Three men found frozen to death outside home of friend who 'had no knowledge'

23 January 2024 , 08:45

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37-year-old David Harrington (left), 36-year-old Clayton McGeeney (center) and 38-year-old Ricky Johnson (right) (Image: No credit)

Three NFL fans have been found frozen to death outside a friend's house who was unaware they were there as he slept inside.

Ricky Johnson, 38, Clayton McGeeney, 36, and David Harrington, 37, had gathered at the house to watch a Kansas City Chiefs game on January 7. They were discovered dead outside the property two days later.

Captain Jake Becchina of the Kansas City Police Department confirmed: "First and foremost, this case is 100% NOT being investigated as a homicide." He added: "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. The resident at the house was cooperative with detectives the day the deceased were discovered."

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David Harrington, left, Clayton McGeeney, second from right, and Ricky Johnson, right, were found dead in their friend's backyard (Ricky Johnson/Facebook)

The police don't know yet if drink or drugs were involved in the sad deaths of the men. Officer Becchina said that tests will tell us more in a few weeks. Suzanne Reichart, who lives nearby, told FOX 4: "It's very scary because I heard nothing. I'm home most of the time, but I didn't hear anything. It's kind of disturbing. It makes you wonder what's going on."

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People say they sent lots of messages to the house owner before the police came.

The friends and family of the men who died are asking how this could have happened. Kaylee La Tier said on Facebook that they had messaged the homeowner to ask where the missing men were. The homeowner's lawyer, John Picerno, said his client didn't know his friends had died until the police showed up. He shared: "He had no knowledge that they remained in his backyard or that they needed medical attention."

Last week, officials in Missouri said that the super cold weather at Arrowhead Stadium during the Kansas City Chiefs' game against the Miami Dolphins made 15 fans so cold they had to go to hospital.

The three men were found dead outside a property on January 9, according to the Kansas City Police Department (No credit)

The Kansas City Chiefs triumphed over the Miami Dolphins in a freezing NFL wild-card match, winning 26-7. However, the icy conditions proved too much for some fans, with temperatures dropping to -9 degrees by the end of the game.

The Kansas City Fire Department (KCFD) revealed they treated around 69 people during the game, with nearly half showing "hypothermia symptoms." According to KCFD's battalion chief Michael Hopkins, 15 individuals were taken to hospital during the game.

Hopkins stated that seven of these people showed signs of hypothermia, and three had symptoms of frostbite. Additionally, five others were taken to hospital for various other reasons, according to the KCFD chief.

The University of Kansas Health System stated: "At this time, we are awaiting approval from The Kansas City Chiefs to release the numbers of patients treated at the seven aid stations at the stadium, and the various types of conditions treated. The Emergency Department at The University of Kansas Health System continues to see patients for weather-related problems."

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Abigail O'Leary