A new autopsy report has determined that the death of a Kansas man whose body was found in a creek in La Cygne, Kansas, in 2004 was a homicide.
A federal forensic examiner concluded the cause of death of Alonzo Brooks was homicide, according to the FBI.
Brooks’ body was exhumed and transported to Dover Air Force Base for examination by the Armed Forces medical examiner as part of a continuing federal investigation , according to the report.
Brooks worked in Gardner, Kansas, and went to a party in La Cygne, Kansas, in 2004. When he did not return to his home in Gardner, the authorities were notified.
“We knew that Alonzo Brooks died under very suspicious circumstances,” acting U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard said. “This new examination by a team of the world’s best forensic pathologists and experts establishes it was no accident. Alonzo Brooks was killed. We are doing everything we can, and will spare no resources, to bring those responsible to justice.”
The FBI in June 2020 offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of anyone responsible for the death. Alonzo’s death was suspected to be racially motivated. Brooks was 23 when he died. He attended a party with about 100 other people on the outskirts of La Cygne in 2004, but his friends left him at the party without a ride.
After Brooks had been missing about a month, his family and friends conducted a search of the area and found his body at the creek.
“The FBI’s commitment to justice remains at the forefront of each and every investigation,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Timothy Langan said. “Our reach is broad, and the strength of our investigative tools are exceptional. We remain dedicated to uncovering the truth surrounding the murder of Alonzo Brooks and ensuring those responsible are held accountable for their actions.”
The new autopsy focused on injuries to parts of Brooks’ body that the examiner concluded are inconsistent with normal patterns of decomposition, according to the FBI. Details of the examination are being withheld for investigative purposes.
In 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s office for the District of Kansas and the FBI reopened the investigation of Brooks’ death, which had been dormant for years. As part of the new investigation, the FBI is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for Brooks’ death.
In the initial investigation, a coroner in Linn County said he was unable to determine a cause of death and witnesses’ interviews failed to produce any arrests.
The new investigation is focused on determining whether Brooks, an African-American who was 23 years old when he died, was the victim of a racially motivated killing, according to the FBI.
Brooks was last seen alive in April 2004 during a party at a house on the outskirts of La Cygne. He was one of only three African-American men at the party, which 100 or more people attended. Brooks, who lived in Gardner, Kansas, rode to the party with friends. They left and he wound up with no ride home.
When Brooks failed to come home the next day, his family and friends contacted the Linn County Sheriff’s Department.
According to reports at the time, the Sheriff’s Department and other law enforcement agencies searched areas around the farmhouse, including parts of nearby Middle Creek, but did not find Alonzo.
After Alonzo had been missing for almost a month, a group of his family and friends organized a search. They began on the road near the farmhouse and walked the two branches of Middle Creek. In just under an hour, they found Alonzo’s body, partially on top of a pile of brush and branches in the creek.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the FBI at 816-512-8200 or 816-474-TIPS or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.