Texas judge Kelli Johnson's  brother reveals the real reason she disappeared after 'horrific murder case left her 'haunted'

A Texas judge who vanished from the courtroom after presiding over some of the state's biggest trials was placed on medical leave, according to her family. 

Local rumors started to swirl about Harris County Judge Kelli Johnson after she was noted as being absent from the 178th District Courthouse since May 1.  

Her absence led to speculation about her mental health with one courthouse employee telling local news station KTRK she exhibited 'manic behavior.' 

Despite the rumors, her brother Clay Johnson told The Daily Beast that his sister was 'fine' and that her family and wife were in 'daily contact with her'. 

He told the outlet: 'She’s not missing, she’s on medical leave. She’s in touch with the family, and everything is fine, and that’s about all I can say.'

Local rumors started to swirl about Harris County Judge Kelli Johnson after she was noted as being absent from the 178th District Courthouse since May 1 

She is the first openly gay female judge elected in Harris County and has two sons, a 12-year-old and 10-month-old, with her wife Hilary Bartlett, all seen here

As a judge, she serves as the Administrative Judge over the Criminal Board and is on the State of Texas’ Board of Texas Association of Specialty Courts 

A Houston police report obtained by KTRK revealed Johnson was involved in an incident near her home on May 4.

An officer cited a 'disturbance/CIT' on the report, which is a police acronym for crisis intervention.

Visiting judges have been covering Johnson's court docket, including retired Judge Jim Wallace presiding over a trial in her place.

Johnson oversaw several of the state's major trials and convicted a man of capital murder for the 2020 beating death of an eight-year-old boy in April. 

Johnson is one of Harris County's longest-serving current judges, she was first elected in 2016 and voted in for a second term in 2020.

She is the first openly gay female judge elected in Harris County and has two sons, a 12-year-old and 10-month-old, with her wife Hilary Bartlett, according to her biography.

Johnson previously served as an Assistant District Attorney for 17 years and got her law degree from South Texas College of Law.

As a judge, she serves as the Administrative Judge over the Criminal Board and is on the State of Texas’ Board of Texas Association of Specialty Courts.

Her last Facebook post on her official account was April 19 inviting constituents to attend a fundraiser for democratic criminal court judicial candidates.

Visiting judges have been covering Johnson's court docket, including retired Judge Jim Wallace (pictured) presiding over a trial in her place

Johnson (center left) is one of Harris County's longest-serving current judges, she was first elected in 2016 and voted in for a second term in 2020

In April, after 20 minutes of deliberation by the jury, Brian Coulter, 34, was found guilty of capital murder for beating his girlfriend's eight-year-old son, Kendrick Lee, to death in 2020, leading to Johnson sentencing him to life in prison.

'This is probably one of the most horrific set of facts that I have ever had to witness, to listen to and to imagine,' Johnson said during her sentencing.

'Sir, those children have haunted me this last week. I hope, sir, when you're in prison, those same boys that have haunted my mind haunt yours.'

Coulter will serve life in prison for beating the child to death inside the couple's apartment at CityParc II complex in Houston on November 20, 2020.

Prosecutors said after beating the boy to death, Coulter and his girlfriend, Gloria Williams, moved out of the apartment and left her other three sons to live alone with Lee's remains. 

Coulter (pictured) will serve life in prison for beating the child to death inside the couple's apartment at CityParc II complex in Houston on November 20, 2020

Johnson presided over all three trials of the son of a former NFL player, AJ Armstrong (pictured), who was convicted of killing his parents as a 16-year-old in 2016

Johnson presided over all three trials of the son of a former NFL player who was convicted of killing his parents as a 16-year-old in 2016.

After two mistrials, Antonio Armstrong Jr. - AJ - was found guilty of murdering his parents, Dawn and Antonio Sr. in August.

Antonio Sr. was a former linebacker for the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers.

In 2016, Dawn and Antonio Sr. were each shot in the head, with pillows placed over their faces, as they slept in their Texas home.