Chris Trinkle is another man rumored to be involved. Suspected violence, racism, hate crime, and murder, what could be worse? The first newspaper in the town was the Weekly Journal, which first appeared in June 1870.[5]. I hope it pushes someone to do the right thing and come forward., Its time, Maria said. They have been filtering in from people who claim to have information for years. WebLa Cygne, Kansas City of Swans La Cygne Kansas Situated along the Marais des Cygnes River in the northeast part of Linn County , La Cygne (pronounced luh SEEN) Its a picture of her great grand mother, posing in front of a Nazi flag. Its been 16 years, but we hope that with this passage of time, someone who has information will come forward, Ramana said. "I know he was 23, but he was my baby," she says. As the U.S. Attorney's Office tells us, they've been working hard ever since. There were 507 housing units at an average density of 363.9 per square mile (140.5/km2). Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, https://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/20/nyregion/syracuse-medical-examiner-agrees-to-quit-after-inquiry.html. Its not just the authorities who are taking a methodical approach. On May 1, 2004, the body of Alonzo Brooks was found in La Cygne, Kansas, about a month after he was reported missing after April 3, 2004. The population density was 760.9 inhabitants per square mile (293.8/km2). I got a feeling it's going to come out soon, and I'm not giving up hope about that, Ramirez said. The gender makeup of the city was 47.3% male and 52.7% female. It took a month for his body to be found, but even then his perpetrators couldnt be caught. [2] A native of Topeka, Kansas, Brooks was of African American and Mexican descent. The code of silence must be broken. We are very cautious of our kids now.. "It was like my boy was telling me everything was OK now," Brooks Sr. described his memory of the situation. According to the FBI, Alonzos body had suffered significant decomposition and an autopsy at that time was unable to determine a cause of death. Last April, his death was reclassified as a homicide. If you know something please come forward. Males had a median income of $30,900 versus $19,803 for females. As Brooks' mother, Maria Ramirez, puts it: "I ask the same question every day for 16 years. In 2004, Brooks, who lived in Gardner, went with friends to a party at a farmhouse in La Cygne, a small east-central Kansas town. I've been reading the comments on this blog for years, and there are tons and tons of accusations, including accusations of police misconduct and community cover up, and of course about the town's reputation for racism. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. This is also portrayed in Saving Private Ryan and/or band of brothers when the soldiers are looking for Hitler youth knives and lugers to bring back. Did you encounter any technical issues? His death certainly was suspicious, and someone, likely multiple people, know(s) what happened that night in April 2004. This new twist or, some might say, a less-than-surprising confirmation to the theory that Brooks' death was a homicide was publicized in April 2021, and officials promised to finally bring the case to a conclusion. However, the family never stopped their search for answers. Hate groups can be hard to measure, because typically, theres no record of where they exist. Verify Any of the Boones? 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. [5] While at the party, racial slurs were allegedly uttered toward Brooks, possibly igniting tension between Brooks and the other individuals. Additionally, one commenter made a great point about the medical examiner who was interviewed for Unsolved Mysteries. He rode to the party with friends, but they left before him, leaving Brooks without a ride. The festivities were held at a home in a rural area outside La Cygne, Linn County. Alonzos father and a family friend were the ones who spotted him. He claimed that Alonzo was having a good time whenever he left. As culture editor, I oversee KCURs coverage of race, culture, the arts, food and sports. 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. A month later, his body was found in a nearby creek. "[Brooks']death certainly was suspicious, and someone, likely multiple people, know(s) what happened that night in April 2004," McAllister states. With so much manpower involved, you'd think that it would have been a matter of hours or days before Brooks was discovered. His mother, Maria Ramirez, still remembers that she had told him to be safe, after all, he was her baby. Unfortunately, his ride home had to leave him and after that, he never made it back home to Gardner. What happened to my son? FBI Agent Leena Ramana has told NBC Datelinethat the agency has already reaped the benefits of the reward, as they've received multiple tips, and have many different leads to pursue. It was a private subscription school and was kept open until 1870, when the public school house was built. Josh Pratt is a documentary editor from Paola, Kansas, who has investigated Brooks death for years. Additionally, the FBI announced last month that they were offering a reward of up to $100,000 to anyone who has information about his death. WebThe FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office's District of Kansas are on the case, investigating the death as a possibly racially-motivated crime. 