PFC LaVena Johnson

“Women serving in the U.S. military are more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire in Iraq.”

On 19 July 2005, Private First Class LaVena Lynn Johnson was found dead in a contractor’s tent on an Army base in Balad, Iraq. The Army officially ruled her death a suicide, but when her father, Dr. John Johnson, saw LaVena’s body and spoke with the doctor who performed her autopsy, something didn’t quite add up. He started asking questions.

What followed were years of administrative red tape and agonizing heartache for the Johnson family. Despite everything, Johnson refused to take the Army’s flaccid excuses at face value, and he wasn’t going to stop until he discovered the truth...



Researched & written by Maggie Coomer

Hosted & produced by Micheal Whelan

Original music created by Micheal Whelan through Amper Music

Theme music created and composed by Ailsa Traves

Producers: Roberta Janson, Travis Scsepko, Ben Krokum, Gabriella Bromley, Bryan Hall, Quil Carter, Steven Wilson, Laura Hannan, Jo Wong, Damion Moore, Scott Meesey, Astrid Kneier, Aimee McGregor, Sara Moscaritolo, Sydney Scotton, Thomas Ahearn, Marion Welsh, Patrick Laakso, Meadow Landry, Tatum Bautista, Denise Grogan, Teunia Elzinga, Sally Ranford, Rebecca O'Sullivan, Ryan Green, Jacinda Class, Stephanie Joyner, James Weis, Kevin McCracken, Brooke Bullek, Lauren Nicole, Shane Robinson, Matthew Traywick, Sara Rosario, and Stacey Houser

Learn more about this podcast at http://unresolved.me

If you would like to support this podcast and others, consider heading to https://www.patreon.com/unresolvedpod to become a Patron or Producer

2356 232

Suggested Podcasts