In a tragic turn of events, 22-year-old Lauren Johansen was found dead and “mutilated” in her car at a Mississippi cemetery just days after her ex-boyfriend, Bricen Rivers, was released from jail in Nashville, Tennessee, without an ankle monitor.
Despite her family’s vehement objections in court, Rivers, 23, was granted bond and subsequently targeted Johansen, according to authorities.
Lauren’s father, Lance Johansen, recounted the devastating series of events in an emotional interview with local ABC and CBS affiliate WLOX.
Lance, an orthopedic surgeon, revealed that the family had pleaded with Nashville Judge Cheryl Blackburn not to release Rivers, who was facing charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated stalking, and coercion of a witness from December 2023.
Lance asserted that he was certain Rivers would kill Lauren if released.
Judge Blackburn, whose competency has been questioned by local defense lawyers, reduced Rivers’ bond from $250,000 to $150,000. Despite objections from prosecutors, Rivers was released a few days before Lauren’s death. He reportedly ignored conditions to stay in Davidson County and to wear an ankle monitor.
A message from the Davidson County District Attorney’s Office on July 1 informed Lance that Rivers had been released and had not complied with the GPS monitoring requirement.
Lance immediately tried to contact Lauren but received a response that didn’t seem like her. By July 2, Lauren’s location-sharing app stopped tracking her movements, prompting Lance to report her missing to Hattiesburg police.
Security footage from Lauren’s home showed that the front door was open, the security camera was disabled, and Lauren and her car were missing.
OnStar helped locate her car in a Harrison County cemetery on Wednesday afternoon. Inside, Lauren’s body was found wrapped in sheets and trash bags, brutally beaten beyond recognition.
Lance described the horrific scene to WLOX:
“Her face was smashed in, her head was smashed in, she was brutally beaten to the point she couldn’t see out of either eye when she finally died and there were multiple holes in her head. I helped the coroner lift her body out of the car. It was just mutilated.”
Rivers was arrested several hours later after fleeing into the woods when police arrived at the cemetery. He was booked with a $1,000,000 bond shortly after midnight on July 4.
Lauren’s tragic death underscores the severe consequences of judicial decisions and the need for stringent measures in cases involving violent offenders.
Her family’s heartbreak and the community’s outcry reflect a profound need for reform in handling such sensitive and potentially dangerous situations.
