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Dec. 13 (UPI) -- A Kentucky state representative was found dead Wednesday in an apparent suicide after he was accused of sexually molesting a 17-year-old girl. Police said Dan Johnson, 57, shot himself in the head after driving to the bank of a river in Mt. Washington, Ky. Shortly before he died, Johnson posted a message on Facebook denying the accusations and encouraging people to blame Satan, not the accuser, WDRB-TV reported.
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"The accusations from NPR are false GOD and only GOD knows the truth, nothing is the way they make it out to be. AMERICA will not survive this type of judge and jury fake news," the Republican lawmaker wrote. "Conservatives take a stand. I LOVE GOD and I LOVE MY WIFE, who is the best WIFE in the world,My Love Forever ! My Mom and Dad my FAMILY and all five of my kids and Nine grandchildren two in tummies and many more to come each of you or a total gift from GOD stay strong, REBECCA needs YOU."
Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin confirmed Johnson's death and gave his condolences to his family.
"These are heavy days in Frankfort and in America...May God shed His grace on us all...We sure need it...," Bevin wrote on Twitter.
Johnson, a former pastor, was the subject of an in-depth story by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting, which revealed an accusation that Johnson allegedly fondled and forcibly kissed then-17-year-old Miranda Richmond during a party at Johnson's church. Richmond told KCIR that she was asleep on a couch that night when he awoke to Johnson sexually touching her. She said she told him to stop, but he persisted at first, kissing her and then penetrating her with his finger. She again told him to stop and he finally did, Richmond said.
The next day, Richmond said she received a Facebook message from Johnson, who said he didn't remember everything because he was drugged and apologized for being "mean."
Johnson wrote back: "What you did was beyond mean, it was evil. Drugged or not, I think you know what happened that night and that's why you're sending this message. I never thought something like that would happen to me, especially by someone like you. I looked at you as a Dad, but now I sincerely hope I don't see you again, but I might try to maintain a relationship with your kids. And there is no point in responding to this message either because I don't want to talk about it ever again."
The story also found several inconsistencies in his biography.
One example was a claim Johnson made several times while running for office about watching planes strike the World Trade Center on 9/11, pulling bodies out of the rubble and setting up a morgue during the aftermath. Although photographic evidence points to Johnson being in New York City around the time of the 9/11 attack, KCIR said the New York City medical examiner's office never heard of him.
In his last post on Facebook before apparently taking his own life, Johnson referenced the World Trade Center.
"9-11-2001 NYC/WTC, PTSD 24/7 16 years is a sickness that will take my life, I cannot handle it any longer. IT Has Won This Life . BUT HEAVEN IS MY HOME," Johnson wrote. "PLEASE LISTEN CLOSELY, Only Three things I ask of you to do,if you love me is (1)blame no person,Satan is the accuser, so blame the Devil himself. (2) Forgive and Love everyone especially yourself .(3)most importantly LOVE GOD. P.S. I LOVE MY FRIENDS YOU ARE FAMILY ! GOD LOVES ALL PEOPLE NO MATTER WHAT!"
