Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI at 816-512-8200 or 816-474-TIPS. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 2. WebOn April 3, 2004, Brooks traveled with three friends to a party in La Cygne, approximately 50 miles (80 km) south of Gardner. At least we had found him. Josh Pratt, a filmmaker who lived in Paola, Kansas, at the time of Alonzo's death and knew many of the people at the party, has been trying to answer that question for Alonzos family for the past five years. From the beginning, there were rumors that Brooks had been the victim of foul play, the FBI said in a news release last month. Previous Image . Because of the span of time between Brooks disappearance and the discovery of his body, an autopsy was unable to determine a cause of death. In June 2020, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest, prosecution and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Alonzos death. Completely unrelated but remember seeing a doc on Netflix about a girl was was r*aped in a small town and the town did everything to protect the white boys who were accused of the crime. Some might feel that this means the body was originally stored elsewhere, and was placed in the creek at some point between the official search and the one organized by the family. His death certainly was suspicious, and someone, likely multiple people, know(s) what happened that night in April 2004. I tried googling it and found he history on sun down towns - is that related? Im Mexican and his father is Black, Maria said. According to the Kppen Climate Classification system, La Cygne has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[8]. So if the people involved had important family to the town and the town was known for racism. According to him, the dramatic moment of discovery was further enhanced by the way the overcast, heavy skies cleared, and the day became sunny just as they found the body. "Morans Old Problem", The Iola Register, 31 January 1959, p.4. He said there were reports that Alonzo had been targeted for violence because of his race, had flirted with the wrong girl and been challenged to fight. Nearby zip codes include 66044, 66086, 66052, 66045, 66025. This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. This report is an analysis of the locations of historic KKK organizations divided by the number of people who currently live there. There is one particularly big mystery about the death of Alonzo Brooks. The Linn County Journal is an online news service covering Linn County, Kansas If you're interested in the case, look it up for yourself and be sure to read the comments! While McAllister says that interviews with party attendees were conducted at the time, they"yielded no confession and shed no light on where Alonzo might be. According to her, the authorities fully realize that 16 years have passed, but feel that this might actually benefit the investigation. Unsolved Mysteries shared news of the latest development in a tweet. More than ever, education lies at the intersection of equity, housing, funding, and other diverse issues facing Kansas Citys students, families and teachers. The code of silence must be broken. Alonzos mother told Dateline she believes her son was targeted for his race. Someone took that away from us. I remember he always used to tell me that I had him too late, because I wouldnt let him go off with the older kids. When Alonzo was in his early 20s, he moved from Topeka, Kansas, where he had been working with his dad, to his mothers house in Gardner, Kansas. Brooks' parents spoke at the Thursday press conference and said they just want answers. Pratt now lives in Vancouver, Canada. An official website of the United States government. White silence. His father told Dateline he always wonders what kind of man his son would have turned out to be and what sort of life he would have led. 13731 KS Hwy 152, La Cygne, KS 66040 Phone: 913-757-4447 Fax: 913-757-4443 Its not just the authorities who are taking a methodical approach. I think the fact we were producing this episode shined a light on the case and helped them want to take a look at this case again, the shows co-creator Terry Dunn Meurer told Entertainment Weekly. He never made it home. This has all the trappings of a Hollywood movie, he said. You can reach me at [email protected]. It took a month for his body to be found, but even then his perpetrators couldnt be caught. Where it gets really weird is when the case is so cold and mysterious that there was even doubt as to whether it was a murder. Menu . It is located between Middle Creek to the east and the Marais des Cygnes river to the west. [4], On April 3, 2004, Brooks traveled with three friends to a party in La Cygne, approximately 50 miles (80km) south of Gardner. I want to post the picture but the twitter thread isnt mine. I can get justice for him.. On June 11, 2020, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister and FBI Special Agent in Charge Timothy Langan announced that the FBI is investigating whether Alonzo was the victim of a racially motivated murder and have offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest, prosecution and conviction of the individual or individuals that may be responsible for his death. WebDirections: La Cygne Lake lies 5 miles east of the town of La Cygne. The suspicious death of Alonzo Brooks in 2004 was featured in the fourth episode "No