KBI releases further information on Augusta murder case after arrest of teenagers

WICHITA, Kansas (KWCH) – The Kansas Bureau has released more details in the case surrounding the death of a 93-year-old Augusta woman last year and the arrest of two 14-year-old girls accused of first-degree murder.

The KBI said it would not release the names of the girls arrested in the case because they are minors. A statement from KBI Communications Director Melissa Underwood said the Augusta girls were believed to be 13 years old in early September 2023 when police found Joanne Johnson dead in her Augusta home.

“We have not established any relationship between the female accused and Joanne Johnson,” Underwood said. “We do not believe any public tips or information contributed to the resolution of the case.”

In May, eight months after Johnson’s death, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and the 93-year-old’s family said offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case. Governor Kelly issued an executive order offering a $5,000 reward to anyone who provides information leading to an arrest and conviction in the Johnson case. Johnson's family offered to double the reward for information, bringing the total reward to $10,000.

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