DeAndre Joshua: Ferguson Witness Killed As Retribution, Conspiracy Theory Claims
Ferguson witness DeAndre Joshua may have been killed in retribution for his testimony at the grand jury in the Michael Brown shooting case, conspiracy theorists are claiming.
Jordan was found dead this week inside a parked car near the Canfield Green Apartments, the same complex where Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson killed the unarmed Brown in August. A grand jury heard evidence in the case but failed to return an indictment against Wilson, sparking several days of riots in Ferguson.
The Ferguson witness was killed amidst the riots, with his body being found around 9 a.m. Tuesday.
One local resident said four individuals were discussing plans to kill somebody on Monday night, though it was unclear if they planned to target DeAndre Joshua.
But Joshua’s family believes the Ferguson witness was killed “over a grand jury’s decision not to indict Michael Brown’s killer.” Others have said that witnesses who spoke out in support of Darren Wilson’s account of the shooting were being threatened.
Though the report is kicking around the internet, there are some holes in the theory. The blog Conservative Treehouse, one of the outlets publishing the theory that the Ferguson witness was killed in retribution, noted that DeAndre Joshua was not even listed as an official witness.
Instead, the site notes, the 20-year-old Joshua “fits the social profile of an eye-witness who gave a police/FBI statement and testified before the Grand Jury in the Mike Brown shooting case.”
“He was an employed black male, with no history of drug use or illicit behavior. He was also a friend of Dorian Johnson who is currently under protection,” the site continued.
Dorian Johnson appears to believe that Joshua’s death had to do with the Michael Brown grand jury. In a Facebook post, Johnson expressed fear that killers could target him next.
“I’m Hella f**d Up, SomeBody come get me right Now I gotta Go!!!!!” Johnson wrote on Facebook.
Asked whether the apparent homicide near Mike Brown memorial was related to the protests/unrest Chief Belmar: “I imagine there is a nexus”
— Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) November 25, 2014
Others say there were warning signs of danger even before the Ferguson witness was killed. In statements to police, several witnesses expressed fear that they could be targeted for speaking up about what they saw in the shooting.
