By Kathee Baird
The chief suspect in a crime that happened over 20 years ago has been
charged with first degree murder and forcible rape in Jackie Johns murder.
It is a case that has followed Gerald Carnahan literally around the world.
Prosecutors say that the now 49 year-old Carnahan raped and murdered
the 20 year-old part time waitress, and former homecoming queen late on June
17 or early June 18, 1985 . Johns' nude body was found four and a half days
later floating in Lake Springfield. Witnesses claim to have seen Carnahan
sitting in his truck behind a business where the young woman stopped and was
was last seen alive.
Carnahan admitted that he knew Johns, having once employed her. He
told lawmen that he was not responsible for the woman's death, and that he
had an alibi. He claimed to be at a bar with his step daughter when the
murder took place. His step daughter, Sara Collins, backed his story up.
Carnahan, was indicted in 1986 by a grand jury on tampering with
evidence charges, for allegedly lying to investigators who questioned him
about Johns murder. However, those charges were dismissed by a judge who
said, "lying does not constitute physical evidence of a crime."
Carnahan's step-daughter, was also indicted by the grand jury for
perjury, but was later found innocent by a judge.
In the years since Jackie Johns' murder, Carnahan has been in and out
of jail....and half way around the world. In 1993, he was convicted of the
attempted kidnapping of a teenager in Springfield and sentenced to two years
in prison. In July of the same year, cops were dispatched to his house to
investigate an alarm call. Carnahan, who had been drinking heavily met
responding officers with a shotgun. After a scuffle with lawmen, he kicked
one officer. He was charged with assault of a law enforcement officer and
handling a gun while drunk. He was sentenced to 15 months for that crime.
1993 is probably a year that Carnahan would like to forget, because in
September, he burglarized a competitor's business in Aurora and set it on
fire. After pleading guilty to that crime, he was sentenced to four years in
prison.
In September of 1997, Carnahan, was released from prison and went to
work in the family business. They deal in aluminum and plastics. Those
business ventures took the now paunchy middle aged man to China for eight to
nine months of the year.
In October of last year, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper, Sgt.
Daniel Nash, had "some time on his hands," and asked if he could look into
cold cases. The case he picked was the Jackie Johns case. Evidence that was
collected from Jackie's vehicle, and the vaginal swab taken from the woman's
body 22 years earlier had been preserved.
With new advances in testing available, the trooper took the preserved
evidence to the state crime lab in Jefferson City. The trooper received a
DNA profile from Jackie John's boyfriend at the time of her murder.....there
was no match. On August 8th, Sgt. Nash presented his case to a judge. There
was no DNA profile either in CODAS, OR AFIS, for Gerald Carnahan. The judge,
issued a warrant for a DNA profile on Gerald Carnahan.
On August 9th, authorities got the break the had long hoped for. There
was a DNA match at the state crime lab between Carnahan's DNA profile and
the vaginal swab that had so prudently been cared for by officers.
Because of Carnahan's overseas ventures and the man's business
connections, Greene County Prosecutor, Darrell Moore, has asked that he be
held with no bond. Of course, Carnahans lawyers, Dee Wampler, and Joe
Passanise have something too say about that. They have asked for a bond
hearing next Wednesday in a Greene County courtroom.
(Kathee Baird)
-------------------------------------------------
Timeline----DOB Gerald Carnahan 4/15/58
June 17, 1985 -- Jackie Johns' a part-time waitress at the Nixa Livestock
and Sale Barn Cafe.., and former Nixa Homecoming queen goes missing.
June 18, 1985 -- Johns' black Camaro is found on the shoulder of U.S. 160
between Nixa and Springfield. Investigators found a "large amount of blood,"
as well several pieces of woman's clothing (they include: a woman blouse,
blue jeans, panties and a bra that are "soaked in blood") in the back seat
of the vehicle. A car jack that has blood and strands of hair on it are
found in the trunk. Jackie's keys were still in the ignition.
