Close Menu
Douglas NowDouglas Now
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Community
  • Opinion
  • Obituaries
  • At Home with Pam
  • Contact
What's Hot

Crash on Bud Hutcheson Road involving juveniles seriously injures one, victim transported to trauma center via Air Evac

May 31, 2025

CRMC invites you to discover the latest in robotic joint replacement at Discussions with the Doc

May 30, 2025

30-year-old arrested on felony warrant during traffic stop

May 30, 2025
Facebook Instagram YouTube TikTok
Trending
  • Crash on Bud Hutcheson Road involving juveniles seriously injures one, victim transported to trauma center via Air Evac
  • CRMC invites you to discover the latest in robotic joint replacement at Discussions with the Doc
  • 30-year-old arrested on felony warrant during traffic stop
  • Patriots complete the hat trick, win third state title of the year after defeating Vidalia Heritage Academy 8-0 in Columbus
  • Patriots one step closer to state title after defeating Eagles 13-0 in five innings
Facebook YouTube Instagram TikTok Pinterest
Douglas NowDouglas Now
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Community
  • Opinion
  • Obituaries
  • At Home with Pam
  • Contact
Facebook YouTube Instagram TikTok
Douglas NowDouglas Now
Home»News»Dedrick Johnson gets 20 years for concealing deaths of Kristian Bell, Steven Ward
News

Dedrick Johnson gets 20 years for concealing deaths of Kristian Bell, Steven Ward

Robert PrestonBy Robert PrestonDecember 13, 201965 Views
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Copy Link
Follow Us
Facebook YouTube Instagram TikTok
Photo courtesy of Coffee County Ga. Police Scanner
Dedrick Johnson
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email Copy Link

Wednesday afternoon, a Coffee County jury convicted Dedrick Allen Johnson of Nicholls of two counts of concealing a death in connection with the February 2019 murders of Kristian Bell, 25, and Steven James Ward, 35. The bodies of Bell and Ward were found buried in a makeshift grave on property off Deep Woods Road just outside of Nicholls on Feb. 9, 2019, during an investigation into Bell’s disappearance. Both had suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

 

Friday morning, Superior Court Judge Andy Spivey sentenced Johnson to 10 years on each count, which will be served consecutively. Johnson was 29 at the time of the murders.

 

Christopher Lane Jones, 21 at the time of the murders, was arrested on Feb. 15, 2019, in San Diego County, California, by U.S. Marshals. He faces murder charges in the deaths of Bell and Ward. Joseph Burch of Waycross has also been charged with two counts of concealing a death.


During trial, Johnson admitted to helping bury the bodies of Bell and Ward. However, he stated that he did so because he was afraid of Jones and had been coerced into assisting him. Evidence showed that was not the case. Johnson remained quiet for some time after the deaths and he lied to law enforcement officers at least three times during the investigation into the disappearances of Bell and Ward. He also let Jones stay in his home after the murders, eventually kicking him out. That’s when Jones left Coffee County for California.

 

After delivering the verdict, Judge Spivey approached the families of Bell and Ward. He offered them his condolences – something judges seldom do. In 2020, the Waycross Judicial Circuit judges will rotate, meaning Judge Spivey will not preside over the trials of either Burch or Jones.

concealing a death Dedrick Johnson Joseph Burch Kristian Bell murder Nicholls, Georgia Steven Ward US Marshals
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Email Copy Link
Douglas Now Profile Pic
Robert Preston

Related Posts

Crash on Bud Hutcheson Road involving juveniles seriously injures one, victim transported to trauma center via Air Evac

May 31, 2025

CRMC invites you to discover the latest in robotic joint replacement at Discussions with the Doc

May 30, 2025

30-year-old arrested on felony warrant during traffic stop

May 30, 2025

Comments are closed.

Coffee Break on 106.3 The Tree!
Coffee Break Podcasts from 106.3 The Tree!
  • First Baptist Church Mission Trip
    Source: Coffee Break Published on 2024-06-21
  • Will Moseley comes home, what happens if the State Court Judge and Sheriff are married?
    Source: Coffee Break Published on 2024-05-15
  • Sheriff Candidates Debate
    Source: Coffee Break Published on 2024-04-25
  • Robert... Superstitious!? There's no way.
    Source: Coffee Break Published on 2024-04-18
  • Mid-week Edition of Coffee Break
    Source: Coffee Break Published on 2024-04-17
Top Posts

Convicted child molester allegedly gets drunk, lends truck to girlfriend, forgets and reports it stolen, then gets arrested for failure to register

February 19, 202571,348 Views

18 bodies in various states of decomposition found at funeral home during eviction process

October 27, 202464,861 Views

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

November 11, 202444,581 Views

Three dozen defendants indicted in major South Georgia drug trafficking conspiracy

January 30, 202536,597 Views
RSS Latest Headlines from Fox News
  • Bridge explosions in Russia near Ukraine border escalate tensions ahead of peace talks
  • American Culture Quiz: Test yourself on legendary landmarks and fruitful facts
  • Musk’s departure marks new chapter for government efficiency in border security
  • Elon built the DOGE rocket and it’s going to keep flying
  • DAN GAINOR: May's 7 craziest stories
Follow us on Social Media!
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • TikTok
  • Pinterest
Facebook Instagram YouTube TikTok Pinterest
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Community
  • Opinion
  • Obituaries
  • At Home with Pam
  • Contact
© 2025 DouglasNow. All Rights Reserved.

Newell Media

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.