The body of a Black man who died at a party in rural Kansas more than 16 years ago has been exhumed as federal authorities continue to investigate his death as a possible hate crime. The body of Alonzo Brooks was exhumed from a Topeka cemetery. Brooks was 23 when he disappeared after attending a party near La Cynge in May of 2004. His family later found his body in a creek near where the party was held.
The FBI reopened the investigation in 2019, and in June of this year offered a $100,000 reward for information. Federal authorities say Brooks’ death was possibly racially motivated. He was one of only three Black people at a party attended by about 100 people.
Brooks' family have said new tips have come in since the case was featured recently on the Netflix reboot of the television show Unsolved Mysteries.