It's rumored that they helped perpetrate the murder because one of their female relatives had some interaction with Alonzo at the party. Things snowballed from there, and before you knew, the Department of Justice decided to team up with the FBI to reopen the case. Brooks mother, Maria Ramirez, believes her son was targeted for his race. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. La Cygne Tourism La Cygne Hotels La Cygne Vacation Rentals La Cygne Vacation Packages Flights to La 33 miles direct in the northwest direction and about 50 miles via road following the US-69 N Route. When I saw the photo of the woman posing with the nazi flag, to me it was that it was her husband or one of her brothers that captured it, given what I knew from interviewing the two vets mentioned. Go read the comments for yourself-- what conclusions do you reach? 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. Even more strangely, the document indicates that some anonymous whispers on the internet have alleged that the body was frozen for a while before it was moved, which would have destroyed some of the potential evidence on it. When the water receded, his body was revealed. 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. It's got twists and turns, it's got possible race relations, it's got young drunkenness, bravado. 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. 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. Verify We use data, analytics, and a sense of humor to determine the dirt on places across the country. He was just another guy like me trying to find his direction in life. 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. "To find my boy like that. His boots and hat were found nearby, but his body was not found until nearly a month later when his family searched the area and found him in a nearby creek. WebLa Cygne Tourism: Tripadvisor has 20 reviews of La Cygne Hotels, Attractions, and Restaurants making it your best La Cygne resource. is rumored to be involved. In 2004, Brooks, a Black man, went missing after attending a party. "Alonzo Brooks was killed. 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. Swipe left for slideshow. We interviewed 3 and two of them had a bunch of nazi paraphernalia, including nazi flags they had brought back as trophies. He was targeted because of the color of his skin.". Someone took that away from us. Brooks was one of only three black people at the party in La Cygne. 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. Add a Place. WebAlonzo Brooks, 23, attended a party at a house in a rural area outside of La Cygne, Kansas, on the night of April 3, 2004. While Sprague was also enjoying the party, at one point he popped out to get some cigarettes and got lost. The authorities later determined that there had been roughly 100 attendees, between ages 16 and 25. And then it was all taken away from him.. I was surprised how the documentary never mentioned the old La Cygne motto : If your black dont let the sun hit your back. Although it hasnt been proved in any sense, they all think that Alonzo was a victim of a hate crime. I hope it pushes someone to do the right thing and come forward., Its time, Maria said. I'm not sure how old the girl who posted the photo of her great granny but during, and after the second world war, a bunch of US soldiers brought back a lot of nazi "memorabilia". Brooks was 23 years old at the time of his death. "He is my baby and I can't protect him anymore, but I can do this," she says. They called the Linn County Sheriffs Office and a search was launched by multiple agencies. I got this feeling that it's going to come out. La Cygne, KS SE of La Cygne Kansas Department of Wildlife,Parks and Tourism, Don George, Fisheries Biologist 913-795-2218 www.linncountyks.com Linn County Park 913-757-6633 Lake levels vary some but normally are at conservation pool. EVERYONE KNEW THIS MOTTO for several towns over, for years, long before this murder. 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). When you click through real estate links on our site, we earn an affiliate commission. 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. Because of the span of time between Brooks disappearance and the discovery of his body, an autopsy was unable to determine a cause of death. I had to protect him. The Presbyterian church was organized the same year but had no building for a year afterward. 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. Then his family searched for Brooks around the farmhouse and found his body in a creek within an hour, according to the FBI. It wasn't how we wanted to find him, but at least we did.". Nothing can describe that pain.. He claimed that Alonzo was having a good time whenever he left. 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. [3] At the time of his disappearance, he was 23 years old and working as a custodian for Countryside Maintenance in Gardner, Kansas. Brooks case got a second chance in 2019, though, when Stephen McAllister, then the U.S. District Attorney for the state of Kansas, decided to take another look. Pat Boone / Jerry Boone - these brothers' names pop up the most in the comments of the blog. FBI Special Agent in Charge Timothy Langan said he hopes the reward money will encourage more witnesses to come forward. In 2004, when Brooks was killed, Pratt explained, the country wasnt thinking as much about the criminal justice system or racial discrimination. Alonzos mother, Maria, told Dateline she remembers the evening of April 3, 2004 being a chilly one. 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. There were 517 housing units at an average density of 342.4 per square mile (132.2/km2). Its been 16 years, but we hope that with this passage of time, someone who has information will come forward, Ramana said. Image 1 (current) Image 2. Its a significant amount of money, Billy Brooks said. Published "Someone knows something, and we are hopeful that with the passage of time and this significant reward this renewed effort will produce results, and provide closure for the Brooks family," Langan states. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.72% of the population. About 5.0% of families and 9.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 23.4% of those age 65 or over. 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. 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. So showing my support for their work. The code of silence must be broken." [7], The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. His family even pointed out that when they visited the area they could feel eyes on them from every direction and did not feel safe, at all. 