sense
@@Andreawbs everyone is give their opinions of what took place. No need in feeling personally attacked.
I can not believe there is someone or multiple people walking around knowing what they did, this breaks my heart
I love that kendall actually cares about the victims and their families.
If they kept him somewhere, then it *IS* convenient that they dumped his body in a place that was previously searched - maybe they thought nobody would be looking for him there again, since they already did.
this.
That's what I thought as well. I don't think that they left the body in the water because they knew that the family would be searching. Instead, I think that they left it in the water because it had already been searched.
If this was a hate crime, then I'm willing to bet that they got word that the family was coming back to search and intentionally left the body there for the family to find. They wanted Alfonzo's family to find his body.
Exactly what I thought
@@RyanStorey1231 can you explain why they'd want his family to find his body? What would that do? How'd that be different than police finding it? In the end the police got word of it, so I'm just trying to understand.
Imagine hating someone so much just because of what they look like. I've never understood that. My heart goes out to the family and friends of Alonzo. I'm so happy to hear that the case was reopened and is being investigated. The town HAS to know.
Nobody hates anyone because of what they look like. It’s the character that they associate with the looks.
@@YACHIHANNAH ??? they didn't even know him yet killed him because of his „looks“ aka skin colour.😐
@YACHIHANNAH if you don't have anything but idiotic statements just keep it to yourself
We’ll try being white nowadays! Everyone fuckin hates your whitey ass guts….
This is exactly why being “color blind” isn’t the PC take people think it is. They left him in a situation that was so much more dangerous for him than it was for them. And I don’t trust the friend who was supposed to take him home but just missed him.
funny i could say the same thing about diversity isnt the PC take people think it is
@@kevinpatrickcarey3741 you can want for homogeny, but it will never happen in the US. It only continued to get more diversified.
Why do people keep forgetting that Alonzo did not want to leave when his friend went for cigarettes. He should have gotten the message that he wasn't wanted there because he had an argument
Yuuup who else would he get a ride from??? He didn’t know anyone else there. Somebody is hiding something.
@@Orlanzepol123why assume the friend Justin is being truthful? No mention of the guy Adam he supposedly called. Who is Adam? I do not believe Justin.
he genuinely seems like such a sweet, charismatic person. this story is all around tragic. 💔 i hope his family can find peace through all this suffering.
So the fact that they brought 2 separate cars, and clearly meant to separate at some point, for me was a red flag. Why did they purposely bring him all that way, and then leave him behind? Only selfish idiots/racists in that town would be mad about the attention. If they cared so much about how they were viewed, then they should have come together to help find him. But I am 1000% they could have cared less about his well being. I hope the truth comes out one day. Glad more awareness is being brought to this.
Typical of small town white privileged families to be more concerned about how they're viewed than about actually doing the right thing. Makes my blood boil
@@LeilaleilaZ
EXACTLY!!!
also if the friends really believed things like, "we never thought about his skin color." then they were just as ignorant, or else they would've realized leaving a young black man at a party full of racists would be a horrible thing. they had already seen him get in a fight and still left him there! they didnt think of him at all, their actions were beyond careless.
@@nana-ix EXACTLY!
@@nana-ix exacltyyy lots of people at that party care about skin colour so why would they feel so secure leaving him there🤦🏽♀️
All of the credit in the world to this family for their strength in sharing Alonzo’s story. I truly can’t imagine going through something like this, let alone mustering the strength to advocate. Sending so much love their way.
Okay w rn wI w to
My heart goes out to Alonzo’s family. The fact investigators denied this being a hate crime, in my opinion, makes them a part of the hate crime. His friends that left him there, I just have no words. I hope justice is served once and for all. RIP Alonzo.
I live not far away from La Cygne and it’s a pretty well known rumor that the son of a higher up in the town did it and that’s why it’s so well covered up. You can get away with anything if you have enough power sadly.
I would put my money on this.
Please report it!
