Under investigation for allegedly molesting a teenage girl in a church basement, Kentucky State Rep. Dan Johnson committed suicide one night after accused pedophile Roy Moore lost his Alabama Senate candidacy to Doug Jones. On Thursday, his wife, Rebecca Johnson, announced that she plans to run for her husband’s seat.
According to a KyCIR investigation published Monday, Rep. Johnson allegedly sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl in the basement of the Heart of Fire Church following a New Year’s party on January 1, 2013. Maranda Richmond accused Johnson of shoving his tongue into her mouth, pushing his hands down the teen’s pants, and penetrating her with his finger without her consent.
On Tuesday, the Louisville Metro Police Department confirmed that the case was being investigated by the Crimes Against Children Unit. Although police initially launched an investigation in April 2013, they later closed the case a few months later without ever interviewing Johnson.
In a Facebook message from Johnson to Richmond, the legislator reportedly claimed he was drugged that night and apologized for being “mean” to her. During a press conference on Tuesday, Johnson denied the allegations while refusing to resign from office.
On Wednesday night, Johnson parked his vehicle near a bridge over the Salt River in Mount Washington and fatally shot himself in the head. The coroner ruled his death as a suicide.
Before killing himself, Johnson posted a disturbing message on his Facebook page:
“The accusations from NPR are false GOD and only GOD knows the truth, nothing is the way they make it out to be. AMERICA will not survive this type of judge and jury fake news . Conservatives take a stand. I LOVE GOD and I LOVE MY WIFE, who is the best WIFE in the world,My Love Forever ! My Mom and Dad my FAMILY and all five of my kids and Nine grandchildren two in tummies and many more to come each of you or a total gift from GOD stay strong, REBECCA needs YOU . 9-11-2001 NYC/WTC, PTSD 24/7 16 years is a sickness that will take my life, I cannot handle it any longer. IT Has Won This Life . BUT HEAVEN IS MY HOME. “PLEASE LISTEN CLOSELY, Only Three things I ask of you to do,if you love me is (1)blame no person,Satan is the accuser, so blame the Devil himself. (2) Forgive and Love everyone especially yourself .(3)most importantly LOVE GOD. P.S. I LOVE MY FRIENDS YOU ARE FAMILY ! GOD LOVES ALL PEOPLE NO MATTER WHAT !”
Shortly after police were informed of his barely coherent Facebook post, law enforcement officers pinged his phone in attempt to locate the legislator. They discovered Johnson’s phone near his deceased body.
“Dan is gone but the story of his life is far from over,” Rebecca Johnson wrote in a statement on Thursday. “These high-tech lynchings and half truths can’t be allowed to win the day. I’ve been fighting behind my husband for thirty years and his fight will go on.”
Refusing to believe the allegation of child molestation against her husband, Rebecca Johnson announced that she will be running for his seat in Kentucky’s 49th House District.
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