Johnia's Story
Johnia Berry's friends and family say she was a vibrant beauty, very ambitious, with an endless supply of kindness and generosity.
It all started during the early morning hours of December 6, 2004 around 4am, when a stranger entered Johnia’s Brandon Park Apartment looking to steal car keys. When the thief did not find what he was looking for in the living room, he went into Johnia's bedroom and brutally stabbed her multiply times during the robbery.
Johnia was able to make it out of the apartment and stumbled down two flights of stairs, knocking on neighbors' doors seeking help. No one responded and she collapsed and died a short time later.
After receiving a call from the police about the attack, we rushed to be by her side, but arrived too late.
We were glad to find out that there was DNA left at the scene of the crime, but had no idea that the National Data Base lacked critical information to help solve crimes. That’s when we began working to make a change in the laws in Tennessee.
We know nothing can ever bring Johnia back. No law can ever change that. In the end, Johnia is gone and our hearts are forever broken! No words can express the pain we live with.
We were lucky. Johnia's case was considered "high profile" and gained significant media attention. But two and half years of investigation and over 400 DNA samples were taken.
On May 9, 2007, “The Johnia Berry Act 2007" was passed. The new law states that a person is arrested for a violent felony, such person shall have a biological specimen for the purpose of DNA analysis taken.
On September 24, 2007, a DNA match lead to the arrest of Taylor Lee Olson for the murder of Johnia Berry.
Had Tennessee had the DNA Felony Arrestee Law in place, Johnia's murderer would have been known in a matter of weeks instead of years. This would have also saved Tennessee money not to mention our family the unbelievable pain of not knowing who murdered our only daughter.
It is my hope that sharing the story of Johnia's murder will bring awareness to the fact that DNA arrestee laws should be passed in all states. And my prayer is that another family will not have to endure the pain of losing a loved one.
It all started during the early morning hours of December 6, 2004 around 4am, when a stranger entered Johnia’s Brandon Park Apartment looking to steal car keys. When the thief did not find what he was looking for in the living room, he went into Johnia's bedroom and brutally stabbed her multiply times during the robbery.
Johnia was able to make it out of the apartment and stumbled down two flights of stairs, knocking on neighbors' doors seeking help. No one responded and she collapsed and died a short time later.
After receiving a call from the police about the attack, we rushed to be by her side, but arrived too late.
We were glad to find out that there was DNA left at the scene of the crime, but had no idea that the National Data Base lacked critical information to help solve crimes. That’s when we began working to make a change in the laws in Tennessee.
We know nothing can ever bring Johnia back. No law can ever change that. In the end, Johnia is gone and our hearts are forever broken! No words can express the pain we live with.
We were lucky. Johnia's case was considered "high profile" and gained significant media attention. But two and half years of investigation and over 400 DNA samples were taken.
On May 9, 2007, “The Johnia Berry Act 2007" was passed. The new law states that a person is arrested for a violent felony, such person shall have a biological specimen for the purpose of DNA analysis taken.
On September 24, 2007, a DNA match lead to the arrest of Taylor Lee Olson for the murder of Johnia Berry.
Had Tennessee had the DNA Felony Arrestee Law in place, Johnia's murderer would have been known in a matter of weeks instead of years. This would have also saved Tennessee money not to mention our family the unbelievable pain of not knowing who murdered our only daughter.
It is my hope that sharing the story of Johnia's murder will bring awareness to the fact that DNA arrestee laws should be passed in all states. And my prayer is that another family will not have to endure the pain of losing a loved one.
