WARNING! THIS POST CONTAINS EXPLICIT DESCRIPTIONS OF ANIMAL ABUSE.
Erika Johnson is a nationally renowned animal cruelty investigator who worked for Joint Animal Services (JAS) in Lacey for 16 years.
As a field supervisor, she conducted dozens of investigations into reports of animal cruelty in Thurston County. Due to her expertise, animal control agencies in other counties often requested her help with their own animal cruelty investigations.
Both local and national organizations have recognized Officer Johnson’s work on behalf of animals. Pasado’s Safe Haven in Sultan, WA gave its Bucky Award for Excellence to her and Thurston County prosecutors in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Pasado’s also gave her 2 honorable mentions in 2015.
And in 2017 the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) recognized Officer Johnson for Excellence in Humane Law Enforcement. She was one of only 5 individuals in the US to receive this prestigious award.
Officer Johnson’s most horrific case involved a 3-year-old pitbull named Diamond. She was a therapy dog for her owner’s 8-year-old son.
A relative of Diamond’s owner named James Leory Evans offered to watch her while the owner searched for dog friendly housing.
While at Evan’s home, Diamond killed his pet iguana. An enraged Evans sexually assaulted Diamond and hung her from a tree in Thurston County in March of 2016.
The next day a biker found the dead dog hanging from the tree. Investigators later found scratch marks on the tree that Diamond made while she struggled after Evans hung her.
Officer Johnson lead the investigation that resulted in Evan’s guilty plea to first degree animal abuse in 2017. She said it was the worst case of animal abuse she had ever seen. Dog lovers from across the US and in 26 countries closely followed the case.
The judge sentenced Evans to a year in jail, the maximum sentence possible.
Diamond was cremated 2017. After the trial, Officer Johnson promised Diamond’s owner that she would get a proper burial.
She and an investigator from Pasado’s Safe Haven who helped spearhead the investigation into Diamond’s death decided to put a headstone to honor Diamond on Pasado’s property and sprinkle her ashes in the stream that runs through it.
Officer Johnson kept the ashes in her office while she tried to organize a gathering at Pasado’s to honor Diamond’s memory.
Due to COVID and the difficulty finding a time convenient for people involved with the case to attend, Johnson wasn’t able to find a time to schedule the gathering.
The problem with who should possess Diamond’s ashes began when JAS forced her to leave. The reasons for her departure are too complex to address in this post.
When Officer Johnson went to JAS to clean out her office, Diamond’s ashes weren’t there.
When she asked if she could have Diamond’s ashes, Mary Ann Hardie, the Human Resources Director for Lacey, sent her this email saying she couldn’t have them:
The email shocked Officer Johnson, who told me that “never in the history of my thousands of cases in two states have I ever been denied the evidence upon disposition. I am the investigator and only I can decide what happens to it after the case is adjudicated and over.”
In addition, she said that “the prosecutor always returns the evidence to the person who collected it. The only reason Animal Services is noted in the Disposition letter is to identify the law enforcement agency I’m with.”
Here’s the memo from 2017 from Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney Jon Tunheim releasing Diamond’s ashes to Officer Johnson:
Officer Johnson also told me that since Diamond’s owner moves frequently, so she find and ask him to authorize the release of Diamond’s ashes to him.
I don’t understand why the city of Lacey and JAS won’t turn over Diamond’s ashes to Officer Johnson.
You could say that since Johnson no longer works for Joint Animal Services she no longer has a right to claim Diamond’s ashes.
But why should that matter?
Evans’ case had been adjudicated. He pled guilty and served his sentence. Diamond’s ashes no longer serve any purpose for the legal system. They will just sit on a shelf gathering dust until someone eventually throws them out.
Officer Johnson is a nationally recognized animal cruelty investigator. While at JAS she tracked down hundreds animal abusers.
It makes no sense that the city of Lacey would rather keep Diamond’s ashes locked away instead of allowing her to have the proper burial.
People want to honor Diamond’s memory by giving her a final resting place in a peaceful, pastoral setting surrounded by animal lovers dedicated to stopping animal abuse.
There is absolutely no reason for Lacey to keep Diamond’s ashes any longer. I urge Mayor Andy Ryder to authorize their release to Officer Johnson and allow Diamond to rest In peace.
