A former Wisconsin store owner and local TV gardening expert was attacked in Antigua just before the holidays.
On December 19, 2025, around 11 a.m., Karen Johannsen66, was allegedly struck in the head by an unnamed male suspect while on a horseback excursion around the island, an injury that eventually led to his death, according to reports.
“The victim was transported by Emergency Medical Services to the Sir Lester Bird Medical Center where he was treated for serious head injuries,” the Royal Antigua and Barbuda Police Force said in a statement. press release published on December 27. “She was subsequently flown to the United States for further medical attention.”
Despite receiving medical attention for days after the initial attack, Johannsen was pronounced dead at 22:17 local time on 26 December 2025. According to the Royal Police Force, a suspect in connection with the incident has been taken into police custody and is currently “assisting” authorities with their ongoing “investigations”. No further information was released on the description or identity of the male suspect.
“The police administration extends its condolences to the family and loved ones of Karen Johannsen for her tragic passing,” the statement concludes.
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It’s unclear whether Johannsen was living on the Caribbean island or simply visiting at the time of his death, but based on his social media posts, it appeared he at least occasionally traveled to the island.
In October, the gardening expert shared a photo of herself via Facebook lounging on a beach chair with a tropical drink in hand. In the picture, she wore a pink and purple floral print dress and sunglasses as she smiled at the camera.
“Facing another beautiful day in Paradise,” she captioned the snap. “Mom always said there would be days like these… Thanks Mom.”
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In the wake of her death, Johannsen is remembered by locals in Wisconsin for her many appearances News 3 Now“Green Gardener” segment, during which he shared various facts about plants and gardening tips and tricks. He also worked at his family garden center, Johannsen’s Greenhouse, in Madison, Wisconsin, alongside his brothers, Lyn and Gary, a business that was founded by their father in the late 1950s. However, the store finally closed its doors for good in 2013.
“My dad never had the vision,” Karen told News 3 Now at the time. “You know, it was a cute little business and he loved it, but he never realized what was going to happen. What my mom and my brother and my sister and I did, we literally had 20 pounds of stuff in a 5-pound bag and we made it work.”
Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is asked to contact the Department of Criminal Investigations at 268-462-3913 or call the Crime Stoppers anonymous hotline at 1-800-TIPS (8477).
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