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. And then it was all taken away from him.. Unfortunately, for one reason or another, Brooks never made it back to Gardner, and didn't call home to let his mother know what was keeping him something that was extremely unlike him. "My God, it was awful," Brooks Sr. said. Thanks. After the official autopsy performed in 2004 didnt determine a cause of death, Brooks case went nowhere. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males. After less than an hour of searching, they found Alonzos body tangled in a brush pile in the creekbed of Middle Creek near the farmhouse. Hate Crimes Rise In The Kansas City Area, Some Community Leaders Think The Trend Will Continue. Article continues below. No good deli either. 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. We all heard the whispers about how the kids killed him for showing up mouthy and black. It sure seemed that the investigation of the death of Alonzo Brooks was facing a brick wall. Donnie Abell? 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. Maria said she hopes a renewed investigation by the FBI and a recent reward offer of $100,000 will help bring their family closer to the truth. Or kill one race. What is the KKK? But by 2019, the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner and Michael Brown had sparked a new movement. According to NBC Dateline, the party in La Cygne was predominantly white, with only three Black men (counting Alonzo, whose mother is HispanicAmerican) in the crowd of 100 or so people. At least we had found him. La Cygne Tourism La Cygne Hotels La Cygne Vacation Rentals La Cygne Vacation Packages Flights to La As theU.S. Attorney's Officetells us, after Brooks had been missing for a month, his family and friends arranged their own search party. The grave was dug up at a Topeka cemetery Tuesday as the FBI investigates the cold case as a possible hate crime, KSNT reported. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.53 square miles (3.96km2), of which, 1.51 square miles (3.91km2) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05km2) is water. 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 What's more, even during the original investigation, there were several reports that Brooks might have been a victim of a racially motivated attack, either because he had drawn someone's ire by flirting with a girl at the party, or simply because of his race. "He is my baby and I can't protect him anymore, but I can do this," she says. We missed out on his whole life, Maria said. Through investigative work and exclusive interviews with Alonzos closest friends and relatives, law enforcement, and even potential persons of interest, Josh explores different angles of the mystery that he hopes could one day lead to justice for Alonzo. In fact, it appears that the streaming service's newfound fascination with his fate has also sparked law enforcement's determination to finally solve it. It is past time for the truth to come out. But, thats not what happened. Alonzo Brooks was killed. His body was found in a creek a month after. His family called authorities in Linn County, Kansas and the Linn County Sheriffs Department launched a search. Andrea Cavallier is a Digital Producer for Dateline NBC. He was our surprise baby, Maria told Dateline. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. What no one has figured out is how Brooks ended up in the creek in the first place. Please check it out! Still, according to his friends, the usually reserved Brooks was having a time of his life, playing games and happily talking with people. We measured the places in the Sunflower State where there have historically been the most Klaverns per capita. La Cygne. We all watch the news with horror when we hear about a hate crime that happens not that far away from us. And someone -- or several people -- know what happened to him. I had to protect him. 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. This subreddit is about unsolved mysteries. Then the original poster posts a screenshot from the womans Facebook. The official multi-agency search combed through the party location and nearby areas, but none of the authorities could find a single thing. La Cygne (pronounced /le sin/ lay SEEN) is a city in Linn County, Kansas, United States,[1] and situated along the Marais des Cygnes River. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. "It is past time for the truth to come out. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.7% of the population. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 1,050. When Alonzo didnt make it home by the next day, his family knew something was wrong. The population density was 800.4 inhabitants per square mile (309.0/km2). [3] The city is named after the Marais des Cygnes River which is a French translation of an Osage appellation meaning "marsh of the swans".