How frustrating and sad is this for his family if this is true.
Can you elaborate more on the rumor, as in what was 'did'? Intrigued as to how it would fit with the weird details like body not as decomposed as it should have been, unclear cause of death, etc. Obviously rumors are just rumors (...except in small ass towns), but it would still be interesting to postulate about.
@@tam2729 I’m not sure exactly how he (allegedly) did it but I just checked again and the rumor is that it was the son of the governor of Kansas at that time
When I first heard this I thought why would y’all leave him…Justin should have took Alonzo with him to the store. You don’t lave your friend at a party, especially one somewhere unfamiliar .
Exactly! it's common sense
Maybe guys aren’t really taught that? I know women are, but men generally think they can take care of themselves. Just what I’ve observed from my guy friends and relatives.
@@justineharper3346 True. And you know, statistically, I was surprised to find that men are more likely to be killed by strangers than women (though a lot of that is gang violence). So... they should probably be more careful than they are.
@@justineharper3346 nah it's common sense, you don't leave your friends at parties especially if they were his ride there, seems men don't think of others.
I live in Topeka Kansas, went to the same schools as Alonzo and my sister in law’s brother has an unsolved case almost identical to Alonzo’s case in 2012. This still happens today and it’s so devastating. I’m so glad his family had this episode and people like you to bring awareness!
That is a big worry surely it this has happened before , I hope all these cases are being looked into and possibly linked together.
I don’t trust his “friends” , you don’t leave your friend.
Exactly
How would they expect him to get home?? Makes no sense
@@Halezyeah they took him there on purpose
Professionals searching the creek before and finding nothing, and now Alonzo's body suddenly appears in the creek?naah super scetchy!
Glad they reopened the case though.
And an amateur group of people looking nonetheless
That person was not his friend. There’s no reason to leave the person you came with especially when they’ve already had a racially motivated confrontation.
Yes, it seems odd that Zo would have 1.agree to stay behind w people he doest know 2. Had a confrontation w somone from that party 3. Wanted a pack of cigarettes but stayed behind - That part doesn't make sense.
Oh I agree 1000% I remember watching the episode and was like yes, this is totally racially motivated.
mmh i disagree even as someones black. the attack was definitely racially motivated but 9/10 if you got a party and tell your friend that you’ll be back its never really an issue, his friend was stupid for leaving him and is gonna have to live with that guilty forever but i doubt he had malicious intentions
Oh for gods sake stop blaming his friends 🙄 his friend got lost, thats not his fault, and he actually went out his way to make sure someone else could help!!! He didn't have to, he could have just gone home, for all we know he was asked to leave to go the other party and alonzo said no, perhaps he was asked to go to the store and said no, we dont know, dont blame the people that have been pushing to get help, I was out last night with a few people at our local and when I've had enough I just leave, thats what I do, I'm known for it, but that doesn't make me or my friends bad people, so sick of people always blaming the friends
@@cammey3 yikes. I wouldn’t want you as my friend you sound very dismissive. Stop praising him for doing the bare minimum and assuming that because you do something that applies to this situation. You’re right we don’t know, so don’t assume. My opinions are based off the known facts.
This was definitely a hate crime. And you’re right, someone knows something! I hope they come forward. Cowards keeping secrets… ridiculous and so sad. I hope this family gets some answers. Alonzo deserves justice. The cops could have done better- they should have done better.
The fact that sundown towns are very much still a real thing is so fucked !
It’s so scary to think people will withhold information knowing someone lost their life. Hope justice is served!!
@Chai Tea So trueee!!
Knowing the rate of decomposition and the length of time it takes to get at those various rates of decomp-he was DEFINITELY frozen somewhere to have still been so intact after 30 days.
There is no way to tell, apparently.
