Remains found in Montgomery County confirmed to be body of Felicia Johnson

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — Human remains found in the Sam Houston National Forest earlier this month have been confirmed as Felicia Johnson, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and JP Wayne Mack.

The search for the man charged with killing her continues.

Johnson, 24, was from San Diego and vanished during a trip to Houston in April 2022. Her father said jewelry found with the remains on Feb. 7 was his daughter’s. 

They were sent for DNA and dental record analysis, according to the sheriff’s office.

“It is with a heavy heart that we report dental records have confirmed that the human remains are that of missing person Felicia Johnson of California,” the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to the Johnson family and friends and we hope this brings them some closure.”

Felicia’s father, Kevin Johnson, says he got a call from Houston police, saying that remains found are believed to be that of his daughter. On Monday afternoon, Kevin said the Montgomery County Medical Exaimer’s Office confirmed they were her remains.

“He wouldn’t have called me. They wouldn’t have notified me if they didn’t think it was her,” Kevin said earlier this month. “I believe it’s her.”

Kevin told KHOU 11’s Brittany Ford that he’s waiting for additional information from Houston police, who are leading the investigation.

This comes as Montgomery County Justice of the Peace Wayne Mack said a TxDOT worker found possible skeletal remains in Sam Houston National Forest.

“Some jewelry was on the body that was hers,” Kevin said. “We’re just waiting for the dental records to actually have the 100 percent.”

Pieces of crime scene tape remained at the scene, serving as a reminder to neighbors of what was found.

“I just saw a bunch of emergency vehicles, most of them were unmarked,” neighbor Katie Francis said. “It’s kinda creepy.”

She lives at the edge of the Sam Houston National Forest.

“Sometimes there’s garbage bags where people dump stuff like that out, but it’s probably been 30 to 40 years since we heard of them finding anyone else out there,” Francis said.

Houston police charged Chukweubuka Nwobodo, 28, in connection with her death. He is charged with murder and tampering with evidence and is still on the run. Lamar Consolidated ISD confirmed Nwobodo graduated from its district in 2011.

A Texas Equusearch volunteer group found Johnson’s purse in Bear Creek Park, close to where Johnson’s family found her phone.

KHOU 11 News dug into the court documents to put together a timeline of events since Johnson’s disappearance. 

On April 16 at 2:56 a.m., Johnson is last seen at the Intercontinental Hotel in the Medical Center. She got into an Uber that HPD said was ordered by Nwobodo. Detectives said he responded to an ad Johnson placed online. The Uber took Johnson to Nwobodo’s old address on Windchase. Then, he picked her up and took her to his apartment on South Richmond, according to police.

On April 16 and 17, Nwobodo is seen on surveillance footage with a bandage wrap on his right hand while at Walmart where he bought trash bags, a flashlight and towels. According to court documents. He also purchased a mechanical saw from Walmart and Home Depot.

An hour later, his car is seen on surveillance video leaving the complex, and at 5:12 a.m., Johnson’s phone connects with a cell tower near where her family finds it in Bear Creek Park later that day.

The next two days, HPD said receipts show Nwobodo took out money and purchased supplies. His internet searches included things like “most forested part of Houston.”

On May 13, detectives got search warrants for his car and apartment. Investigators found “very strong support” of Johnson’s DNA in his apartment and a gun, knife and shovel in his car.  Nwobodo was taken into custody during a traffic stop, but was released without charges but police seized his cell phone.

Court documents said the cell phone contained a photograph of a dismembered female in addition to three photos of deceased individuals. The individuals in the photos were not identified and no metadata was associated with them.

Anyone with information on Nwobodo’s whereabouts, or on this case, is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.

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