June 22, 1985 -- After an intense 4 and a half day search by the community,
Jackie Johns' nude body was found by two fishermen in Lake Springfield. She
died of severe head injury to the right side of the head (blunt force
trauma,) she also had severe blows to the face. An anonymous caller states
that they saw Carnahan's very distinctive truck at the 7-Eleven in Nixa
at/or about the same time (10:30-11:00 p.m.) as Jackie Johns on June 17th.
June 24, 1985 -- Gerald Carnahan, who was 28 at the time, is questioned by
police about Jackie's murder. He admits that he knew Johns, (having employed
her at one time,) but insists that at the time of Jackie's murder, he was at
a bar with his stepdaughter, Sara Collins. Collins, backs his story up.
Carnahan admits to owning a pickup truck matching anonymous caller's
description.
June 29, 1985 -- Officers conduct an interview with a witness who reported
seeing Carnahan at 7-Eleven in Nixa on June 17th.
Jan. 18, 1986 -- Officers interview a witness who said he/or she saw
Carnahan's truck parked on the side of a road near the intersection of CC in
Nixa . The witness said that when he/or she asked Carnahan about what was
wrong with the vehicle, he denied being there. The witness said that over
the years Carnahan approached him/or her several times, saying "not to tell
authorities, or the grand jury that he/or she saw the truck."
1986 -- A grand jury indicts Carnahan on charges of tampering with physical
evidence. The charge alleges Carnahan lied to police during interviews. A
judge dismisses the case, saying "lying does not constitute physical
evidence."
Carnahan's step-daughter, Sara Collins, is indicted by the grand jury for
perjury.
1987---- Sara Collins is found innocent of perjury by a judge.
March 1993 -- Carnahan attempts to kidnap an 18-year-old woman from the side
of Ingram Mill Road in Springfield. He is convicted on that charge, and
sentenced to two years in prison for the crime.
July 1993 -- Police are dispatched to Gerald Carnahan's home in response to
an alarm. Carnahan is drunk, and brandishes a shotgun at responding
officers. During a struggle with authorities, he kicks an officer. He is
later sentenced to 15 months in prison for assaulting an officer, and using
a gun while drunk.
Sept. 17, 1993 -- Carnahan burglarizes and set's fire to Custom Aluminum
Foundry in Aurora. He later pleads guilty to the burglary, ($60,000 worth of
equipment was stolen) and arson and is sentenced to four years in prison.
Sept. 29, 1993 -- A witness steps forward who says Carnahan confessed to
killing Jackie Johns to him/or her, saying: "Yeah I know, I did it, but they
are so incompetent, they can't prove it."
Sept. 19, 1997 -- Carnahan is released from jail on the arson and burglary
charges.
Fall of 2006---------A Missouri Highway Patrol Trooper "with time on his
hands," asks to review cold cases and picks the Jackie Johns case. Evidence
that was collected from Jackie's vehicle, and the vaginal swab taken from
the woman's body 21 years ago had been preserved. With new advances in
testing available, the trooper takes the evidence to the state crime lab in
Jefferson City. The trooper received a DNA profile from Jackie John's
boyfriend at the time of her murder.....there is no match.
Aug. 8, 2007 --.The trooper, Sgt. Daniel Nash, presents his case to a judge.
There was no DNA profile either in CODAS, OR AFIS, for Gerald Carnahan. The
judge, issues a warrant for a DNA profile on Gerald Carnahan.
Aug. 9, 2007 -- Gerald Carnahan, 49, is arrested and charged with first
degree murder, and forcible rape for the killing of Jackie John's. If
convicted on the murder charge, Carnahan could receive the death penalty, or
life in prison.
If convicted of forcible rape, he could receive 10 to 30 years on that
charge. In the penal system, life in the state of Missouri is 30 years.
Timeline----DOB Gerald Carnahan 4/15/58
June 17, 1985 -- Jackie Johns' a part-time waitress at the Nixa Livestock
and Sale Barn Cafe`, and former Nixa Homecoming queen goes missing.
