Two girls, both 14, arrested on suspicion of murder in killing of elderly Augusta woman

Two teenage girls, both 14, have been arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder for the killing of a 93-year-old Augusta woman over Labor Day weekend in 2023, Kansas Bureau of Investigation spokesperson Melissa Underwood said.

The Augusta girls were arrested Thursday. They are being held in separate juvenile facilities and charges are pending, Underwood said in a news release.

A family member found Joanne R. Johnson dead on Sept. 3, 2023. She was killed in her home at 1711 Robbins sometime between the evening of Sept. 2, 2023 and the evening of the next day.

Police have not said how she was killed or the relationship, if any, between Johnson and the suspects. Underwood said she could not answer questions outside of what’s in the news release.

In May, the KBI announced a $10,000 award for any tip that leads to an arrest and conviction in the case. The money was equal parts from the state and the victim’s family.

This story was originally published August 16, 2024 at 11:38 AM.