[4]. "I can find out what happened. A flour mill was built in 1870; a bank was started in 1871; the La Cygne organ factory was another early commercial enterprise, but it did not flourish. A Facebook page Justice for Alonzo Brooks was created to discuss the case and help spread awareness. As NBC Datelinetells us, Alonzo Brooks was the youngest of the five children of Maria Ramirez and Billy Brooks Sr. After his parents divorced, he initially lived and worked in Topeka, Kansas with his father, but he moved in his early 20s to stay with his mother in Gardner, Kansas. There is one particularly big mystery about the death of Alonzo Brooks. The official autopsy at the time didnt determine a cause of death and the case went cold. He never made it home. These were stored in some wooden vaults in the attic and when they were take out, they were displayed in a similar fashion to the photo. He was targeted because of the color of his skin., McAllister said that at the time, interviews with people who attended the party, yielded no confession and shed no light on where Alonzo might be.. Ill go outside and little things, you know it just could be the wind, and I think thats him messing my hair, Ramirez said. With the 17-year-old investigation seemingly about to kick in high gear once more, there's new hope that Brooks' family and friends will finally get closure and that the person or people responsible for his death will finally be brought to justice. 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. I want to post the picture but the twitter thread isnt mine. The FBI said some evidence suggests that Brooks death could have been racially motivated. As of the census[9] of 2010, there were 1,149 people, 454 households, and 303 families residing in the city. McAllister appears to take his mission quite seriously, and also seems to have a flair for the dramatic. Donnie Abel is a name that has been brought up in several comments. After the case was reopened, the FBI offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to a conviction. The result is the following list of the most racist cities in the Sunflower State: Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers. 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. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. While at the party, racial slurs were allegedly uttered Flights. As NBC Dateline tells us, the party was quite a large one. WebSince the incident, internet users and natives of Gardner and La Cygne have not only theorized about what happened to Brooks, but have emailed tips and reports to crime [8] Consequently, the pathologist could not determine a cause of death. 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. The authorities later determined that there had been roughly 100 attendees, between ages 16 and 25. But when they found Alonzos body, the skies cleared and the sun came out. Brooks' parents spoke at the Thursday press conference and said they just want answers. IF With the recent announcement of a $100,000 reward, FBI Agent Leena Ramana told Dateline they have been receiving several tips and are continuing to follow multiple leads in the case. In the days after Brooks vanished, authorities from Linn County, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation became involved. Alonzo Brooks, 23, attended a party at a house in a rural area outside of La Cygne, Kansas, on the night of April 3, 2004. Apparently this medical examiner has been in hot water for misconduct in the past (check out this article from '93: https://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/20/nyregion/syracuse-medical-examiner-agrees-to-quit-after-inquiry.html). For all the interviewing of the kids, it may be that you had an actual killer at the end of the night, with not many people around, he said, and so we've got a code of silence among a very small group, that has not been broken all these years.". One of the screenshots a woman is talking about how its not right to drag the Boones name through the ground and then goes on to say they arent racists in that town. Im from Paola but stayed in La Cygne every summer. Find directions to 66040, browse local businesses, landmarks, get current traffic estimates, road conditions, and more. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.00. Looks like we found a lot of the same information!! With the $100,000 reward that the FBI announced in June 2020, the authorities certainly seem to be doing their best to loosen people's lips. The cities below are the places where there were Klans back in the day, and where the number of Klans per the current population is high. Alonzos family deserves to know the truth, and it is time for justice to be served.. Nothing can describe that pain." The FBI is offering a $100,000 reward for information about a 16-year-old cold case. [12] On November 16, 2020, Unsolved Mysteries stated the FBI had learned of a second party in La Cygne the night Alonzo Brooks disappeared. Wind farms are transforming the Kansas landscape. