Hell and Gone Murder Line: Lauren Johansen

On Monday, December 11, 2023 22-year-old Lauren Johansen and her boyfriend, Bricen Rivers, were on vacation in Nashville and out at a bar. 

Bricen and Lauren had known each other for years. They had dated on and off since high school and on the surface, seemed happy. But behind the scenes, the relationship was violent. Lauren’s father later told police that Bricen was physically abusive to his daughter, and that he had stalked Lauren for years.  

On December 11, things took a horrific turn. Lauren and Bricen were hanging out at a bar when Bricen flew into a jealous rage and accused Lauren of having sex with a bartender. The fight continued after they left the bar. Hours later, police came to the scene and found Lauren screaming in a parking lot. She had been hit dozens of times, brutally beaten. The inside of the car was covered in blood. 

They arrested Bricen and he was charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated stalking, and coercion of a witness. He was taken to jail, and a judge set his bail at $250,000. It seemed like Lauren and Bricen’s violent relationship was finally at an end. But tragically, that was not the case. 

Bricen’s lawyer asked for a reduced bond, and in March, the judge agreed to lower it. So on June 24, 2024 Bricen was released from Davidson County Jail. Eight days later, Lauren Johansen was found dead in the trunk of her car.

If you have a case you’d like me and my team to look into, you can reach out to us at our Hell and Gone Murder Line at 678-744-6145. That’s 678-744-6145.

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