Three Kansas City Chiefs fans were gathered at a friend's house to watch the game and never returned home. They were found frozen to death in the backyard and the homeowner-friend insists he has "no knowledge" that they had been there for approximately two days. David Harrington (37), Ricky Johnson (38), and Clayton McGeeney (36) were found on Jan. 9 after Kansas City police were called for a welfare check by the fiancée of one of the men. One man's body was discovered on the back porch while the other two were found in the backyard. The homeowner claims he had "no knowledge" his friends froze to death in his yard after they watched the Kansas City vs. LA Chargers game on Jan. 7. According to Kansas City Police Capt. Jake Beccina, "This case is 100% NOT being investigated as a homicide...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.”
According to Weather Underground, the temperatures on Jan 7th, the night of the game, stayed in the low 30s, before plummeting into the teens on the 9th.
Friends and families of the victims tried many times to reach out to the homeowner through social media, text, and phone calls.
“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.
“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],” continued La Tier. “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.”
Attorney John Picerno representing the homeowner, said his client was unaware his friends were dead in his yard until police knocked on his door. Reportedly his client was sleeping with headphones on and a loud fan in the room when people came searching for his friends. He didn't see the message from one friend's wives until after police arrived. The man didn't think it was "unusual for his friends to have left their cars there overnight."
Picerno told The Kansas City Star, “Like the rest of us, [the homeowner] is anxiously awaiting the results of the autopsy and toxicology report.”
He continued, “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.”
To honor Harrington's life, friends celebrated by watching the Chiefs defeat the Bills in the AFC Divisional playoffs on Sunday, per La Tier's FB profile.
It was amazing to see this room filled with all his friends chanting ‘David, David, David,’ especially every touchdown. I loved all the pix, slide shows, and stories. It was an amazing party full of people who truly loved David. - Kaylee La Tier
