Missing woman’s body found ‘mutilated,’ wrapped in sheets and trash bags in own car days after ex-boyfriend bonds out against family’s wishes

MATT NAHAM
Jul 5th, 2024, 8:42 am

Days after a woman’s ex-boyfriend bonded out of jail in Nashville, Tennessee, without an ankle monitor, despite her family’s insistence in court that her life would be in danger unless he remained in custody, 22-year-old Lauren Johansen was found dead Wednesday in her own car in a Mississippi cemetery, “mutilated” and wrapped in sheets and trash bags.

This is the series of events that was recounted by Lauren’s father Lance Johansen in an emotional interview with local ABC and CBS affiliate WLOX. The reported orthopedic surgeon said that family begged a Nashville judge not to let 23-year-old Bricen Rivers out of jail, but the court allowed it, and then his daughter was murdered as a result.

Lance said that he appeared in court and urged Judge Cheryl Blackburn not to let Rivers out of jail during a pending aggravated kidnapping, aggravated stalking and coercion of a witness case from December 2023, because he was certain the defendant “was going to kill” Lauren, who was the victim in the pending case.

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Rivers allegedly ignored a requirement to stay in Davidson County, Tenn., ignored a requirement to get an ankle monitor, and was subsequently arrested and charged with Lauren Johansen’s murder across state lines.

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