Tracy Clark says
My heart is too heavy words. I was able to arrange a Limousine, and Driver, which was GIFTED by a Local Small Business Owner in Lacey, Washington. He gifted it in Honour of Investigator Erika Johnson’s OUTSTANDING Service to his/my/our Community. He still asks about Diamond’s Transport to Pasado’s. His generosity is open-ended; he LOVES his own Dogs as Family.
Investigator Johnson’s Jurisdiction is inclusive of Unincorporated Thurston County. Every time I see him, he asks about “her”; Diamond’s Cremains.
Tracy says
This is heartbreaking and obviously dome sort of retaliation against the Officer Johnson. Why else wouldn’t they give them up. Let this beautiful pup RIP.
Nanci Snyder says
I urge Mayor Andy Ryder to authorize their release to Officer Johnson and allow Diamond to rest In peace.
Silverayne says
I helped her with that case, as I was the medium mentioned. Diamond would have no peace if it wasn’t for Officer Erika Johnson and therefore the ashes belong to her.
Cyndy says
No one other than Officer Erika Johnson from Joint Animal Services showed any kind of care, empathy or cared about giving Diamond any Justice. Not only did Officer Johnson have to fight for Justice for Diamond, but, she had to fight to give justice to Diamond because Joint Animal Services could careless about getting justice for any animal.
Patt wheeler says
An open letter to the City of Lacey an JOINT ANIMAL SERVICES
DO THE RIGHT THING for Diamond finally
AND LET THIS POOR abused and murdered dogs ashes be given to
OFFICER JOHNSON . SHE WORKED tirelessly to get justice for Diamond , and was entrusted to receive her ashes for a special burial place. AT NO COST TO THE CITY OF LACEY OR JOINT ANIMAL SERVICES
City of LACEY and joint Animal Service should release the ashes to Officer Johnson and then we could say a heartfelt good-bye to an animal who suffered too much. I hope that all the bureaucracy sees fit to do the right thing Now!
To all my friends who see this, please share it with your friends to help right this wrong. Take a moment to read the story and see the video. This is personal for me as well as officer Johnson.
Thank you
Patt
Tonya says
The audacity of the director to deny Diamond a descent and beautiful resting place for her memory to be shared. I followed this case throughout the entirety. Officer Johnson worked hard to get that conviction and it’s only fair and right she be honored to receive the ashes of Diamond. It seems as if the director is using the ashes to be vindictive. The only humane thing to do would be to hand the ashes over to Erica Johnson or at least to Pasado’s Safe Haven, so that a deserving memorial service can be given and Diamond can run free over the Rainbow Bridge.
Stephanie S. says
Obviously we don’t know all the facts about the events surrounding Officer Johnson’s departure from JAS, but I wonder if her employment ended so abruptly that she wasn’t able to gather her personal office effects herself, and another employee was tasked with cleaning out her personal effects of her office, and disposed of Diamond’s remains not knowing the significance of them (or just didn’t care, or giving them the benefit of the doubt, the remains weren’t clearly labeled) and the JAS doesn’t want to admit to Officer Johnson or the public followers, that not only did poor Diamond die in such a horrific fashion, a JAS employee threw Diamond’s remains in the trash. Hiding behind an excuse of legal process and the handling of evidence (even though the prosecuting attorney’s Disposition Letter specifically states the remains/evidence can be disposed of), is a smokescreen to cover up the final humility they incurred on this poor animal. If the prosecuting attorney has given legal authority for the remains to be disposed of, but JAS wants to be vindictive and not give them directly to Officer Johnson, then like someone else said, give them to Pasado’s Safe Haven. It’s just completely baffling…and sad.
Stephanie S. says
Patt, should this letter be sent to the City of Lacey (Mayor’s office?) and/or Joint Animal Services? I want to look up and provide mailing/emailing address(es) to send this letter when I post to my FB feed…
Patt wheeler says
Definitely
Karen Langlois says
I not only attended the Memorial Service @ JAS for poor Diamond but several court cases as well..
Erika Johnson is the BEST A.C.O as evidenced by her prestigious award by HSUS…She DOES NOT DESERVE THE TREATMENT SHE IS BEING GIVEN! SHAME ON LACEY! Ive lived here over 33 & am DISGUSTED BY H.R’s replacement…with a VENDICTIVE, BITTER INCOMPETENT “WOMAN” who has returned ABUSED ANIMALS TO THEIR ABUSERS & EVEN KILLED OTHER ANIMALS!!
Eddie Dayan says
This has been going on for too long!
Return Diamond’s remains to Erika Johnson!!