We need your help!

Nearly twenty months have clicked off the calendar since Johnia's murder and still there is no suspect in custody. Our family has tried many, many times to persuade Sheriff Hutchison to allow America's Most Wanted to air Johnia's case. He has flatly refused to cooperate with the show, saying that he believes Johnia's murderer is still in the local area. Airing the case on a national show would cause too many out-of-state calls that would take investigators away from where the sheriff thinks the killer may be - in or near Knoxville.

With that in mind, our family has turned to a state agency, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, for assistance. Johnia's parents have spoken with TBI director Mark Gwyn and he has agreed to help with the investigation, but with one small caveat -- he must be asked by either the sheriff or the DA.

So, we turned to Assistant DA Randy Nichols and asked that he allow the TBI to assist in the investigation -- not just process DNA samples, but to actually come in and lend a hand in the investigation.

To date, both Sheriff Hutchison and DA Nichols have declined to ask for help, saying that everything is being handled locally. The Sheriff has said in the media that the TBI is involved in the case -- they are not. The TBI has processed DNA samples collected by the sheriff's office, but our request is that the TBI actually be asked to look at the investigation.

Our fear is that the longer the murderer remains free, the chance of him being caught decreases.

What we've asked of the DA and the sheriff is simple:

Ask the TBI to come in, look at the investigation as it stands to date, and offer a fresh perspective in the hunt for Johnia's murderer.

We've asked many, many times to no avail. Now we ask for your help.

Please call or write Assistant DA Randy Nichols and / or Sheriff Tim Hutchison and ask that they please honor Johnia's family's request in allowing the TBI to assist with Johnia's murder investigation.

Contact Information:

Sheriff Tim Hutchison
Knox County Sheriff's Office
400 Main Street
Knoxville, Tennessee 37902
865-215-2243
Sheriff's Contact Page

Assistant District Attorney General Randy Nichols
400 W Main St
# 168
Knoxville, TN 37902
865-215-2515
randy.nichols@knoxcounty.org

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Thank you for your help and support.

Letter to the Editor

Johnia's case has reached quite far over the past 19 months. Nancy Grace has covered the story a few times, America's Most Wanted continues to want to air the case, and both 48 Hours and the CBS Early Show have shown great interest in profiling Johnia's case (I even met with producers from that show while in New York).

But, a few things remain:

1) The case is unsolved
2) Sheriff Tim Hutchison still refuses to cooperate with AMW (or 48 Hours / Early Show for that matter)

Now, I know what the sheriff has said. "We never said no to doing America's Most Wanted. But we feel that the killer is still in the Knoxville area."

So, with that, I pass along a letter of frustration from a person who has followed Johnia's case by way of this site, or through the media.

Link to "Letter to Editor" in Knoxville News Sentinel

Many things have happened since Johnia's murder back in 2004, but finding the responsible person is not one of them.

It's terrible enough that my mother lost her youngest child, her baby, but now she must wake up every single day, climb out of bed and continue her fight for Johnia's justice. It seems that at every turn, she is opposed by the one person who you would think might be able to show the strongest support - the sheriff of Knox County.

Instead, a road that's already hard enough to travel is now lined with unnecessary obstacles.

Why doesn't the sheriff just ask the TBI to come in and look at the case details?

Why? There's no good reason. Absolutely none. Even if Hutchison believes in his heart that his department has done all it can, what would it hurt to allow the TBI to have a look at the case? If anything, it might bring a little relief to a family that is already completely stricken with grief and sorrow that will never fully go away.

I'm sure that Tim Hutchison knows what it feels like to lose a loved one. I'm sure of it.

What I don't know is whether or not he's lost someone close to him like the way our family lost Johnia. Being a policeman takes a bit of removing yourself emotionally from the crime. It's a tough job, to be sure, but it can't hurt to do something every now and then to help the victims, or the family members who have been left behind to fight for justice.

As Joan's son and Johnia's brother, I would like to say this to the sheriff:

Please allow the TBI to come in and look at the case. Please. My family has suffered enough over the past 19 months. Asking the TBI to have a look at Johnia's murder might just bring a speck of relief to a woman, my mother, who has grieved since the early morning hours of December 6, 2004.

And, you never know --- it might just bring justice for Johnia.

Johnia's Murder Investigation and the Knox Sheriff's Race

Knox County Sheriff Tim Hutchison is up for re-election this year. He and his challenger, former Knoxville mayor Randy Tyree, debated each other on the radio this week. The Johnia Berry murder investigation came up during the debate.

As both candidates tried to out-vow each other to keep politics out of the Sheriff's Office, the ongoing murder case of Johnia Berry made its way into the debate.

Berry's father, Michael Berry, phoned in to ask why Hutchison hasn't allowed the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to review the case, which is now some 19 months old, with "a new set of eyes."

