Missing woman’s body found ‘mutilated,’ wrapped in sheets at cemetery, officials say

(WLOX/Gray News) - A missing Mississippi woman’s body was found ‘mutilated’ in sheets and trash bags at a cemetery, according to authorities.

Her ex-boyfriend is now being charged with her death.

According to officials, around 3 p.m., deputies received information about a vehicle belonging to 22-year-old Lauren Johansen located at the cemetery.

When deputies arrived, they said they saw 23-year-old Bricen Rivers running from the vehicle. When deputies approached the vehicle, Johansen was found dead inside.

Officials said her body was found wrapped in a sheet.

Police tracked Lauren’s vehicle through OnStar. When it pinged in Harrison County, they called her dad, Lance.

Lance said when he arrived at the cemetery and saw her car, he knew that Lauren was dead.

“She was basically beaten to death. Her face was smashed in, her head was smashed in, she was brutally beaten to the point she couldn’t see out of either eye when she finally died and there was multiple holes in her head,” he said. “I helped the coroner lift her body out of the car. It was just mutilated.”

Lance Johansen told WLOX News he can’t believe Rivers was released with a reduced bond and no monitoring system.

A few days before Johansen’s death, Rivers had been released from a Nashville jail where he was being held on assault charges.

In December 2023, Rivers was arrested by Nashville Metro Police and charged with aggravated kidnapping.

Lance said that Rivers brutally beat his daughter and held her hostage while the two were on vacation in Tennessee.

He also said that he warned a Nashville judge that Rivers was too dangerous to be let out of jail.

“I think the criminal justice system in Nashville, Tennessee failed my daughter and our family. The world shouldn’t work this way. She was really beautiful, super, super smart. She had dreams and hopes that were larger than life. Everything she did, everything she touched turned to gold.”

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