Midwest
Kansas City Chiefs fans' deaths: Jordan Willis ‘depressed’ over ‘wild speculations’ about pals, source says
EXCLUSIVE — Jordan Willis, the Kansas City Chiefs fan whose three friends were found dead in his backyard earlier this month, is “devastated” by the loss of his pals and “very depressed” as people speculate about the case, according to a source close to his family.
“Not only is the whole country accusing him of murdering his friends without factual details, evidence or any charges at this time, but he also lost three close friends,” the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Fox Nation in an exclusive interview Saturday.
“He didn’t get to say goodbye or go to their funerals due to the circumstances of these wild speculations and accusations.
“No one seems to be willing to wait for the results of the toxicology report or wait for any other facts from the police department from a case that is still under investigation to make these speculations.”
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS FANS’ DEATHS: DRUGS, FREEZING WEATHER COULD HAVE CREATED LETHAL CONDITIONS, EXPERTS SAY
Family and friends of Clayton McGeeney, left, David Harrington, center, and Ricky Johnson, right, are clamoring for answers after the three men inexplicably died in freezing temperatures outside their friend’s Kansas City home. (Facebook)
The bodies of Ricky Johnson, 38, Clayton McGeeney, 36, and David Harrington, 37, were recovered outside Willis’ Kansas City home the evening of Jan. 9. They were last seen alive inside the home at a watch party for the Chiefs game against the Los Angeles Chargers Jan. 7.
The source said Willis’ family learned three people died on his property when local news media contacted them. Initially, they said, the family didn’t know if Willis was among the fatalities.
The source also disputed claims that Willis told people his friends froze to death in his yard after police arrived at his home.
“What was missing from that story was context. He never once said that his friends froze to death to anyone,” the source said.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS FANS FOUND DEAD IN FRIEND’S BACKYARD: WHAT TO KNOW
The fiancée of one of the men, who had reportedly made attempts to reach Willis via phone and at his door, broke in through the back of the property and called police when she found the body of one of the victims.
Willis’ attorney, John Picerno, has said his client was asleep for “a lot of” the time period between allegedly escorting his friends out of his home and answering the door for Kansas City Police after his friends’ bodies were found behind his house around 8:51 p.m. Jan. 9.
The backyard and porch of Jordan Willis’ home in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. The bodies of Willis’ three friends — Ricky Johnson, Clayton McGeeney and David Harrington — were found in Willis’ backyard Jan. 9, 2024, two days after they watched a Kansas City Chiefs game at the house. (DWS for Fox News Digital)
Picerno amended earlier claims that Willis only received one Facebook message in that period in an interview with Chris Cuomo earlier this week, saying his client had a phone app that blocked unrecognized numbers. Willis had several incoming – but no outgoing – text messages from concerned friends and family members, Picerno said, and he had not seen them.
Willis had no idea his friends were still on his property and needed help, his attorney said.
The Kansas City Police Department has told Fox News Digital no foul play is suspected, and “this case is 100% not being investigated as a homicide.”
PARENTS OF KANSAS CITY CHIEFS FAN FOUND DEAD THINK VICTIMS ‘SAW SOMETHING THEY SHOULDN’T HAVE SEEN’
Johnson and Harrington’s family members have accused Willis of playing an active role in the deaths, citing discrepancies in his attorney’s claims and his career as a scientist with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative’s Neutralizing Antibody Center, Schief Lab.
“The mad scientist agenda is absolutely ridiculous,” the source close to the Willis family said. “The fact that he is a scientist is irrelevant.
David Harrington, far left; Clayton McGeeney, second from right; and Ricky Johnson, right, were found dead in their friend’s backyard two days after they had gathered to watch a Kansas City Chiefs playoff game. (Ricky Johnson on Facebook)
“What’s probably important to note and maybe a reason why these families are saying they don’t know Jordan: Jordan went to high school with several of these guys. After college, he spent probably close to 10 years in Nashville and San Diego doing his graduate and post-doctorate work,” the source said. “He moved back to KC four or five years ago and, at some point, reconnected with his high school friends.”
5TH MAN CONTRADICTS KANSAS CITY CHIEFS FANS’ PAL ABOUT MEN’S DEATHS
His three deceased friends were at his house “a lot,” the source said, and the four were planning to go to the Chiefs game Jan. 13 with tickets Willis had bought, which “wasn’t the first game he’d taken them all to this season.”
The source also addressed questions from the victim’s families about how Willis could have stayed in his house for two days without letting his dogs outside and without those dogs finding his friend’s bodies.
DAD OF KANSAS CITY CHIEFS FAN WHOSE FRIENDS DIED OUTSIDE HOME SAYS SON ‘DIDN’T DO ANYTHING WRONG’: REPORT
Willis has one dog and his father owns another dog, and it was typical for the dogs to spend the majority of the time at Willis’ father’s home, according to the source, who said his father is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Willis’ dog is “somewhat of a therapy dog” for his father, the source said.
