3 men found dead outside Kansas City home after reportedly gathering to watch football game

Authorities in Kansas City, Missouri are investigating after the bodies of three men, who reportedly gathered to watch football, were found outside a home last week on a day when forecasters said the temperature dipped well below freezing.

The men, all between ages 36 and 38, were found dead the evening of Jan. 9 at a house in Northland, a northern suburb of Kansas City in Platte County, the Kansas City Police Department told USA TODAY.

On Tuesday, police said, officials from multiple agencies were working to determine how the men died.

A spokesperson with Forensic Medical of Kansas, located in Kansas City confirmed the dead as Ricky Johnson, 38, David Harrington, 37, and Clayton McGeeney, 36.

According to information from police Capt. Corey Carlisle, on the day they were discovered, the fiancé of one of the men visited the home to check on him, found a body on the back porch and called 911.

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Police: 'No obvious signs of foul play'

Officers responded to the scene at 9:51 p.m., police said, confirmed there was a dead body and upon further investigation, located two other dead bodies in the backyard.

There were no obvious signs of foul play "observed at or near the crime scene," according to police.

Officials have not released how long they suspect the men had been dead or how they may have died.

The cause of death will be determined by a medical examiner, police Sgt. Jake Becchina told USA TODAY in an email.

A medical examiner spokesperson told USA TODAY autopsies were conducted on all three men and results were pending in their respective cases on Tuesday. Toxicology test results were also not yet available.

Becchina said the resident at the house was cooperative with detectives the day the men were found dead. Officials have not released information about the resident due to the ongoing investigation.

As of Tuesday, no arrests had been made and no charges had been filed in the case, police said,

"This case is 100% not being investigated as a homicide," Becchina said.

A Platte County Prosecutor's Office spokesperson did not immediately respond to USA TODAY.

'His friends froze to death'

Before the bodies were discovered, Harrington's mother, Jennifer Marquez, said her son, went to a friend’s house to watch the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers NFL game on Jan. 7, WDAF-TV reported.

The low temperature on game day was 29 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.  On Jan. 8, the low was 32 degrees; and the low on Jan. 9 was 18 degrees.

The person who lives in the home, the outlet reported, said the man allegedly told police "his friends froze to death."

Police said they could not say what date the men visited the home or why the person in the home did not contact police to report the bodies.

"These details would be part of the ongoing investigation which is not publicly available at this point," Becchina said.

"Everybody is furious,” Marquez told the outlet, adding her son was a funny, loving man who is also survived by a brother and sister. “Nobody believes this story. None of his friends, none of the families.”

'An adored father'

According to a fundraiser created by Johnson's niece, Stephanie Walling, the men were all friends.

She described her uncle as "an adored father to his three beautiful daughters, but also a cherished son, brother, uncle, and friend."

 "This tragedy has left our family utterly devastated and mourning a tremendous loss," Walling wrote on the page created to help family with funeral expenses.

As of Tuesday the effort had raised more than $3,600 of a $6,000 goal.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.