136. Smells Like A Flat Out Cover-Up - The Non-Suicide Of LaVena Johnson

In one of the most rage-inducing cases she's covered so far, Melissa investigates the outrageous circumstances surrounding the official suicide of U.S. Army PFC LaVena Johnson while stationed at the Balad Air Base in Iraq in July 2005, just eight days shy of here 20th birthday.  And we put the emphasis on "official" because the "official" position of the Army is...well..."suspect" is the kindest word we can think of.  It took LaVena's family a lot of time, effort and connections to even see photos of the scene where the military insists the beautiful native Missourian set her hand on fire, bit herself on the shoulder, bashed in her own face in so hard that an eyeball came loose, poured lye into her own genitals, then shot herself with a rifle - with her toe - while she was wearing her fully-tied shoes.  No way, says the Army, that she could have been beaten, raped, mutilated and then shot by one or more brutal killers.  And oh, the multiple additional "suicides" of female soldiers at Balad in recent years is just a coincidence.  No, really.  Share the outrage as Melissa describes the awful facts of this case and the absolutely heroic and unrelenting search for the truth by LaVena's family - particularly her father, who will not give up until the real story of his daughter's death is revealed.