On April 15, 24-year-old Felicia Johnson — a Black woman from California — was in Houston visiting family when she went missing. Johnson was last seen outside of the Cover Girls Night Club on West Little York Road.
Her family told authorities that she was in town for her birthday and was hoping to make some extra cash while she was there.
After being turned down for the position at the strip club, Johnson stood outside waiting for an Uber. Community activist Quanell X said her Uber ran late so she decided to get a ride from a man who was near the club. She was not heard from or seen since then.
Recent reports say that Johnson’s cell phone was found about five miles away from the club along Eldridge Parkway near Bear Creek Park covered in blood.
Tuesday (April 19), detectives from the Houston Police Department along with Texas EquuSearch — a volunteer equestrian search group — combed the area where her phone was discovered.
Quanell X told the press, “We know something bad happened to this sister. She has not called a member of her family, not used her credit cards, didn’t return back to the hotel where she was staying.”
Concerned members of her family hired a private investigator once they could not get a hold of Johnson.
On Sunday (April 24), the family held a vigil in Johnson’s honor at Bear Creek Park.
While at this vigil, the head of the New Black Panther Nation in Houston told KHOU, “We firmly believe that someone has taken her against her will and we believe that this sister should be treated with the highest priority with law enforcement.”
Her father Kevin Johnson spoke at the vigil as well saying, “Baby, Daddy is here for you. I’m not leaving until we find you.” He continued, “I’m standing strong for you every day and it gets harder. I’m not going to lie, but every day I’m finding more strength to keep going.”
Quanell X added, “This is the fourth [case] I’ve dealt with in six months of a missing African American female. And in every one of those cases of a missing African American female, HPD has dragged its feet and they did not do anything until I began to go public.”