Dateline NBC recently aired an episode about the case. Astute readers of this website know that several key details were omitted (or de-emphasized) from the episode. We list 10 of those details here.
- In 1998, Johnson told police that Andrea had asked him to call “the man” (Leonard) and gave him the number, and that Johnson knew both the first three digits of the number and that the man lived in southeast Washington, DC (Johnson found the car in southeast DC, in walking distance from Leonard’s residence). But he told family members he had no idea who the man was–which is why the man became known only as “the computer guy” and led the family to hire a private investigator.
- Johnson called the number that the undercover officer gave him, as a number with which to arrange payment to Leonard.
- In 1998, Johnson told police that he thought Andrea was going swimming, then showering, then going to work on a special project at work for a couple of hours, and would be home at about 1pm. Leonard testified that the caller said that Andrea would be coming from a “spa or nautical center,” would have to come home to shower, and that she would be home at about 1pm.
- A letter in support of Johnson’s bond motion and Johnson’s resume from the era identify him as a self-described engineer. Leonard stated that the caller identified themselves as an engineer.
- Leonard’s description of how he left the scene reasonably reads as an obvious crime scene. He stated that he “tore up” both bedroom closets in his pursuit of the money he was promised, but the crime scene photos show the master bedroom closet appearing entirely undisturbed, except for Andrea’s body inside. Leonard also stated that he left the body directly on the floor, whereas the photo shows her body lying on a crate.
- Johnson stated that rolled coins were taken from one bedroom, and his lawyers argued that there was no “jug/jar.” Leonard stated that he took a jar or jug of coins from a different bedroom, and didn’t take any rolled coins. Crime scene photos show rolled coins on the shelves from which Johnson said rolled coins were taken. They also a large, circular imprint in the second bedroom, consistent with where Leonard says he took the jar/jug. In other words, the photos appear to support Leonard’s, not Johnson’s account regarding missing coins.
- Leonard stated that drag marks were left on the carpet, where he dragged Andrea’s body throughout the condo. Crime scene photos show no such marks, but they show marks consistent with the carpet having been freshly vacuumed. Johnson admits to vacuuming on the night of the murder. No fingerprints were found on the exterior of the vacuum.
- An impression on the victim’s body appears to match Johnson’s shoeprint.
- Johnson told the 2nd undercover officer (link below) that he “never even heard about your brother [Leonard] until after he was in jail.” This is at odds with #1. How could Johnson not have heard about Leonard until he was in jail if Andrea asked him to call Leonard and gave him the number (the piece of paper for which also had Leonard’s name) in the days leading up to the murder?
- In the same conversation, Johnson asks the officer “How much money is it?” but never asks what the money is for. He then says “There was no agreement!” The officer never said anything about an agreement.