@@beckoninglight16 I DON’T believe you cannot find proof that someone was frozen before or after death for that matter...no way a body doesn’t change or leave traces
the theory about him being in the freezer makes so much sense to me. especially out on a farm house where they probably had a freezer to store meat from animals on the farm or if not on this farm he was taken to one probably tied up and put in a trunk and taken there at gunpoint - you know most of these kids would have access to guns being from a small rural farming town it’s second nature to be raised around guns - so he could have been forced by gunpoint to be taken to a meat locker/freezer of some sort where he was frozen alive. or another theory since he was found a whole month later and the body hadn’t been too badly decomposed what if he was kept in a basement or a shed and starved to death or died of dehydration? could have been overlooked because coroners looking for the cause of death of a murder victim wouldn’t expect it to be starvation. i think he was kept somewhere or frozen- possibly both. one more theory is that he died of alcohol poisoning or a drug overdose and it was covered up. weed and beer ain’t the only things these kids do at these small town parties trust me i’ve been to one. it’s a bunch of kids from many surrounding small towns all coming together to get as faded as possible and bring any party favors they can get. either way if that happened they tried to hide it instead of getting him help. i think whoever was involved had parents in law enforcement. in such a small town it’s very common to know multiple people your age who have family on the police force. most likely even connections to the coroner who did the autopsy. that’s why so many crimes like this in towns like these go unsolved it’s a massive cover up bc so and so knows so and so everybody knows everyone. it’s a damn shame. this poor kid man… rest in peace alonzo , prayers and love to you and your family
Usually a medical examiner would be able to tell if a body has been frozen.
Some else said that the rumor in that small town is that the Senator's (which later became governor at that time) son may have done it and that's why it was covered up.
@@pumkin54 Only if they are really thorough. A body that has been frozen and thawed looks a LOT like a body that has been submerged in water. The ME could have assumed that any damage to the tissue was caused by the time the body spent in the ravine and creek and then decided not to test the tissue for evidence of freezing.
The fact that his “friends” left him there when they knew he had almost gotten into a fight already has never sat right with me.
Think they just have no street smarts what so ever.
Number one: no toxicology report?!?!
Number two: anyone who has studied forensics or even watched a couple CSI episodes can tell you, that where there is advanced decay, in contrast with the rest of the body, it's a good indication of injury. So when they found his neck to be in such an advanced state, but the rest of him so pristine, why not investigate that further?
Number three: of course they try to do the most convenient thing possible when it doesn't impede on them being caught. So if the area is flooded with people they're going to try to do it very discreetly. Hense him being found where he was found.
That's just my 3 cents. Thoughts?
This is the first time I've heard of this case and don't know any other details from Reddit threads, etc but good points. I'm only guessing if a forensic medical examiner/autopsy was done, then a toxicology report would have been done as well, maybe just not mentioned here. I'm sure the family would have asked for it too. Your mentioning again about the decomp of the neck compared to the rest of the body now makes me think that if he wasn't hung (autopsy would have shown internal injury or bone broken), then he could have had his neck sliced open & bled out? With the open wound, it makes sense then that insects and animals got to his neck. The thing I don't get is why go to the trouble of hiding his body for a month but leave his boots tossed out on the road like that to be found? And if they're left there, keep them together so it looks more like he took them off himself? And I'm wondering if they dusted the boots for fingerprints?
@@emelphick4742 when Kendall said they didn't "think" he was drugged, it sounded like they were not sure. Which is something they'd be certain about had they done one. This case is terrible. He deserved so much more. And deserves justice.
@@emelphick4742 His body was out there for a month, would a toxicology report be useful at that stage. It seems strange that his shoes and hat were found across the road and then his body discovered a month later just lying out in the open no effort to hide the body. So I don't think someone would go from keeping it hidden in a freezer to then leaving the body out in the open not concealed at all. The body is usually the biggest source of evidence. His body was exhumed July 2020 so you would think they would be closer to the truth by now.
Being from Kansas and living less than 30 mins from lacygne I would hear his story a lot. I’m glad people are finally recognizing it and talking about it. Especially one of my favorite youtubers.
