Family of 24-year-old Timothy Johnson killed in Cass County hold press conference demanding answers for his death

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- The family of a man killed in Cass County are questioning whether their loved one was really killed in a hit and run.

24-year-old Timothy Johnson's body was found about three weeks ago on the side of M-152 near Dowagiac. 

Today, his family held a press conference saying he wasn't hit by a car, but that he was beaten, drowned, and that the attack was racially motivated, and occurred after he went to visit a woman he was dating.

"No justice, no peace" chants were heard outside of Benton Harbor's City Hall. Johnson's family and supporters gathered and called for justice and transparency. 

"I just. I don't know why they did this to my child."

Morse Daniels, Timothy Johnson's mother, shared one of her last interactions with her son.

"He met this young lady online and he went to go visit her. He went the first week, he went to go visit and I called him and I text him like 'hey son, where are you?' He said, 'I'm okay.' I said, 'When are you coming home?' He said 'I'll be home tomorrow' which was the following day. Then, he ended up going back again the following week," said Daniels.

Johnson's family says the medical examiner's office at Western Michigan University told them Timothy was beaten to death.

"He said 'I got something to tell you.' He said, 'Your son was not hit by a vehicle.' He said '85 percent of your son's bones in his body were broken. Crushed'," said James Clay, Johnson's father.

His mother also says when she went to see her son at the funeral home, she questioned why his body looked bigger

"He's a tall guy, 6'2, 260 but when I saw my baby, he was like this big." said Daniels, using her hands to show how big her son was.

She continued, "I asked the mortician, I said 'why is my son's body so huge?' She said, 'because he was submerged in water.' They drowned my child before he was absolutely dead at that point; they drowned my baby."

ABC57 called the funeral home to corroborate what the family said. The Director wasn't available so we left our contact information and will provide an update as soon as we get an answer. Johnson's family also sent ABC57 pictures of his body which confirms their description of broken bones and his body appearing to be swollen.

Last week, Cass County Sheriff Clint Roach said nothing in his investigation led him to believe Johnson's death was related to the woman he was seeing, but he's still looking for evidence.

However, Johnson's sister, Isheria Jackson, says she has reason to think this was a hate crime. The family did a brief question and answer and Jackson shared she has spoken to a witness.

While they wouldn't share all of the information they know in order to protect the case, supporters were left with a simple message.

"Justice for Tim, Justice for Tim, Justice for Tim," said Jackson.