Questions remain as authorities continue investigation into death of 3 Northland men

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - The attorney of the man who lived in the home where three dead bodies were found is sharing their side of the story after backlash on social media.

John Picerno is Jordan Willis’ attorney and tells KCTV5 his client had “absolutely nothing to do with the deaths of his three friends.”

The three friends who died have been identified as Ricky Johnson, Clayton McGeeney, and David Harrington.

Picerno said the three were high school friends with Willis, and there was another man there that night, whom police have not identified.

“He’s grieving, he’s had to move out of his home, he’s had to shut down his social media, he’s taking leave of absence from his job, so it’s really affected him,” Picerno said.

Picerno said the men decided to go to Willis’ house after watching the Chiefs game against the Chargers.

“Then in the early morning hours, around 2 a.m., he believes, he got sleepy and said, I’m going to crash on the couch,” Picerno said. “He said goodbye to his buddies, and he thought that they left out the front door.”

READ MORE: Lawyer: Friend of 3 people found dead at Northland home moves out, 5th person was at house

Picerno said the fifth man, who has not been identified by police, left about an hour before Willis went to the couch.

“That’s the last time he saw them, and he didn’t know anything about them being in his backyard until police knocked on the door Tuesday evening at approximately 10 p.m.,” Picerno said.

KCTV5 asked Picerno why Willis never went outside the following two days, and this is what he had to say, “he had no reason to go out into the backyard, and he didn’t know anyone was in the backyard.”

Adriana Juarez is the mother of Ricky Johnson’s child and said things aren’t adding up.

“None of the stories are adding up about what he’s saying; how do you not know there are three dead bodies on the back porch?” Juarez said.

With the case getting attention from around the country, Johnson’s family said it’s hard to even look at social media.

“I never thought it would get as much attention as it has but I’m hoping with the attention that it will get us closer to getting answers,” said Johnson’s niece, Stephanie Walling.

Police are still waiting on the medical examiner’s office to determine how the men died.

“He doesn’t have any suspicious about how they died any more than you or I do or, unfortunately, the families who are grieving over the loss of their loved ones,” Picerno said.

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