4 friends. 3 deaths, 9 months later: What killed Kansas City Chiefs fans remains a mystery

As the NFL prepares to kick off its season with the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Baltimore Ravens Thursday, a police investigation involving three football fans found dead in a Kansas City-area yard nearly nine months ago remains open, officials said.

At the end of last season, Ricky Johnson, 38, David Harrington, 37, and Clayton McGeeney, 36, died under mysterious circumstances. The trio was found dead outside their friend's Missouri home Jan. 9 − two days after the Kansas City Police Department reported they met to watch the Chiefs regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Chargers.

On Wednesday, less than 24 hours before a new NFL season begins, neither police investigators nor county officials have revealed what what happened to the three long-time high school friends.

But they know.

Despite their completed autopsies, their official cause and manner of death has not been publicly released - a task that typically takes six to eight weeks to be completed.

For months, some of the victims' family members have speculated the men died due to a drug overdose - potentially one involving fentanyl, a synthetic opioid approved for treating pain often laced into cocaine and other illicit recreational drugs.

Here's what to know about the nearly nine-month-old long pending case and when the results might become available:

What's the latest in the investigation?

On the night of the game, Jan. 7, temperatures dipped to 29 degrees, the National Weather Service reported.

Some 48 hours later, police reported, officers received a call from McGeeney’s fiancée who said she visited the home after not hearing from him and, when no one answered the door, broke inside and found a dead body out back. When officers arrived, they also found two other men dead in the backyard.

On Wednesday, Kansas City police spokesperson Jacob Becchina said no new information had been released publicly in the case. He also confirmed to USA TODAY KCPD was currently the only law enforcement agency handling the case.

Lauren McDaniel, with Forensic Medical in Kansas City − where the postmortem exams were conducted −on Wednesday confirmed yet again, the results remained sealed under Missouri law.

Platte County District Attorney Eric Zahnd, who could not immediately be reached Wednesday, previously told USA TODAY releasing their results could constitute a misdemeanor charge. The top prosecutors said both police and prosecutors "want to rule out any potential criminal conduct" in the case.

Zahnd also said autopsy and toxicology results in the case can remain closed until the case becomes inactive, someone is criminally charged and convicted in the case or the statute of limitations to file charges expires.

Kansas City triple death investigation:Parents of man found dead outside home speak out on what they think happened

Defense attorney said he expects break in case soon

The home where the men were found is rented by a 38-year-old scientist who lives alone and works remotely for a New York hospital, according to the man's Kansas City-based lawyer, John Picerno.

USA TODAY is not naming the man who lives in the home where the bodies were found because he has not been charged with a crime.

The man's attorney also questions why it is taking so long to release the information.

"They will also not let me see the autopsies," Picerno told USA TODAY Wednesday. "I don't know if they froze to death or died from drugs. They could have taken drugs and gone outside and froze to death."

He did say he expects a break in the case soon.

Picerno maintains his client had nothing to do with the men's deaths.

"I expect some action to happen in the very near future, but I don't know what it is," Picerno told USA TODAY Wednesday. "I can say: I do not anticipate my client will be charged with felony murder or any type of homicide. I am confident of that."

'A coroner's report... is not purely an investigative record'

Calling it "unfortunate," Kansas City Missouri-based Attorney Dan Curry confirmed Missouri case law shows a coroner's report can be an investigative record, and investigative records can be closed as long as the investigation is pending. 

"In this case, the investigation has been pending for a very long time," Curry said Wednesday. "A coroner's report is not in my opinion purely an investigative record. It is also an historical record that lets the public know about the circumstances of death.  The law does allow an interested party to file an action asking the Court to release information from an 'investigative record.' However, that requires time and resources that many people do not possess."

'An unusually lengthy delay which warrants an explanation'

Florida-based criminal defense Attorney Colleen Glenn told USA TODAY while it's essential criminal investigations be conducted to protect rights of all parties involved, suggesting the men's deaths are linked to narcotics distribution "carries serious implications, and conclusions must be drawn from facts, not assumptions."

Glenn, who has practiced law for 21 years, said the significant delay in releasing autopsy, toxicology, and police reports suggests a thorough investigation is underway.

"However, the right of the deceased's families to receive answers and closure should not be neglected," Glenn said. "Withholding this information for nine months appears to be an unusually lengthy delay which warrants an explanation to these families and the public."

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.