Similarly, another caller asked why Hutchison has not granted the family's request to feature the case on "America's Most Wanted."

The sheriff said TBI investigators generally lend their help to smaller counties with fewer resources, although they have examined the forensic evidence, including DNA samples collected at the crime scene.

And Hutchison said he doubted the value of a national broadcast; he thinks Berry's killer is local.

"No one's ever said we wouldn't (use 'America's Most Wanted')," he said, but he'll still hold off on that option until "we dry up and don't have leads here, when we feel that individual has left the state."

Metro Pulse and the July 14th Walk

My Mom and I spoke with Metro Pulse editor Leslie Wylie about last week's walk and the frustration of trying to persuade Randy Nichols and Tim Hutchison to allow the TBI to lend a hand with Johnia's case.

Metro Pulse article here

The sheriff's office response to the story was that they "are working hard on the case, but we can’t please everyone all the time. Regardless of any criticism, we will continue to investigate this case vigorously.”

Here's my take - allow the TBI to come in, have a look, possibly offer a fresh perspective on the case. This is not about "pleasing people". What it is about, though, is solving a murder that is 19 months old. It's about serving the people.

It's about serving justice.

The sheriff doesn't want to do America's Most Wanted. Why? It will "muddy the waters" with too many out of state calls that will have to be investigated.

The sheriff didn't return calls to either 48 Hours or the CBS Early Show. Why? I don't know. For the same reason that he didn't want America's Most Wanted is my guess.

Now Randy Nichols doesn't want to ask the TBI to come in, have a look at the case. Why? I'm clueless on this one, but I'm sure there will be lots of pontificators out there who will offer their opinions on the matter. I'm not here to do that.

What I am about is doing everything I can to help solve the mystery of who killed my sister. Like I said before, it's about justice.

That's all my family wants. Justice! We don't want to be involved politically, but we certainly are involved emotionally.

My sister Johnia lived a beautiful life and died a horribly painful and scary death.

I, for one, don't care about being pleased. Moments of "pleasure" are a rare occurrence for me and my family.

What we do care about is Johnia. And seeing that she gets justice.

- Johnia's brother Kelly

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To everyone who came out last Friday, I'd like to say a heartfelt thank you. Our family is so very grateful for the support of friends, family, and strangers alike who would offer a couple of their hours to help strengthen our voice.

Berry Family Walk at GA Randy Nichols Office

Johnia Berry's family held a walk tonight to persuade Knoxville Attorney General Randy Nichols to request the TBI's help in investigating Johnia's murder.

I went to the walk tonight and got to meet Joan and Mike Berry, as well as frequent commenter Wolfpack Ledger. Attendance was much better than I would have expected. I counted more than 50 people.

Local TV stations WATE and WVLT were both there. Here's WATE's report. That report mentions Dan Frye, who was also there tonight. Johnia's brother Kelly Burke had told me Frye's story the first time we met to work on the Johniaberry.org Web site. Shortly after Johnia was killed, Frye contacted Kelly to let him know that there was someone else who knew what it was like to lose a family member to murder. Frye's father Windham M. Frye was killed in South Knoxville at the Corner Market and Deli. It took six years to bring his father's murderer to justice.

Johnia Berry was stabbed to death in her West Knoxville apartment in December, 2004. No arrests have been made in the case.

Knox County Sheriff Tim Hutchison has refused to cooperate with "America's Most Wanted." The TBI has told the Berry family they would like to help, but can't do anything unless the local attorney general requests the help. Hutchison doesn't want the TBI involved, and Nichols told the Berrys he doesn't want to upset the sheriff.

Hutchison is apparently telling reporters that the TBI is already involved in the Berry murder. That's misleading - the TBI is doing the DNA testing, which they apparently do in all cases in Tennessee, but they are not otherwise investigating the murder.

July 14 walk in Knoxville

I wanted to give everyone an update on Johnia's case.

I've spoken to the TBI and they are more than willing to step in and offer their assistance in the investigation - all they need is to be asked by the DA's office. Mike and I met with Attorney General Randy Nichols on June 1st and spoke to him about this very issue. He got back to us 28 days later and told us that he would not ask the TBI for their help.

Now, 19 months after Johnia's death, we are still no closer to solving her murder. So, in an attempt to keep my daughter's case alive, I am planning a walk in Knoxville on Friday, July 14 to publicly ask Mr. Nichols to bring the TBI in to help with the case.

If you have time to offer your support, please join me from 5pm - 6:30pm in front of the Knoxville City County Building at 460 West Hill Avenue. I would greatly appreciate your help. (If you need directions, you'll find them here.)

Thank you,

Joan Berry
JBerry5916@bellsouth.net