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. We wanted to get the facts straight and dug into the data in order to identify the most racist cities in Kansas. The festivities were held at a home in a rural area outside La Cygne, Linn County. 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. It offers public water, sewer, and natural gas services to its residents and businesses. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.08. Naturally, this was a monumental shock. FBI Special Agent in Charge Timothy I can get justice for him.". [9], Numerous theories have been offered as to how Brooks died. On 9/3/2016 at 12:02:44, a magnitude 5.8 The palpable fear from Zos childhood friend being at the scene says it all. IF He was also a bit of a homebody who didn't leave the house too much, preferring to spend time with his family instead. Even further, apparently members of the Boone family seem to have served on the city counsel or commission or something, and are still to this day prominent members of the community. Where have all the candidates gone? Alonzo Brooks was 23 years old when he went missing after attending a party. The gender makeup of the city was 47.3% male and 52.7% female. I definitely knew it was a racist town, but Ive never heard that motto either. Nothing can describe that pain." Whenever possible, actual redditors have participated in investigating the events. Though we still don't know for sure how Brooks died, these sorts of theories would certainly point toward foul play. Donnie Abel is a name that has been brought up in several comments. I just hope now they will have the courage and kindness in their heart to come forward.. "It defies reason to believe that Alonzo's death was a suicide or that he somehow accidentally tumbled into a relatively shallow creek, in Linn County, leaving behind his boots and hat, all with no witnesses whatsoever," he says. Have we learned the details of who knew about the party, how they got invited, etc bedsides one of us knew about a party some guy leaving for the service. wind speeds 207-260 mph) tornado 20.0 miles away from the La Cygne city center killed 3 people and injured 9 people and caused between $50,000 and $500,000 in damages.. On 2/28/2007, 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. Then the original poster posts a screenshot from the womans Facebook. Stay Connected . The population density was 800.4 inhabitants per square mile (309.0/km2). A month later, his body was found in a nearby creek. 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. There were 459 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. The case is full of unanswered questions and conundrums of the sort that can leave a grizzled old movie detective desperately staring at the complicated evidence wall he's compiled in his house after he retired. The code of silence must be broken. Prairie View USD 362 13799 KS Hwy 152 La Cygne, KS 66040 Phone: 913-757-2677 Fax: 913-757-4442. https://twitter.com/heerbadisadhain/status/1279140878531956736?s=19. I grew up in Overland Park, but my Grandma lived in La Cygne and I visited her every Sunday growing up. Looks like we found a lot of the same information!! There were reports of racist comments and rumors that some resented Brooks presence there, according to McAllister. An official website of the United States government. But in 2019, the Department of Justice and FBI reopened the investigation into his death. As theU.S.Attorney's Officenotes, the authorities had no cause of death to go by. Attendees left the party after a fight broke out, then headed to the farmhouse where Alonzo was last seen.[13]. According to her, the authorities fully realize that 16 years have passed, but feel that this might actually benefit the investigation. Here's hoping that she's correct. [1], Alonzo Tyree Brooks was born on May 19, 1980, to Billy Brooks Sr. and Maria Ramirez. Some of these kids, who are adults now, may have been scared to come forward before, or may not have known what they saw was important. In July 2020, the Bureau exhumed Brooks body, which was buried in Topekas Mt. No one I ever heard questioned whether this was a murder we questioned why he would go there in the first place. The population density was 760.9 inhabitants per square mile (293.8/km2). There hasnt been a day that goes by that I dont work on Alonzos case or think of him, Josh said. Can this mystery ever be solved? Rodney asked Justin why he left the party without taking Alonzo with him. (SMH!) Please check it out! But shes also just glad the case is still getting attention, and that people are keeping her sons memory alive. We missed out on his whole life, Maria said. Still, as U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister who is taking point in the Brooks case as of 2020, along withFBI Special Agent in Charge Timothy Langan toldNBC Dateline, these led to nothing. According to the Kppen Climate Classification system, La Cygne has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[8]. Black Lives Matter movement is gaining, (and) people are questioning ways that we've been acting in society.. Native American Runners Honor A Kansas City Murder Victim On Their Months-Long Journey To D.C. WebBuying land in La Cygne. As culture editor, I oversee KCURs coverage of race, culture, the arts, food and sports. The city is named after the Marais des Cygnes River, which is a basic French translation of an Osage appellation meaning marsh of the swans.. Brooks's body was exhumed in July 2020 and transported to Dover Air Force Base for an autopsy and further investigation by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner. The witnesses then have grown up, they've moved on whether that's moved on from the situation or just grown up in life, Ramana said. 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) The FBI has not released information about what it hopes to discover in the exhumation. While the details of the examination are being withheld for investigative purposes, the new autopsy focuses on injuries to Brooks body that the examiner concluded are inconsistent with normal patterns of decomposition, according to the release. Image 4. The FBI added that his death was being investigated as a potential racially-motivated crime. Billy said during their search that day, the skies had been overcast and threatened rain. "It was like my boy was telling me everything was OK now," Brooks Sr. described his memory of the situation. 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. 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