Families listen to Johnson's confession

IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. - Scott Johnson pleaded no contest earlier this month to shooting and killing three young adults while they were at a swimming party in the Menominee River last summer.

Monday night, the families of Tiffany Pohlson, Anthony Spigarelli and Bryan Mort heard Johnson's recorded confession to police following his arrest.

"It was beyond anything any of us have really experienced," said the Rev. David Snyder, the pastor for the family of Bryan Mort. "In terms of listening, the way the man thought and planned and some of the rest of that - it was so unreal that it's - nobody operating from this side of that kind of horrible stuff is going to be able to wrap it up rationally and make it neat and clean. It's a bundle that won't ever be put away easily."

Snyder was among about 50 people who gathered to hear law enforcement's recorded interviews with Scott Johnson. Snyder said reactions to Johnson's words included silence, groans, and tears.

"A lot of jaws clenched," Snyder said. "A lot of tight and pained expressions. And I know that some of them were reliving some of that again, but yet hearing it from his lips for the first time and that had to be extraordinarily painful."

Snyder said Johnson's demeanor on the recording was calm but not remorseful.

While families of the victims have learned more about the man convicted of taking the lives of people they loved, Snyder said some questions were answered, but some remain.

"About some of the details of the way his mind worked or what was going on in his head, but in terms of answers," Snyder said. "Why their children or their friends or their boyfriend or girlfriend was chosen and killed, there will never be a satisfactory answer and this, being able to view these transcripts or tapes did not provide it. That will never be answered."

Family members of the victims did not want to comment for this story. FOX 11 contacted Scott Johnson's family and attorney. Neither commented. Johnson's confession is expected to be made public Tuesday.