Murder of Erica Green
{{short description|American murder victim formerly known as "Precious Doe"}}
{{For|a similarly named formerly unidentified murder victim|Murder of Erika Hill}}
{{other people|Erica Green|Erica Green (disambiguation)}}
{{redirect-distinguish|Precious Doe|Murder of Elizabeth Roberts}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{redirect-distinguish|Precious Doe|Princess Doe}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Erica Green
| image = File:Precious Doe.jpg
| caption = Image of Erica Green (left) compared to a facial reconstruction created in effort to identify her
| birth_name = Erica Michelle Marie Green
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1997|05|15|mf=y}}[https://oklahoman.com/article/3675374/lawsuit-blames-oklahoma-officials-for-precious-doe-murder Lawsuit blames Oklahoma officials for 'Precious Doe' murder]. The Oklahoman
| birth_place = McLoud, Oklahoma, U.S.{{cite news|title=Precious Doe Born In Prison
|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/precious-doe-born-in-prison/|date=2005-05-10|author=Cosgrove-Mather, Bootie|work=CBS News}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|2001|4|28|1997|5|15|mf=y}}[http://www.knowledgecash.com/infolope.aspx?id=NY339L59986885 Infolope: Murdered victim - Precious Doe] knowledgecash.com.{{cite news|title=2 Charged With Murder In 'Precious Doe' Slaying|url=http://www.kmbc.com/r/4452082/detail.html|work=KMBC|date=May 5, 2005|quote=...one night late in April 2001...She was left on the floor for two days.|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713161652/http://www.kmbc.com/r/4452082/detail.html|archive-date=July 13, 2011}}
| death_place = Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.{{cite news|title=Tipster Tricked Precious Doe Suspect Into Providing Hair Sample|url=http://www.kmbc.com/r/4461626/detail.html|quote=Authorities said the little girl was killed in Kansas City, where the family had been staying with friends or family.|date=May 6, 2005|publisher=KMBC.com|work=Kansas City News|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322002816/http://www.kmbc.com/r/4461626/detail.html|archive-date=March 22, 2012}}
| body_discovered = On April 28, 2001 (body)
May 1, 2001 (head)
| resting_place = Memorial Park Cemetery, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.[https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article150621902.html The Kansas City Star]
| resting_place_coordinates =
| other_names =
}}
Erica Michelle Marie Green (May 15, 1997 – April 28, 2001), also known as Precious Doe, was an American three-year-old girl who was murdered in Kansas City, Missouri, in April 2001. Green's decapitated body was discovered on April 28, 2001, and her head was found nearby on May 1, but she remained unidentified until May 5, 2005. Green's murder attracted significant media and public attention due to the brutality of the crime and the lengthy period without identification.{{cite news
|last=Goldblatt
|first=Jeff
|title=Slain Mystery Girl Brings Community Together
|publisher=FOX News Network
|date=2002-08-08
|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,59905,00.html
|access-date=2006-06-30
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080408162535/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,59905,00.html
|archive-date=2008-04-08
|url-status=dead
}}
In 2008, Green's mother and step-father were convicted for her murder.
Discovery
On April 28, 2001, while authorities were conducting a search for an unrelated missing persons case, the decapitated body of a young African-American girl was found near Hibbs Park at 59th Street and Kensington Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri. On May 1, 2001, the young girl's head was found wrapped in a trash bag approximately 150 to 200 yards southeast of the body discovery site.{{Cite web |date=June 13, 2001 |title="Decapitated Girl Remains Unidentified Weeks After Slaying" |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=93102&page=1 |website=ABC News}} Investigators determined that she had been beaten with an ashtray found with the body and kicked several times, causing extensive injuries throughout her body, and then decapitated in an effort to keep police from being able to identify the body. The ashtray lacked DNA or fingerprints, and the unidentified girl was known by the multiple-use name Precious Doe, which was used in public broadcasts in an effort to identify her.
