Kansas City Chiefs fans' deaths: Jordan Willis ‘depressed’ over ‘wild speculations’ about pals, source says

EXCLUSIVE — Jordan Willis, the Kansas City Chiefs fan whose three friends were found dead in his backyard earlier this month, is "devastated" by the loss of his pals and "very depressed" as people speculate about the case, according to a source close to his family.

"Not only is the whole country accusing him of murdering his friends without factual details, evidence or any charges at this time, but he also lost three close friends," the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Fox Nation in an exclusive interview  Saturday. 

"He didn’t get to say goodbye or go to their funerals due to the circumstances of these wild speculations and accusations.

"No one seems to be willing to wait for the results of the toxicology report or wait for any other facts from the police department from a case that is still under investigation to make these speculations."

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Family and friends of Clayton McGeeney, left, David Harrington, center, and Ricky Johnson, right, are clamoring for answers after the three men inexplicably died in freezing temperatures outside their friend's Kansas City home. (Facebook)

The bodies of Ricky Johnson, 38, Clayton McGeeney, 36, and David Harrington, 37, were recovered outside Willis' Kansas City home the evening of Jan. 9. They were last seen alive inside the home at a watch party for the Chiefs game against the Los Angeles Chargers Jan. 7. 

The source said Willis' family learned three people died on his property when local news media contacted them. Initially, they said, the family didn't know if Willis was among the fatalities. 

The source also disputed claims that Willis told people his friends froze to death in his yard after police arrived at his home. 

"What was missing from that story was context. He never once said that his friends froze to death to anyone," the source said. 

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The fiancée of one of the men, who had reportedly made attempts to reach Willis via phone and at his door, broke in through the back of the property and called police when she found the body of one of the victims. 

Willis' attorney, John Picerno, has said his client was asleep for "a lot of" the time period between allegedly escorting his friends out of his home and answering the door for Kansas City Police after his friends' bodies were found behind his house around 8:51 p.m. Jan. 9. 

The backyard and porch of Jordan Willis’ home in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. The bodies of Willis’ three friends — Ricky Johnson, Clayton McGeeney and David Harrington — were found in Willis’ backyard Jan. 9, 2024, two days after they watched a Kansas City Chiefs game at the house. (DWS for Fox News Digital)

Picerno amended earlier claims that Willis only received one Facebook message in that period in an interview with Chris Cuomo earlier this week, saying his client had a phone app that blocked unrecognized numbers. Willis had several incoming – but no outgoing – text messages from concerned friends and family members, Picerno said, and he had not seen them. 

Willis had no idea his friends were still on his property and needed help, his attorney said. 

The Kansas City Police Department has told Fox News Digital no foul play is suspected, and "this case is 100% not being investigated as a homicide." 

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Johnson and Harrington's family members have accused Willis of playing an active role in the deaths, citing discrepancies in his attorney's claims and his career as a scientist with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative's Neutralizing Antibody Center, Schief Lab. 

"The mad scientist agenda is absolutely ridiculous," the source close to the Willis family said. "The fact that he is a scientist is irrelevant.

David Harrington, far left; Clayton McGeeney, second from right; and Ricky Johnson, right, were found dead in their friend's backyard two days after they had gathered to watch a Kansas City Chiefs playoff game. (Ricky Johnson on Facebook)

"What’s probably important to note and maybe a reason why these families are saying they don’t know Jordan: Jordan went to high school with several of these guys. After college, he spent probably close to 10 years in Nashville and San Diego doing his graduate and post-doctorate work," the source said. "He moved back to KC four or five years ago and, at some point, reconnected with his high school friends."

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His three deceased friends were at his house "a lot," the source said, and the four were planning to go to the Chiefs game Jan. 13 with tickets Willis had bought, which "wasn't the first game he'd taken them all to this season."

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The source also addressed questions from the victim's families about how Willis could have stayed in his house for two days without letting his dogs outside and without those dogs finding his friend's bodies. 

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Willis has one dog and his father owns another dog, and it was typical for the dogs to spend the majority of the time at Willis' father's home, according to the source, who said his father is suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Willis' dog is "somewhat of a therapy dog" for his father, the source said. 

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The source confirmed that Willis had moved out of his home on Northwest 83rd Terrace in Kansas City, which he had moved into about six months earlier to live closer to his father and help with his care. 

But that move out of Northwest 83rd Terrace took place after detectives completed their search of the home, the source said, and should not be interpreted as "alarming or suspicious."

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"His house was all over the news," the source said. "Multiple people driving by every day. People are threatening him on the internet, and everyone knows where this house is thanks to the news coverage. After the police cleared the house, and this story became public, Jordan moved out as his privacy and safety were at risk. He’s … still cooperating with police."

The source characterized Willis as a "good guy" who "loves his friends."

"The vitriol is awful, and I think people are afraid to speak up for him because of how vicious people are with these speculations," the source said.