Doug Johnston (mistaken hit)

[Thiussat]

Did anyone else find it quite weird (funny actually) that the police said they couldn't tell whether Johnston committed suicide or was murdered? They said the coroner said either scenario was possible. I can understand the police ruling it as undetermined based only on the coroner's report. However, they plainly stated no gun was found at the scene. Did the gun sprout legs and walk off? You would think the fact there was no gun would be the tipping point for ruling it a murder. Just saying..

[TheCars1986]

Originally Posted by Thiussat

Did anyone else find it quite weird (funny actually) that the police said they couldn't tell whether Johnston committed suicide or was murdered? They said the coroner said either scenario was possible. I can understand the police ruling it as undetermined based only on the coroner's report. However, they plainly stated no gun was found at the scene. Did the gun sprout legs and walk off? You would think the fact there was no gun would be the tipping point for ruling it a murder. Just saying..

Yes, very weird. I believe Don Devereux was definitely the intended target, and was probably targeted because of his investigation into the death of Charles Morgan. There is no way Doug Johnston killed himself. For that to have happened, he would have had to have shot himself and then someone else came by and just so happened to notice the gun and pick it up, but not notice Doug's body. Devereux himself was told he was the intended target by one of his "sources", so what does that tell you?

[Thiussat]

Originally Posted by TheCars1986

Yes, very weird. I believe Don Devereux was definitely the intended target, and was probably targeted because of his investigation into the death of Charles Morgan. There is no way Doug Johnston killed himself. For that to have happened, he would have had to have shot himself and then someone else came by and just so happened to notice the gun and pick it up, but not notice Doug's body. Devereux himself was told he was the intended target by one of his "sources", so what does that tell you?

Yeah, this is one of the few cases where I actually agree with the conspiracy theories. I think it was definitely a mistaken hit. There were just too many people turning up dead in that case for it to be coincidental.

[WishfulDreamer]

Pure idiocy for them to think it was suicide. Not only was the gun missing, but it was fired from 12 inches away.

[TheCars1986]

Originally Posted by WishfulDreamer

Pure idiocy for them to think it was suicide. Not only was the gun missing, but it was fired from 12 inches away.

You have to wonder if it was bungled police work that lead them to the suicide possibility, or lack of evidence of a homicide (based off of what the coroner's report stated), or if in fact the police were involved in the conspiracy too. Morgan was shot in the head wearing a bullet proof vest, Casolaro was found dead in a hotel room with slashed wrists (and by all accounts Casolaro would faint at the drop of blood), and Johnston was a neighbor to Don Devereux. Devereux can be linked to all three men, and he himself was believed to be the target when Johnston was murdered. Both Devereux and Casolaro were investigative journalists who were quickly learning more than they probably should have involving the money laundering Morgan was involved in. If that doesn't spell cover up with a capital C, I don't know what does.

On a side note, the fact that there was no GSR (gunshot residue) found on Johnston should rule out the suicide theory completely. Any LE agency should have investigated that as a homicide and the fact that they aren't ruling out suicide tells me they are involved in this cover up to some degree.

[dynoguy88]

I was 11 when this segment first aired. And even at that age, I remember saying out loud, "Why would the police think it was suicide if there was no gun?" I never understood how suicide could even be brought up in the equation.

It was also brought up that Johnston was right-handed, yet he was shot behind his left ear.

Seems logical. If a person wants to kill themself, then just take a gun, use your opposite hand, aim the gun behind your ear (instead of your brain) and pull the trigger.

[TheCars1986]

I think Doug Johnston may be the victim (portrayed on UM) that I've felt sorry for the most. There was no reason for him to be murdered other than whoever killed him thought he was Don Devereux. I'm assuming LE also ruled out the possibility of a robbery gone bad since nothing was missing. It's just too big a coincidence for his death to not be connected to the Devereux investigation.