The family of the Texas teenager who was brutally murdered and left for dead on a road are asking for ‘anyone with information’ to come forward in a new tribute.
Cody Johnson, 19, was found with several gunshot wounds along the service road on the Katy Freeway between Beltway 8 and Highway 99 on September 27.
First responders airlifted him to Memorial Hermann Hospital Medical Center where he was pronounced him dead upon arrival.
As officials continue to investigate the murder, heartbroken parents Amy Juneau and Mike Johnson tearfully shared a tribute to their son at a CrimeStoppers press conference today.
‘My heart will never be the same without Cody. I just urge, urge anyone with any information to come forward, report to CrimeStoppers. Nothing will bring Cody back, but if there’s any justice that can come out of this, just please help us find justice for Cody,’ Juneau said between tears.
Johnson added: ‘That morning, he said, “Dad, I’m so happy”. Somebody that’s that happy shouldn’t be in a grave. We will not stop, because his value to this world was so much’.
During the conference, a spokesperson for CrimeStoppers, declared that the agency is offering a $30,000 reward for information leading to his killer’s charging and/or arrest.
The devastated father also said his teen son had recently recovered from a serious motorcycle accident that left him injured in June.
He was set to start a new job as a car salesman in coming weeks, the parents further revealed.
The teen loved cars since he was just a toddler so ‘he was following his dreams,’ Mike previously told KHOU 11 as the suspect or suspects continue to remain at large.
‘Everything seemed to be clicking and finally going the right way.
‘Even if he cut off, or someone cut him off, there’s no reason he should be dead because of it,’ he continued.
‘Value in people’s lives is more than a car or a frustration.’
Both parents added how the black 2013 Chevy Camaro had been their son’s prized possession – which was found sitting in place with its blinkers on at the scene.
‘Nobody values life,’ said his father in another emotional interview with ABC 13.
‘We just want answers,’ added Juneau. ‘We want him back more than anything, but if we could just have some type of closure about what happened.’
Relatives said he had left his mother’s house in Missouri City, about 20 miles south of Houston at around 7pm on the day of his death.
Intent on picking up his girlfriend from her job in Katy, Johnson never made it, his parents said – pointing to data from an app that showed his Camaro slowing to a stop on the Katy Freeway around 8.04pm.
It’s believed the car may have been rolling for some time, however, before coming to a stop where it was later discovered.
Within minutes, he was found along the I-10 feeder road, his car and body riddled with bullets, leading the local sheriff to surmise the incident stemmed from road rage.
Officials are still trying to piece together what happened, however, and has yet to name a suspect.
As of October 4, no motive has been determined and the identity of the shooter remains unknown.
Houston – only a few miles away from the crime scene – was awarded the dubious distinction of being the city with the most road-rage shootings over the past decade, with a total of 215 incidents since 2014.
Tied for second were cities like San Antonio and Memphis, which only had 107 incidents apiece.
The trend has continued into this year, with a 21-year-old killed last month after exchanging gunfire with another motorist on I-10.
The other driver fled before returning to the scene, and is said to be cooperating with investigators.
The case was assigned and turned over to the DA for statements and an investigation to determine whether any charges will be filed, cops in that case said.