Literally the same I lived in joco my whole life an hadn't heard of this case till the unsolved episode
What are the stories you hear about this case? I'm curious as to what the local gossip is.
OH MY GOD. I am so so happy you are talking about this!! This case literally haunts me and it saddens me that this beautiful boy never got any justice! Ugh I love you Kendall!
Thank you for covering this case 🙏🏽 this is the exact reason why I became a lawyer. The cases of people of color who are killed suspiciously rarely get the attention they deserve. You’re an advocate and we appreciate you.
I know right. Along with Alonzo, they expect us to believe black people be out here coming suicide by hanging themselves from trees as if that’s a plausible scenario rather than a lynching
Folks that believe he was in water for 30 days with his body still being in decent condition CLEARLY know nothing about decomposition. More specifically the way water can drastically change the decomposition process. This is so sad 😞 Prayers for his family and friends 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Yeah, that’s the part I don’t understand. I’m no forensic expert, but it is often said that only after a few days in water most bodies are beyond recognizable.
He didn't seem to be in the water, he was on top of a pile of branches by the river.
I love when Kendall covers unsolved cases because she brings awareness to the cases and hope to the families
🙌
I love when Kendall covers unsolved cases because she brings awareness to the cases and hope to the families
Lol this is the third comment just like this one. So true though.
@@saraa1741 Right! Wth!?
I love lamp
This case has bothered me ever since i first saw it. That guy who randomly left to get cigarettes got lost and didn’t come back doesn’t sit right with me. That whole story is sus AF. Somebody knows something and isn’t talking. None of that situation that happened that night makes any sense at all.
I totally agree, 1) I get it’s a different area but how do you get that lost going down the road to get cigarettes 2) why would you not at least go back for your friend, especially since he got in a fight with that guy. (Also I would have told him to just come with me to get the cigarettes but that part is somewhat understandable)
Pat Boone / Jerry Boone - these brothers' names pop up the most in the comments of the blog. It's rumored that they helped perpetrate the murder because one of their female relatives had some interaction with Alonzo at the party. 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). Additionally, the Boone family owned a local restaurant and it's rumored that is where Alonzo's body was stored prior to it being dumped. While Pat and Jerry were much older than the majority of the party-goers, many commenters have stated that it would not be uncommon to find these men at a party at which high school and college aged people were present. Even further, apparently members of the Boone family seem to have served on the city counsel or commission or something, and are still to this day prominent members of the community.
Tiffany Boone (now Tiffany VanNorman) is rumored to be the girl that Alonzo Brooks had an interaction with that night, which is allegedly the inciting event of the murder.
Thanks for adding this.
Heard this too. Probably shock collard him and beat him to death
great information
is there any REAL proof of this
lots of people in Reddit have said this also
Someone knows. Multiple people know, and that is absolutely terrifying. This man was murdered because of his skin color, no question. I do believe this case will be solved. Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not in a year, but I do believe someone will eventually come forward.
That’s what blows my mind about these cases. Someone is just living their life daily knowing they murdered someone and they’re fine with it. How wild and scary.
@@megandavis3906 i Hope the ones who did it suffer, a lot
You know multiple people know. No way a small town in KS (where I'm from) doesn't know what happened. It's disgusting.
The whole town knows
@@megandavis3906 THANKYOU, LIKE HOW EVIL AND SICK CAN YOU BE?
His "friends" don't sit right with me....how extensively have they been looked into?? Also thank you for covering this case!! Please update when something breaks!
It's 100% not them. Negligent? Sure. Suspects ? Far from it.