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said he and the FBI reopened the investigation of Alonzo Brooks last year after finding new leads. AsNBC Dateline notes, the party at the La Cygne house was quite a large one, with 100 or so people milling about the premises. However, they have yet to air.Just wanted to include on this thread the people implicated by the commenters on the Cold Case Kansas blog for those who are interested. 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. 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). There were reports of racist comments and rumors that some resented Brooks presence there, according to McAllister. Law enforcement searched the area on the ground and from the air, but no body was found. 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. Mitchells qualifications and testimony have more recently come under question, the FBI offered a $100,000 reward for information. That said, I am positive I'm forgetting to include something here. KCUR serves the Kansas City region with breaking news and powerful storytelling. Where have all the candidates gone? About a month later, on May 1, 2004, Alonzos family organized their own search of the property and surrounding area. New to the District. The wildlife area is located 7.2 miles from U.S. 69. It is past time for the truth to come out. They didnt just target one race. WebZip Code 66040 Map. Theres endless ones of them.. The median age in the city was 37 years. The spring of 2021 brought a big change to the status of the Alonzo Brooks case. La Cygne was incorporated on January 14, 1870, and a board of trustees was appointed. Did you know Logan Smith? Anyway, I just wanted to make a more extensive post regarding the Alonzo Brooks case, and would be interested in any more information anyone has compiled. But there is data on where there were distinct Klaverns of the Ku Klux Klan in each state. People tend to believe there arent places out there like this still. The body of Alonzo Brooks, the Black man whose death was featured by Unsolved Mysteries on Netflix, has been exhumed in Kansas, media outlets report. Its a significant amount of money, Billy Brooks said. Discovery Company. His case was recently reopened by the @FBI who are offering a $100K reward for tips leading to an arrest. There hasnt been a day that goes by that I dont work on Alonzos case or think of him, Josh said. White silence. 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. It is reached by traveling east across the dam and then north at the first intersection past the U.S. Attorney McAllister said there were numerous reports of multiple fights breaking out and reports of racist comments being made. Meaning, the number of racist members of the community has historically been the highest, according to the math. It wasnt how we wanted to find him, but at least we did.. Anyone with information about the death of Alonzo Brooks is encouraged to call the FBIs Kansas City office at (816) 512-8200, the Tips Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. 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. 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. It's got twists and turns, it's got possible race relations, it's got young drunkenness, bravado. His body was transported to Dover Air Force Base for examination by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner after it was exhumed, according to the news release from the Federal Bureau of Investigations Kansas City Division. is rumored to be involved. But shes also just glad the case is still getting attention, and that people are keeping her sons memory alive. Alonzos mother told Dateline she believes her son was targeted for his race. He was targeted because of the color of his skin.". 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. [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. [4], On April 3, 2004, Brooks traveled with three friends to a party in La Cygne, approximately 50 miles (80km) south of Gardner. She said he didnt go out much and preferred to stay home and spend time with his family. Alonzo's friends believed that there was racism in the town. The racial makeup of the city was 96.68% White, 1.43% Native American, 0.27% Black or African American, 0.27% Asian, 0.27% from other races, and 1.08% from two or more races. All Rights Reserved. I was always trying to protect him.. I never met Alonzo, but being from the same area and about the same age, I felt some sort of connection to him, Josh told Dateline. Go read the comments for yourself-- what conclusions do you reach? The U.S. Department of Justice and FBI have recently said they got a credible tip in the investigation of Brooks death, WIBW reported. WebOn April 3, 2004, Brooks traveled with three friends to a party in La Cygne, approximately 50 miles (80 km) south of Gardner. Image 5. God that makes my skin crawl And people have the audacity to question why black people are cautious in all white areas and say were being too judgmental. It was a commodious two-story brick building containing the graded and high schools. 