The source confirmed that Willis had moved out of his home on Northwest 83rd Terrace in Kansas City, which he had moved into about six months earlier to live closer to his father and help with his care.
But that move out of Northwest 83rd Terrace took place after detectives completed their search of the home, the source said, and should not be interpreted as “alarming or suspicious.”
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“His house was all over the news,” the source said. “Multiple people driving by every day. People are threatening him on the internet, and everyone knows where this house is thanks to the news coverage. After the police cleared the house, and this story became public, Jordan moved out as his privacy and safety were at risk. He’s … still cooperating with police.”
The source characterized Willis as a “good guy” who “loves his friends.”
“The vitriol is awful, and I think people are afraid to speak up for him because of how vicious people are with these speculations,” the source said.
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Michigan
Severe weather map, livestream shows Michigan areas ravaged by floods
For much of April, showers and melting snow has swamped Michigan, flooding homes, businesses, cottages, roadways; threatening and destroying infrastructure, including dams, and forcing what is likely hundreds of Michiganders to evacuate.
The unusual weather put the entire state under a flood watch.
It’s not over.
To help, the state’s Emergency Operations Center — which was activated on April 10, along with the governor’s state of emergency declaration — created a digital map identifying shelters and damaged areas.
There also is a livestream of the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex.
As of Monday morning, the water level at the dam had dropped slightly, and was less than 8 inches below the top, which is still a threat to both the community in the event of a spillover — or structural failure.
The map, which the emergency center is calling a dashboard, shows warming and cooling centers and where people can get food. It tracks where the tornadoes touched down, and the roadways that are under water, were eroded away and are completely washed out.
The emergency center also is providing more information on its website on how to ask for help, what state and federal assistance might be available, and how to get emergency email alerts from the State Police.
Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com
Minnesota
I-94 rest area in Minnesota closed until Independence Day for $2.9M improvement project
A rest area along Interstate 94 in Minnesota has been closed to trucks until about Independence Day to accommodate an almost $3 million improvement project.
The eastbound I-94 Enfield rest area between St. Cloud, Minnesota and the Twin Cities between Wright County Road 8 and Highway 25 is now closed to cars and commercial vehicles as crews resurface the entrance and exit ramps, and update nearby sidewalks.
According to KNSI, the full closure is just the first phase of the project. The rest area will reopen to passenger vehicles only the week of May 11th. During that time, the truck parking area will remain closed as crews repave the lot.
The truck parking lot will reopen the week of June 30th, right around Independence Day. During that time, the passenger vehicle area will be shut down to allow for the resurfacing of the lot. The Minnesota DOT expects the rest area to be fully open by late July. The entire project is expected to cost $2.9 million.
Drivers heading east on I-94 are encouraged to use the Big Spunk Lake rest area near Avon, or to drive a little farther out to the Elm Creek rest area.
Missouri
NFL Draft: Saints host Missouri OL Keagen Trost for private workout
Reinforcing the offensive line has been a priority for the New Orleans Saints, who opened free agency by signing former Buffalo Bills left guard David Edwards to a four-year, $61 million contract. Even though the franchise has allocated plenty of resources to its offensive line, the free agency addition won’t stop them from seeking more offensive line talent.
The franchise is focused on protecting second-year quarterback Tyler Shough. If a starting offensive lineman is injured, someone must step up. Currently, Asim Richards is the only reliable backup for left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. or right tackle Taliese Fuaga. On the interior, Dillon Radunz would make sense as a reliable replacement if someone were to go down between Edwards, center Erik McCoy, and right guard Cesar Ruiz.
Drafting a promising offensive lineman in 2026 makes sense, as the Saints hold five Day 3 picks. It’s unlikely general manager Mickey Loomis will spend early draft capital on a tackle, but a late pick is logical. Missouri’s Keagen Trost, projected for Day 3, could fit this need.
Trost, 25, recently worked out privately with the Saints, a source told Saints Wire. The Missouri standout earned a 92.4 Pro Football Focus grade in 13 games last season, ranking No. 1 among 632 eligible collegiate tackles. He also allowed just one sack in 834 total snaps.
Trost’s high grades project him in the fifth round, and he offers versatility, including potential to move inside. At his pro day, he measured 6-foot-4 and 313 pounds. The main issue is his 32 3/8-inch arms, which are shorter than teams prefer for starting tackles. He has extensive SEC experience and strong college production to back it up.
Picks No. 150 and 172 in the fifth round are logical choices for New Orleans to consider selecting Trost. Multiple teams have shown interest in him; he had five pre-draft visits and recently held virtual meetings with the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals, and Atlanta Falcons, according to a source. While there are many highly regarded offensive linemen in this class, Trost’s versatility appears to set him apart from the others.
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