This case shows how important the buddy system is. But unfortunately these things happen: you never think the worst will happen. Their mind was already set on going to the other party and he said he'll stay there and they're like okay then (and one friend did stay with him: the guy who went for the beers). Its just one of those unfortunate things that occur when really they all thought it would be a simple night at a party for some fun. It's counterproductive to start pointing fingers without ANY concrete proof. Not only that ,they were investigated thoroughly and cleared with flying colours and they called the police for 3 weeks trying to get them to share information
It's crazy how much people are trying to make excuses for them. Wonder why? 🤔
The fact that they left him there show that they really weren't his friends
I don’t wanna imagine what his family is going through, I don’t care that it is over 17 years since he died, the pain must eaten on them everyday even today. And I feel so sorry for them and for Alonzo as well, he would prolly be a great adult. Rest In Peace.
Kendall, I grew up in Topeka Kansas with this family, and when this happened everyone knew he was murdered, thank you so much for doing a video on this case, the truth WILL come out, it's only a matter of time 😘😘
This case pisses me off for obvious reasons. I know his friends feel like shit because no matter the situation they weren’t supposed to leave him. Those people in that town know what happened and I can guarantee I know exactly what happened to Alonzo but it’s unfortunate that cases like this get swept under the rug because of his race. We get so much shit these days for being cautious and not wanting to be in these spaces but nobody says anything about why we don’t want to shared these spaces
Exactly.
His mother said in an interview these friends weren’t as close to him as they advertised themselves to be because they apparently did not participate in the search neither contacted the family till this day, something is definitely off with the friends, they know more than what people believe
I just wonder why nobody has tried to identify the person he was arguing with at the party.
Right! Also, what happened to the person that was supposed to take Alonzo home after his friend called and said he got lost. Where is that person at?!
They have.
Definitely a hate crime. Someone at the party knows something but isn’t talking, maybe he’s scared or is protecting the perp.
Bro, my eyes instantly watered when the “friend” left Mr. Alonzo at that party 🤦🏿♂️🤦🏿♂️🤦🏿♂️. There’s no way he left him at the party like that 🤦🏿♂️🤦🏿♂️
Men don’t have the same mentality as women for safety in numbers. I really hope this changes, if you truly care for your friends you wouldn’t leave them at a party alone especially if they were already feeling uncomfortable.
It’s just crazy all the white friends made it home safely! It’s weird the only person of color in the friend group, who had no vehicle of his own was left at a party full of people who didn’t want him there 🤔 seems strange
To the yt people that have friends who are People Of Color, YOU MUST SEE COLOR. So many people think it’s cute to say, “I don’t see color.” You have to see your friends colors so you can love them, respect them, and PROTECT them! Just because you don’t feel that you are in danger, doesn’t mean your friend isn’t ❤️
🥺🥺🥺❤❤❤ so true
Said it perfectly
Yes!!
This is a very good point. I will remember this
Yes!!!!! And I believe those kids knew that very well, they are just cowards and don’t want to admit to themselves, much less everyone else, that they essentially fed their friend to the wolves. It makes me so mad and sad!
Ok the friend that went for the cigarettes and took a wrong turn. He was supposed to go left but went right, was driving 30 minutes before he realized he was going the wrong way and was lost. Wouldn’t he have to turn around and go back in the opposite direction? Wouldn’t he go pass that area where the house was again? Why didn’t he think let me stop and pick him up or make sure he was ok? instead of keep going and asking someone else to take him home he barely knew? And why did the other friends leave so early. Not saying they did it but that just seems very suspicious to me.
Me too! This part made no sense to me.
idk if he was drunk, but WHY would you go thru that much effort for cigarettes when youre at a party in the middle of nowhere??? That's inconvenient af. If it was me, I would have just bummed some cigarettes from the DOZENS of people at the party. That's what stood out to me and i used to be a heavy smoker.
@@okaywow3486 exactly I would’ve done the same especially if I wasn’t from that area
yeah, it makes no sense. all his friends just left him, it really looked like they didn't care about him at all, they didnt think of him being in danger at all. even after already seeing him get accosted over his skin color, they didnt think about him at all and the worst possible thing happened.