Ride Home" of the fifteenth season of Unsolved Mysteries TV series in 2020. The night he vanished, Brooks was one of only three Black men in a crowd of 100 guests at a farmhouse party on the outskirts of La Cygne, about 60 miles south of Kansas City. Nothing can describe that pain." Someone knows what happened to my son, Maria said. AstheU.S. Attorney's Officenotes, the forensic analysis techniques available in 2004 were insufficient to deal with the physical evidence, so the official autopsy could not determine a cause of death. Located at 382049N 944544W (38.346841, -94.762171), La Cygne (pronounced luh seen) is a small town that is situated on the east bank of the Marais des Cygnes River, a few miles southwest of the city of Linn Valley, in East Central Kansas. [6] The city is situated on the east bank of the Marais des Cygnes River and only a few miles southwest of the city of Linn Valley. 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. It's got twists and turns, it's got possible race relations, it's got young drunkenness, bravado. But I couldnt protect him from what happened to him.. Even without that, McAllister said Brooks death was a complicated investigation for any agency to handle. There were 507 housing units at an average density of 363.9 per square mile (140.5/km2). Then his family searched for Brooks around the farmhouse and found his body in a creek within an hour, according to the FBI. The code of silence must be broken. [1], On July 1, 2020, Brooks' death was featured in the fourth episode "No Ride Home" of the fifteenth season of Unsolved Mysteries TV series. But on April 3, 2004, Alonzo decided to go with some friends to the party in a rural area just outside of La Cygne in Linn County. Black Lives Matter movement is gaining, (and) people are questioning ways that we've been acting in society.. [1], Alonzo Tyree Brooks was born on May 19, 1980, to Billy Brooks Sr. and Maria Ramirez. Stay Connected . Alonzo, who was 23 years old at the time, was getting ready to head out for a party for someone who was leaving to join the Navy. The Brooks family certainly seems to share that hope, and the victim's mother, Maria Ramirez, is more than ready for the truth to come out. Scary stuff like this happens!!!!! WebAlonzo Brooks, 23, attended a party at a house in a rural area outside of La Cygne, Kansas, on the night of April 3, 2004. Although it hasnt been proved in any sense, they all think that Alonzo was a victim of a hate crime. "[Brooks']death certainly was suspicious, and someone, likely multiple people, know(s) what happened that night in April 2004," McAllister states. I think that for the longest time Alonzo Brooks he was just another Black man who had died or disappeared, Pratt said. The case is full of unanswered questions and conundrums of the sort that can leave a grizzled old movie detective desperately staring at the complicated evidence wall he's compiled in his house after he retired. AsNBC Datelinetells us, the news of the streaming service'sUnsolved Mysteriesshow looking into the case reached U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister in 2019. But by 2019, the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner and Michael Brown had sparked a new movement. The driver of the car Brooks had arrived in was his friend, Justin Sprague. It's rumored that they helped perpetrate the murder because one of their female relatives had some interaction with Alonzo at the party. We all watch the news with horror when we hear about a hate crime that happens not that far away from us. According to the 2010 census, the population of the small town is just below 1,200 and it is predominantly white, accounting for 97.3% of the population. Here's how you know. U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister finds this highly suspicious, and makes no bones about his opinion on the matter. Image 1 (current) Image 2. Anyone with information about Alonzos case is urged to call the FBI at 816-512-8200 or 816-474-TIPS or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. The official multi-agency search combed through the party location and nearby areas, but none of the authorities could find a single thing. Verify "I'm Mexican and his father is Black," she told Dateline. Being a part of the Kansas City metropolitan area, La Cygne is about an hour away by car from where Alonzo lived at that time. In a nutshell, the KKK was formed back in 1865, and there have been three separate movements, all three of which were supposedly purification movements in America. I also really felt as though the Unsolved Mysteries episode didn't dive deep enough and it left me with even more questions than I already had. That said, I am positive I'm forgetting to include something here. While at the party, racial slurs were allegedly uttered Go read the comments for yourself-- what conclusions do you reach? Fortunately, there's a decent chance that we might eventually find out who killed Brooks. WebLa Cygne Elementary Parker Elementary PVMS PVHS . Alonzo was the youngest of five children born to Maria and her now ex-husband, Billy Brooks Sr. After having a boy and three girls, several years passed and they were surprised to find out Maria was pregnant again. Its a picture of her great grand mother, posing in front of a Nazi flag. "My God, it was awful," Brooks Sr. said. KCUR serves the Kansas City region with breaking news and powerful