Months before Sgt. Juwan Johnson was found dead on July 4, 2005, from injuries suffered in an alleged gang-initiation ceremony, an investigation was launched into potential gang involvement within his unit — Kaiserslautern’s 66th Transportation Company.

However, nothing apparently came from the investigation conducted while the unit was deployed to Iraq from January 2004 to February 2005.

The probe involved soldiers believed to be members of the Chicago-based Gangster Disciples. Numerous photos of Disciples had been found, along with graffiti and a list of potential gang members, in the soldiers’ living quarters.

According to U.S. Army Europe, a 15-6 (informal) investigation was conducted in late 2004 by the parent unit of the 66th Transportation Company. The investigation was initiated by the commander of the 835th Corps Support Battalion in October 2004, according to a USAREUR statement.

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These photos of alleged Gangster Disciple gang signs were taken by Pvt. Nick Pasquale of the 66th Transportation Company while the unit was deployed to Iraq in 2004. They later were used by prosecutors in the Article 32 hearing of Spc. Bobby Morrissette.

Photo by Steve Mraz / S&S
Stephanie Cockrell embraces her grandson Juwan Johnson Jr. while Johnson Jr.'s mother Kenika Johnson holds a photo of her late husband Sgt. Juwan Johnson. Sgt. Johnson died July 4, 2005, in Kaiserslautern, Germany, after an apparent "jumping in" initiation ceremony for the Gangster Disciples. Kenika Johnson gave birth to the couple's only child Dec. 1, 2005.

Photo by Michael Abrams / S&S
Spc. Bobby Morrissette leaves the staff judge advocate's building on Kleber Casern in Kaiserslautern, Germany, where his Article 32 hearing took place on Dec. 6. Morrissette is the first of two soldiers charged with murdering Sgt. Juwan Johnson in July 2005.