Mystery as three football fans found dead in backyard of friend’s home
Three men in their 30s were found outside the home of a friend who insists he had no idea they were dead until police knocked on his door.
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Three Kansas City Chiefs fans were found frozen to death in the backyard of their friend’s home, where they had gathered to watch a game — but the homeowner is insisting that he had “no knowledge” that their bodies had possibly been there for two days.
The bodies of David Harrington, 37, Ricky Johnson, 38, and Clayton McGeeney, 36, were found on the evening of January 9 after the fiancee of one of the men requested a welfare check, Kansas City police told Fox Digital.
One man’s body was found on the back porch of the home, while the other two were discovered in the backyard.
But the homeowner had “no knowledge” that his friends were freezing to death on his property after they had watched Kansas City take on the LA Chargers in the last game of NFL regular season play on January 7, police said.
“First and foremost, this case is 100 per cent not being investigated as a homicide,” Kansas City Police Capt. Jake Becchina said.
“There have not been any arrests [or] charges, and no one is in custody. There are no specific threats or concerns for the surrounding community at this time,” Becchina added.
“The resident at the house was cooperative with detectives the day the deceased were discovered.”
Kansas City Police did not immediately respond to a request from The Post about why the men may have declined to seek shelter, or if they were under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Temperatures on January 7 and 8 mostly stayed around 1C, before plummeting below zero on the afternoon of January 9, according to weather reports.
Family and friends of the victims took to social media to lambast the man who invited his friends to watch the game.
“This man was inside his home alive while my friends were dead in his yard for lord knows how long,” Kaylee La Tier wrote in a Facebook post earlier this month.
“They were all hanging out since after the game Sunday. He KNEW people were looking for them. He read messages of people searching for him on Tuesday.”
“My husband banged on his door for 20 [minutes],” La Tier continued. “My friend banged on his door and then busted a window and yelled and announced her presence while she’s inside and still nothing from him? Then the cops come 10 [minutes] later and he comes out nonchalant in his boxers with an empty wine glass in hand??! Nothing is adding up. Dave, Clay and Ricky need and deserve justice.”
John Picerno, a lawyer representing the homeowner, said his client had no idea his friends were dead until police knocked on his door.
Picerno said his client was sleeping with headphones on next to a loud fan when people came looking for his friends and didn’t see a message from one of their wives until after police contacted him.
The man also did not think it was “unusual for his friends to have left their cars there overnight”, according to the outlet.
RELATED: America stunned by chaotic scenes
“Like the rest of us, [the homeowner] is anxiously awaiting the results of the autopsy and toxicology report,” Picerno told The Kansas City Star.
“On behalf of [the homeowner] and his family, we wish to express our deepest sympathies to the friends and family members of these young men, and our thoughts and prayers are with them.”
Friends celebrated Harrington’s life while watching the Chiefs defeat the Bills in the AFC Divisional Round of the playoffs Sunday, according to La Tier’s profile.
“It was amazing to see this room filled with all his friends chanting ‘David, David, David,’ especially every touchdown,” she wrote.
“I loved all the pix, slide shows, and stories. It was an amazing party full of people who truly loved David.”
This article was originally published by the New York Post and reproduced with permission
Originally published as Mystery as three football fans found dead in backyard of friend’s home
That’s a wrap! Thrillers, blowouts in Sariah Paki, Madison Ashby 7s finale
There were bursts of speed, great skills in wild winds and multiple scorers as the Sariah Paki and Madi Ashby 7s girl’s rugby season came to an end. Stars and result wrap from grand final day.
94-12! Trial demolition causes headace for Waratahs U16 selectors
It was the first real indication of how the Waratahs are shaping up for their defence of the U16s title in the upcoming Super Rugby comp. It’s also caused a major headache for selectors.