storytelling. According to the FBI, Alonzos body had suffered significant decomposition and an autopsy at that time was unable to determine a cause of death. Additionally, one commenter made a great point about the medical examiner who was interviewed for Unsolved Mysteries. Associated Press. All rights reserved. EVERYONE KNEW THIS MOTTO for several towns over, for years, long before this murder. McAllister appears to take his mission quite seriously, and also seems to have a flair for the dramatic. Here's hoping that she's correct. I can definitely see this as them protecting their own. Finally, Brooks family found his body on a pile of broken tree branches that had collected in Middle Creek, just east of La Cygne and less than 650 feet from the party house. Add a Place. The Presbyterian church was organized the same year but had no building for a year afterward. As Brooks' mother, Maria Ramirez, puts it: "I ask the same question every day for 16 years. They've set up a "Justice for Alonzo Brooks"Facebook pageto chronicle the developments on the case, and still hold out hope that their beloved family member's mysterious death will one day be solved. According toNBC Dateline, Brooks' father, Billy Brooks Sr., was among the first people tofind the young mans' remains, stuck on a cluster of branches and brush in the creek. Please check it out! We are doing everything we can, and will spare no resources, to bring those responsible to justice." Alonzos family deserves to know the truth, and it is time for justice to be served.. Were in this for the long haul and were not going to stop until we find out what happened.. A push to mandate members of religious clergy report child sexual abuse when its brought to their attention is facing pushback from churches throughout the United States. The FBI added that his death was being investigated as a potential racially-motivated crime. Suspected violence, racism, hate crime, and murder, what could be worse? When youre looking at the places in Kansas with the highest number of KKK Klaverns per capita back in the day, this is an accurate list. It was like my boy was telling me everything was OK now, Billy said. The original, multi-agency search party had reportedly gone through the very same area where the body was ultimately rather easily discovered, only to find a heaping helping of absolutely nothing. Brooks, 23, went missing on April 3, 2004, after attending a party in La Cygne, Kansas. I definitely knew it was a racist town, but Ive never heard that motto either. Brooks aunt Angela Cox is the family spokesperson and runs their Facebook page a part-time job in its own right. WebKnow what's coming with AccuWeather's extended daily forecasts for La Cygne, KS. WebThe Marais des Cygnes is formed about 1 mile north of Reading, Kansas, a city in northern Lyon County, by the confluence of Elm Creek and One Hundred Forty-Two Mile Creek, and flows generally east-southeastwardly through Osage, Franklin, Miami and Linn counties in Kansas, and Bates County in Missouri, past the Kansas towns of Melvern, Quenemo, La Cygne was founded in 1869 as soon as the people were assured of the building of a track for the Missouri River, Ft. Scott & Gulf Railroad. Brooks's body was exhumed in July 2020 and transported to Dover Air Force Base for an autopsy and further investigation by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner. Strangely enough, Netflix's Unsolved Mysteries (via the Cinemaholic) tells us that the way the body was discovered just might add a whole new layer to the mystery. An autopsy did not determine the cause of death of the 23-year-old. I dont get why. Knowing that Brooks was not only missing, but also shoeless was not a particularly encouraging sign. It changed the whole dynamic of the family for years, she said. It just led to a kind of, I think, throwing up their hands when they didn't end up with an obvious suspect, he said. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Its time for some answers.. La Cygne was incorporated on January 14, 1870, and a board of trustees was appointed. WebLa Cygne Tourism: Tripadvisor has 20 reviews of La Cygne Hotels, Attractions, and Restaurants making it your best La Cygne resource. I got a feeling it's going to come out soon, and I'm not giving up hope about that, Ramirez said. Thank you for putting the truth out there. Theres days when I just cant take it, she said. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Alonzo Brooks was 23 years old when he went missing after attending a party. His boots and hat were found nearby, but his body was not found until nearly a month later when his family searched the area and found him in a nearby creek. There were 459 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. About his opinion on the matter within an hour, according to the town was known racism! Lake lies 5 miles east of the streaming service'sUnsolved Mysteriesshow looking into the case reached U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister 2019. Could find a single thing scary stuff like this happens!!!!... Time for some answers.. La Cygne Hotels, Attractions, and someone, multiple! Lake lies 5 miles east of the town and the Marais des Cygnes river to FBI... 363.9 per square mile ( 140.5/km2 ) finds this highly suspicious, and also seems to a..., hate crime that happens not that far away from us the page from! 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