June 18, 1985 -- Johns' black Camaro is found on the shoulder of U.S. 160
between Nixa and Springfield. Investigators found a "large amount of
blood," as well several pieces of woman's clothing (they include: a woman
blouse, blue jeans, panties and a bra that are "soaked in blood") in the
back seat of the vehicle. A car jack that has blood and strands of hair on
it are found in the trunk. Jackie's keys were still in the ignition.
June 22, 1985 -- After an intense 4 and a half day search by the community,
Jackie Johns' nude body was found by two fishermen in Lake Springfield. She
died of severe head injury to the right side of the head (blunt force
trauma,) she also had severe blows to the face. An anonymous caller states
that they saw Carnahan's very distinctive truck at the 7-Eleven in Nixa
at/or about the same time (10:30-11:00 p.m.) as Jackie Johns on June 17th.
June 24, 1985 -- Gerald Carnahan, who was 28 at the time, is questioned by
police about Jackie's murder. He admits that he knew Johns, (having employed
her at one time,) but insists that at the time of Jackie's murder, he was at
a bar with his stepdaughter, Sara Collins. Collins, backs his story up.
Carnahan admits to owning a pickup truck matching anonymous caller's
description.
June 29, 1985 -- Officers conduct an interview with a witness who reported
seeing Carnahan at 7-Eleven in Nixa on June 17th.
Jan. 18, 1986 -- Officers interview a witness who said he/or she saw
Carnahan's truck parked on the side of a road near the intersection of CC in
Nixa . The witness said that when he/or she asked Carnahan about what was
wrong with the vehicle, he denied being there. The witness said that over
the years Carnahan approached him/or her several times, saying "not to tell
authorities, or the grand jury that he/or she saw the truck."
1986 -- A grand jury indicts Carnahan on charges of tampering with physical
evidence. The charge alleges Carnahan lied to police during interviews. A
judge dismisses the case, saying "lying does not constitute physical
evidence."
Carnahan's step-daughter, Sara Collins, is indicted by the grand jury for
perjury.
1987---- Sara Collins is found innocent of perjury by a judge.
March 1993 -- Carnahan attempts to kidnap an 18-year-old woman from the side
of Ingram Mill Road in Springfield. He is convicted on that charge, and
sentenced to two years in prison for the crime.
July 1993 -- Police are dispatched to Gerald Carnahan's home in response
to an alarm. Carnahan is drunk, and brandishes a shotgun at responding
officers. During a struggle with authorities, he kicks an officer. He is
later sentenced to 15 months in prison for assaulting an officer, and using
a gun while drunk.
Sept. 17, 1993 -- Carnahan burglarizes and set's fire to Custom Aluminum
Foundry in Aurora. He later pleads guilty to the burglary, ($60,000 worth of
equipment was stolen) and arson and is sentenced to four years in prison.
Sept. 29, 1993 -- A witness steps forward who says Carnahan confessed to
killing Jackie Johns to him/or her, saying: "Yeah I know, I did it, but they
are so incompetent, they can't prove it."
Sept. 19, 1997 -- Carnahan is released from jail on the arson and burglary
charges.
Fall of 2006---------A Missouri Highway Patrol Trooper "with time on his
hands," asks to review cold cases and picks the Jackie Johns case. Evidence
that was collected from Jackie's vehicle, and the vaginal swab taken from
the womans body 21 years ago had been preserved. With new advances in
testing available, the trooper takes the evidence to the state crime lab in
Jefferson City. The trooper received a DNA profile from Jackie John's
boyfriend at the time of her murder.....there is no match.
Aug. 8, 2007 --.The trooper, Sgt. Daniel Nash, presents his case to a judge.
There was no DNA profile either in CODAS, OR AFIS, for Gerald Carnahan. The
judge, issues a warrant for a DNA profile on Gerald Carnahan.
Aug. 9, 2007 -- Gerald Carnahan, 49, is arrested and charged with first
degree murder, and forcible rape for the killing of Jackie John's. If
convicted on the murder charge, Carnahan could receive the death penalty, or
life in prison.
If convicted of forcible rape, he could receive 10 to 30 years on that
charge. In the penal system, life in the state of Missouri is 30 years.
--
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