New evidence uncovered regarding the homicide of 22-year-old Hattiesburg resident Lauren Johansen – who was found beaten to death in her car on the Mississippi Gulf Coast earlier this month – suggests she was likely murdered in Forrest County, rather than in Harrison County, as investigators initially believed.
Forrest County Sheriff Charlie Sims said his department – which is working alongside the Petal Police Department, the Hattiesburg Police Department and the Harrison County’s Sheriff's Office – has made contact with the office of Lin Carter, who serves as district attorney for Forrest and Perry counties. Sims expects to soon serve warrants to 23-year-old Bricen John Rivers of Saucier, who is Johansen’s ex-boyfriend and the suspect who is accused of her murder.
Rivers is currently incarcerated in the Harrison County Adult Detention Center.
“We’re probably going to take the lead on it, because there’s some evidence in Hattiesburg, some evidence in Petal and of course some evidence in Harrison County,” Sims said. “So to put it all under one umbrella, we’ll probably handle the case and put it into presentable form for the DA’s office and their prosecution, and move forward with that.
“So we’re in the process of taking the steps to get warrants issued and probably serve those on Mr. Rivers some time this week.”
At that point, Rivers would be transported from Harrison County to the Forrest County Correctional Facility in Hattiesburg.
On December 11, 2023, Johansen and Rivers were on vacation in Nashville, Tennessee, when they got into a physical altercation outside a bar in that city, after which Johansen – who lived on South 11th Avenue in Hattiesburg – was found alive but with physical injuries inside a car with Rivers in Germantown, Tennesee. Shortly after that, Rivers, who was determined to have physically assaulted Johansen, was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated kidnapping, one count of aggravated stalking and one count of coercion of a witness.
A week later, Rivers’ bond was set at $250,000, but was then reduced to $150,000. Inmates are required to post 10 percent of their bond amount to be released from jail, meaning Rivers paid $15,000 for his release.
As part of his bond, Rivers was ordered not to leave Davidson County, Tennessee, and was required to wear an ankle bracelet. He was released from jail on June 24 of this year.
Four days later, Rivers’ bracelet stopped responding.
Johansen’s father – who had previously requested to judge Cheryl Blackburn that Rivers not be released from jail – was notified of that fact. On June 29, Rivers went back to Nashville to be fitted with a new ankle bracelet.
“He was in jail in Tennessee, and was released,” Sims said. “There were certain considerations on his release.
“I think there was a mix-up in Tennessee – he got an ankle monitor from a different company and had to go back up. After that, my understanding is – and I don’t know because I haven’t seen the documents or anything from Tennessee – that he was not supposed to leave the state of Tennessee, but ended up here in Hattiesburg.”
On July 2, Johansen’s father was notified that her Life360 tracker on her phone had been deactivated, and Johansen’s sister said she had not returned home. The family then reported her missing to officials from the Hattiesburg Police Department.
The next day, HPD officials tracked Johansen’s car to Wolf River Cemetery in Harrison County, where they observed Rivers running from the vehicle and into the woods. Officers found Johansen’s body wrapped in trash bags and sheets in her car.
Six hours later, Rivers was taken into custody and booked into the Harrison County Adult Detention Center. He is currently charged with first-degree murder, possession of a controlled substance with intent, trafficking in a controlled substance, aggravated kidnapping with a deadly weapon/object, tampering with physical evidence and larceny (taking away a motor vehicle).
Anyone with information regarding Johansen’s murder is encouraged to call Metro Crime Stoppers at (601) 582-7867 or **TIPS.
