Where is Joan Berry now? Details explored ahead of 20/20 on ABC
For nearly twenty years, Joan Berry has turned her heartbreak into a mission of advocacy and service. Her daughter, Johnia Berry, a bright graduate student at the University of Tennessee, was brutally killed in her Knoxville apartment in 2004. The shocking loss devastated the local community and left investigators searching for answers.
It took years before authorities identified Taylor Lee Olson through DNA evidence and charged him with Johnia’s murder. Before he could face trial, Olson took his own life in jail, leaving behind unanswered questions about whether he acted alone. Joan Berry never let the grief stop her.
Joan is still residing in Tennessee and has fought to create real change. She helped pass the Johnia Berry Act, a law that requires DNA collection from anyone arrested for a violent felony. She also started the Johnia Berry Toy Drive, a project that continues to bring hope to children in need every holiday season.
In 2025, Joan’s story and her daughter’s case will be revisited on 20/20 on ABC, airing Friday, May 9 from 9:01 to 11:00 p.m. EDT and streaming the next day on Hulu.
In 2023, Joan Berry released The Johnia Berry Story and advocates for DNA laws and victims' rights
Joan Berry, who still resides in Tennessee, has remained deeply involved in preserving her daughter’s legacy and fighting for victims’ rights. Nearly two decades after Johnia Berry’s tragic murder, Joan continues to lead efforts to support families impacted by violent crimes.
In 2023, she published The Johnia Berry Story: My Journey for Justice for Johnia, a memoir recounting her emotional path from grief to advocacy. Alongside writing, she is an active member of the Surviving Parents Coalition, where she pushes for stronger DNA arrestee legislation.
The horrifying crime that changed Joan Berry's life occurred on December 6, 2004. Around 4 a.m., an intruder entered Johnia’s Knoxville apartment. Initially seeking car keys, the assailant entered her bedroom and brutally stabbed her.
Despite her grave injuries, Johnia managed to escape and knock on neighbours' doors, yet no one responded. She later collapsed and was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to a Knox News report dated March 13, 2015.
A break in the case came after years of frustration
Authorities faced major challenges during the investigation. Early suspicion fell on Johnia's roommate, Jason Aymami, who was also stabbed but survived. However, he was eventually ruled out as a suspect after passing polygraph tests.
The trail remained cold until 2007, when a tip connected to a composite sketch led investigators to Taylor Lee Olson. Olson, already on probation for unrelated crimes, agreed to DNA testing after being arrested. Results showed a match with DNA left at the crime scene, according to the Times News report dated September 24, 2007.
After questioning, Olson admitted to breaking into the apartment, claiming the stabbing was unintentional. “I can’t believe this happened,” he reportedly told police during his confession.
Prosecutors charged him with first-degree murder, but Olson died by suicide in his jail cell in 2008 before standing trial. In letters found after his death, Olson accused another man, Noah Cox, of being involved. However, prosecutors declined to charge Cox due to a lack of physical evidence.
Joan Berry turned her grief into action and advocacy
Following the tragedy, Joan Berry became a driving force for legal reform in Tennessee. Working with lawmakers, she helped pass the Johnia Berry Act in 2007. The law requires individuals arrested for violent felonies to provide a DNA sample, improving the ability to solve such cases more efficiently.
Her advocacy did not stop there. Joan also became a vocal supporter of Marsy’s Law, pushing to enshrine victims' rights in the Tennessee Constitution. She wrote in an opinion piece published by Knox News on May 31, 2023,
"Victims of crime should have rights, and it's time to ensure they do,"
In addition to legislative work, Joan remains active in community service. She organises the annual Johnia Berry Toy Drive, which has grown significantly and serves thousands of children each year in East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and western North Carolina. As cited in the WJHL report dated November 8, 2023, she explained,
“Staying busy is my thing. I need to be busy. I don’t have time, you know, for downtime. And it’s hard enough anyway, and I’ll always be sad, but keeping busy is my thing, is the thing that’s that’s worked best for me over the years."
Her journey and tireless dedication will now be revisited in 20/20 on ABC, which will air a detailed special titled Blood on the Door on May 9, 2025. The episode will explore the harrowing details of the case and Joan Berry’s relentless pursuit of justice.
Stay tuned for more updates.
