Catfish John Keenan Found Dead in Raleigh
-> Read our 5-part Kristal Reisinger investigation
By Be Scofield
Cult reporter mentioned in NYTimes & Rolling Stone
September 23, 2022
Lt. Morrison of the Raleigh police department has confirmed to me that John Patrick Keenan was found dead on September 22nd, 2022. “His friend Tyler was on scene,” Lt. Morrison said during an interview. “There was a lot of drug paraphernalia in the apartment where John was found.” Due to the ongoing investigation Lt. Morrison cannot discuss further details.
The office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Raleigh confirmed that they have the body of John Keenan in their possession.
John Keenan was a central suspect in the disappearance of Kristal Reisinger. She claimed that she was drugged and possibly raped at his home in Crestone, Colorado in July of 2016. She returned home and then disappeared just days later. The police suspected foul play but no one was ever charged.
The case was made popular by Payne Lindsey’s Up and Vanished Podcast and later, my 5-part series. In part II of the series, I did an in-depth investigation into Catfish John Keenan, reporting that he held several women at gunpoint. I also included video I took in his basement.
The story received widespread news coverage including on the Dr. Phil show. I reported that Reisinger had been pushed off a balcony at Catfish’s home by “Dready” Brian Otten. She was then seen twitching on the floor and it was believed that she was then killed.
On March 29th, 2022 Catfish John Keenan was arrested in Raleigh for possession of schedule II and IV drugs. Three months later in June he was arrested for heroin and meth possession. In 2019 he was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon and possession of meth in Raleigh. I reported that Keenan was a known drug user and dealer in Crestone.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned for updates.