@@okaywow3486 I’m actually watching it on Netflix now and Justin just said that he was lost and realized he was supposed to be going north so that mean he would’ve had to turn around eventually. They really didn’t care abt his well being like that. I couldn’t even imagine leaving my friend with strangers to go get some cigs let alone just leaving them and going home. That’s not a real friend.
I can only imagine how the brother must’ve felt when he saw his body. It probably completely shattered his heart. Poor Alonzo had to be terrified to be left at the party. Rest In Peace 🕊
The whole town including the police knows who did it and they’re protecting them. The killer obviously has ties to the police and probably comes from a well known family in town. This is so sad and I pray his case is solved and him and his family get justice 🙏🏼
the boone family
100% agree
@@hollystiener16 is that who people are saying did it ?
@@manilang8753 yes, that is who did do it. the family owned a restaurant down the street and kept him in the freezer until they put him where the family could find him.
@@hollystiener16 omg that’s so sad !
As someone who lives in a very small town that is mostly white, this doesn’t seem far fetched in the slightest.
That really sucks that it's like that , white people would not be killed at an all mexican party lol
@@Man_United_USA not necessarily true
@@septbaaby yes it is ! Guaranteed
I hope he’s resting peacefully. I hope his family are as ok as they can be and I send all my love to them. I hope with everything in me they find some closure one day.
I am so happy to hear they changed it to "homicide"! I hope this case is solved and Alonso and his family get justice.
I think men have a lot to learn from women when it comes to buddy systems and just making sure as a group each individual is safe in situations where you’re out at a party, club or wherever else. I’ve spoken to my own boyfriend in detail and the differences in how things like this are handled when he’s out with his guy friends versus when I’m out with girl friends is shocking. He’s said that on multiple occasions when he is out with friends and one of them is bored and wants to leave early they will go off and get a taxi or walk home by themselves depending on the distance. He’s also said that they have gone to the bathroom while leaving their drinks unattended which again me and my girlfriends would never dream of doing. We make sure when the group needs to split up for any reason (eg going to the bathroom or going out for a cigarette etc) that no one is left unaccompanied, but these are things that my boyfriend and his friends as males dont really think about. Which they should! I’ve advised him of the dangers and told him he needs to be more careful and consider that just because he’s a man doesn’t mean that nothing bad could happen to him. I watch multiple true crime cases and so many of the ones that involve a male going missing or turning up dead begin with them being out partying and then going off on their own without their friends or being separated from them in some way. There’s so much emphasis on women being extra cautious while they are out but we need to really ingrain this in young men from an early age as they can easily become victims too 💜
One million percent! When i go out with my girls we are very wary of things like that. We go toilet 2 at a time. We watch our drinks at the bar. It can be scary out here.
I have a group of four; two guys (me included) and two girls we never leave each other backs when we party and if someone needs to go to the bathroom or something we'll split up and I'll stay with my other friend so he/she doesn't stay alone
Women leave their friends behind too.
you are the most sensitive and compassionate true crime youtuber i've ever seen, all while presenting the case so clearly and precisely. i can feel how much you genuinely care for the people you talk about.
i cannot even begin to fathom the thought of stumbling upon my loved ones corpse dumped in a creek after desperately searching for them for a month. “he looked normal, he looked like he was asleep” being the first thing they thought when they saw him shattered my heart-it’s like they could’ve even comprehend what they were looking at, or the state he was in. this whole story is awful. i hope one day the truth about what happened to zo comes to light.
Alonzo sounded like such a great guy and I’m so sorry for his family’s loss. I just cringe any time kids go to parties in neighboring towns or when friends don’t stay together.
He is. An amazing uncle. ❤️
He was a great guy, we even in the early stages of life . I can remember back to elementary school....he was literally everyone's friend. Never a bully or rude to a soul
My sister went to Topeka High School at the same time as Alonzo. She said he was a funny guy and loved everyone. He didn’t deserve to be a victim of a hate crime