Media appearances
The brutality of the crime, and the fact that Green went unidentified for a long period, sparked nationwide interest in an effort to identify her. Police released sketches, computerized facial reconstructions, and at least two busts.{{cite news
|title = Police Release New Bust Of 'Precious Doe'
|publisher = KMBC-TV (TheKansasCityChannel.com)
|date = 2003-09-19
|url = http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/news/2497018/detail.html
|access-date = 2006-06-30
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051204082522/http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/news/2497018/detail.html
|archive-date = 2005-12-04
}} The case was featured on the TV programs America's Most Wanted and Cold Case Files several times.{{cite web
|title = Harrell Johnson (Suspected Precious Doe Killer)
|work = America's Most Wanted
|publisher = Twentieth Century Fox Film
|date = 2005-05-05
|url = http://www.amw.com/fugitives/brief.cfm?id=31729
|access-date = 2006-06-30
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060823105958/http://www.amw.com/fugitives/brief.cfm?id=31729
|archive-date = 2006-08-23
|title = Michelle Johnson (Suspected Precious Doe Killer)
|work = America's Most Wanted
|publisher = Twentieth Century Fox Film
|date = 2005-05-04
|url = http://www.amw.com/fugitives/brief.cfm?id=31709
|access-date = 2006-06-30
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060823105915/http://www.amw.com/fugitives/brief.cfm?id=31709
|archive-date = 2006-08-23
Identification
On May 5, 2005, Precious Doe was identified as Erica Green, a three-year-old from Oklahoma. Her mother, Michelle Johnson (also known as Michelle Pierce), and her stepfather, Harrell Johnson, were charged with murder and extradited from Oklahoma to face charges in Missouri.{{cite news
|title=Charges In 'Precious Doe' Case
|publisher=CBS Broadcasting
|date=2005-05-05
|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/charges-in-precious-doe-case/
|access-date=2006-06-30
|title=Mother, stepfather charged in 'Precious Doe' killing
|publisher=Cable News Network
|date=2005-05-06
|url=http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/05/precious.doe/index.html
|access-date=2006-06-30
}} Michelle Johnson's eight other children were taken into state custody or placed with relatives.{{cite news
|agency = Associated Press
|title = Okla. Never Monitored 'Precious Doe' Case
|work = phillyBurbs.com
|publisher = Calkins Media
|date = 2005-05-10
|url = http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/278-05102005-487325.html
|access-date = 2006-06-30
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051107022124/http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/278-05102005-487325.html
|archive-date = 2005-11-07
}} On December 3, 2005, prosecutors announced that they would seek the death penalty against Erica's stepfather, Harrell Johnson.{{cite news
| agency = Associated Press
| title = Prosecutor Seeks Death Penalty in 'Precious Doe' Case
| publisher = FOX News Network
| date = 2005-12-03
| url = http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,177609,00.html
| access-date = 2006-06-30
}}
Police stated that Green had died after being brutally beaten by Johnson with an ashtray for refusing to go to bed. Johnson then used a pair of hedge clippers to sever her head.{{cite news
| last = Duarte Jr
| first = Hector
| title = Cousin of Harrell Johnson Details Final Days Of Precious Doe
| publisher = All Headline News
| date = 2005-05-07
| url = http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/2230953560
| access-date = 2006-06-30
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060422074952/http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/2230953560
| archive-date=April 22, 2006
}} Johnson's cousin, Lawanda Driskell, said that Erica's mother helped Harrell dispose of the body by taking Erica from the house as if sleeping in a stroller and telling Driskell she had given Erica to the woman who had raised her while Johnson was in prison.
Conviction
On October 8, 2008, Harrell Johnson was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Oct08/0,4670,PreciousDoe,00.html|title=Man Convicted of Murder in Mo. 'Precious Doe' Case|last=Gross|first=Andale|date=October 8, 2008|publisher=Associated Press, via Fox News|access-date=2008-12-19}} On October 22, 2008, Michelle Johnson was sentenced to 25 years in prison, in exchange for her 2007 guilty plea to second-degree murder and testimony against her husband.{{cite news|title='Precious Doe' mother gets 25 years|url=http://muskogeephoenix.com/local/x2129010773/-Precious-Doe-mother-gets-25-years|date=2008-10-22|agency=Associated Press| publisher=Muskogee Phoenix}}
==See also==
- List of solved missing person cases
- Murder of Anjelica Castillo
- Murder of Atcel Olmedo
- Murder of Evelyn Colon
- St. Louis Jane Doe, a similar case in Missouri
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,434104,00.html 'Precious Doe's' Mom Testifies She Watched Daughter Get Attacked] Foxnews.com. October 7, 2008.
- {{Find a Grave|6257530|Erica Green}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Green, Erica}}
Category:2000s missing person cases
Category:2001 murders in the United States
Category:April 2001 crimes in the United States
Category:Child abuse resulting in death
Category:Deaths by beating in the United States
Category:Deaths by person in Missouri
Category:Filicides in the United States
Category:Formerly missing American people
Category:Incidents of violence against girls
Category:Missing person cases in Missouri
Category:Murdered African-American people