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A former Wisconsin store owner and local television gardening expert was attacked in Antigua just before the holidays.
On December 19, 2025, around 11 a.m., Karen Johannsen, 66, was allegedly hit on the head by an unnamed male suspect while on a horseback riding tour on the island — an injury which eventually resulted in her death, according to reports.
“The victim was transported by Emergency Medical Services to the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, where she was treated for serious head injuries,” the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda said in a press release published on December 27. “She was subsequently airlifted to the United States to receive further medical care.”
Despite receiving medical attention for days after the initial attack, Johannsen was pronounced dead at 10:17 p.m. local time on December 26, 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 regarding the description or the identity of the male suspect.
“The Police Administration expresses condolences to the family and loved ones of Karen Johannsen on her tragic passing,” the statement concluded.
It is unclear if Johannsen was living on the Caribbean island or simply visiting at the time of her death but based on her social media posts, she seemed to at least travel to the island on occasion.
Back in October, the gardening expert shared a photo of herself via Facebook lounging on a chair on the beach with a tropical drink in hand. In the picture, she wore a pink and purple, floral-patterned dress and sunglasses as she smiled for the camera.
“Toughing out another beautiful day in Paradise,” she captioned the snapshot. “Mama always said there would be days like these…Thanks Mom.”
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In the wake of her death, Johannsen is being remembered by Wisconsin locals for her many appearances on News 3 Now’s “Green Gardener” segment, during which she shared assorted facts about plants and tips and tricks of gardening. She also worked at her family garden center, Johannsen’s Greenhouse, in Madison, Wisconsin, alongside her siblings, Lyn and Gary — a business that was founded by her father in the late 1950s. However, the store eventually closed its doors for good in 2013.
“My dad never really 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, [my] brother and 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 may help the investigation is asked to contact the Criminal Investigations Department at 268-462-3913 or call the Crime Stoppers anonymous hotline at 1-800-TIPS (8477.)
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