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. It offers public water, sewer, and natural gas services to its residents and businesses. Chasing Chains, LLC. All those White friends didnt know about the racist town an hour away, or any of their parents or friends didnt warn them. Since Brookswas of Mexican and Black descent and the area he'ddisappeared in was predominantly white, even the FBI got involved, as they were suspecting a possible hate crime. The body of AlonzoBrooks was ultimately discovered in the most tragic way possible. He went missing for nearly a month despite search efforts by the sheriffs office and other law enforcement. 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. We knew that Alonzo Brooks died under very suspicious circumstances, said Acting U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard in a news release. In a statement by theU.S. Attorney's Office,McAllister goes even further, and makes clear that he doesn't believe for a second that Brooks died unseen and unheard. 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. Here's an effort to tone down their lights, A Kansas City group is paying off traffic fines to help drivers get their licenses back, Kansas City jazz and tap legend Ronald McFadden, half of the McFadden Brothers, dies at 66, Feds Offer $100,000 Reward In Kansas Cold Case That May Have Been Racially Motivated, Activists say Kansas City is in 'a moment of crisis' after racist incidents at local schools. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. I think many people know. The number of active members of the KKK is much smaller these days. KwiKom offers service in-town and the surrounding rural areas, with the fastest available Fixed Wireless Internet. I grew up in Overland Park, but my Grandma lived in La Cygne and I visited her every Sunday growing up. Or kill one race. Search . 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. Zip code 66040 is located mostly in Linn County, KS. Image 1 (current) Image 2. Acting U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard stated that while the FBI knew that Brooks died under very suspicious circumstances, the autopsy ultimately proved that his death was not an accident. As KSHB Kansas City tells us, Netflix'sUnsolved Mysteriesbrought plenty of new interest in the case, and a new autopsy was conducted on his exhumed remains. I can definitely see this as them protecting their own. The FBI added that his death was being investigated as a potential racially-motivated Unfortunately, this wasn't quite the case. All the extra attention has taken a toll on Brooks family, which is still reeling from the loss. Homicide La Cygne, Kansas April 3, 2004. For every 100 females, there were 89.0 males. They talk about the freezer and the sheriff and more. 28.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.5% were from 25 to 44; 24.3% were from 45 to 64; and 17.1% were 65 years of age or older. [1], Alonzo Tyree Brooks was born on May 19, 1980, to Billy Brooks Sr. and Maria Ramirez. Do you live in one of the most racist cities in Kansas? "But any piece of information is significant and could be the missing puzzle piece we need to solve this case." In the fall of that year the town had grown so that it had inhabitants enough to organize as a city of the third class, and F. A. Foote was elected the first mayor. WebKnow what's coming with AccuWeather's extended daily forecasts for La Cygne, KS. It is unfortunate that Alonzo's family (his mom) tossed "under the bus" by law enforcement because they are of color and poor. Cox and Ramirez both think race played a part in his killing; the 23-year-old was Latino and African American, and one of the few people of color at the party. Im Mexican and his father is Black, Ramirez told NBC Dateline in June. See all photos. Menu . Whenever possible, actual redditors have participated in investigating the events. 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. Previous Image . That, friends, is what the authorities would really, really like to know. As of the 2020 census, the (SMH!) U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister finds this highly suspicious, and makes no bones about his opinion on the matter. But he was my baby. RoadSnacks is reader-supported. I know he was 23, but he was my baby, Maria said. In that initial investigation, McAllister said, There was a lot of activity, all kinds of interview reports, but no strong coordination.. The median income for a household in the city was $34,479, and the median income for a family was $44,118. Virginia Commonwealth University that mapped the Klans, These Are The 10 Most Stressed Out Places In Kansas, These Are The 10 Most Affordable Places In Kansas, These Are The 10 Best Places To Retire In Kansas, These Are The 10 Most Miserable Cities In Kansas. He was also a bit of a homebody who didn't leave the house too much, preferring to spend time with his family instead. It wasnt until a month later, after a group of his family and friends organized their own search, that his body was found on top of a pile of brush and branches in the creek, according to the FBI. 13731 KS Hwy 152, La Cygne, KS 66040 Phone: 913-757-4447 Fax: 913-757-4443 Josh and his team have been working on a documentary and accompanying podcast based on Alonzos case. We are investigating whether Alonzo was murdered, US Attorney Stephen McAllister said in a news release at the time.