Les Jones

Johnia Berry > Berry Family Walk at GA Randy Nichols Office

Johnia Berry's family held a walk tonight to persuade Knoxville Attorney General Randy Nichols to request the TBI's help in investigating Johnia's murder.

I went to the walk tonight and got to meet Joan and Mike Berry, as well as frequent commenter Wolfpack Ledger. Attendance was much better than I would have expected. I counted more than 50 people.

Local TV stations WATE and WVLT were both there. Here's WATE's report. That report mentions Dan Frye, who was also there tonight. Johnia's brother Kelly Burke had told me Frye's story the first time we met to work on the Johniaberry.org Web site. Shortly after Johnia was killed, Frye contacted Kelly to let him know that there was someone else who knew what it was like to lose a family member to murder. Frye's father Windham M. Frye was killed in South Knoxville at the Corner Market and Deli. It took six years to bring his father's murderer to justice.

Johnia Berry was stabbed to death in her West Knoxville apartment in December, 2004. No arrests have been made in the case.

Knox County Sheriff Tim Hutchison has refused to cooperate with "America's Most Wanted." The TBI has told the Berry family they would like to help, but can't do anything unless the local attorney general requests the help. Hutchison doesn't want the TBI involved, and Nichols told the Berrys he doesn't want to upset the sheriff.

Hutchison is apparently telling reporters that the TBI is already involved in the Berry murder. That's misleading - the TBI is doing the DNA testing, which they apparently do in all cases in Tennessee, but they are not otherwise investigating the murder.