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Georgia Cold Cases

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Georgia Murders

Numerous law enforcement agencies release information and data on their websites if you’re curious to learn more about the number of murders in Georgia by year. Year after year, the Federal Bureau of Investigation produces a Uniform Crime Report which includes the crimes, crime rates, and crime locations for each state, county, and city across the United States. According to Project: Cold Case, Georgia reports to have had around 33,176 homicides in Georgia from 1980 to 2019. Over the years, 21,694 of the murders had been resolved, leaving approximately 11,482 homicides unresolved in Georgia alone as of their latest update. Project: Cold Case, along with other local and state law enforcement and investigating agencies have lists or databases on their websites which include information regarding most, if not all, unsolved murders in Georgia to date.

Some examples of unsolved murders in northern Georgia, which can be found on various law enforcement websites, include the 1990 murder of Christy Stephens, the 1997 murder of Levi Frady, the 2004 murder of Patrice Endres, and the 2011 murder of Robert Lee Simmons Jr., among many others. Other cases included in these lists are unsolved central Georgia murders, which include the 1987 murder of Brice William Johnson, the 1995 murder of William Shane Edwards, the 1998 murder of Douglas Edgell, and the 2002 murder of Tamekia Jamell Taylor, among others.

Additionally, unsolved murders in Atlanta, Georgia, that can be found included in these databases or lists include the 1973 murder of Sherri Swalley, the 1990 murder of Felecia McGhee, the 1995 murder of Elia Banderas, the 1997 murder of Benita Tolbert, and the 2009 murder of Patrick Boland, among countless others. Finally, also on these lists or databases are the few unsolved murders in Fulton County, Georgia, which include the 2011 murder of Kenneth Eatmon, the 1988 murder of Joshua Randall Harmon, the 1984 murder of Richard Bailey Jr., the 1987 murder of Joann Doyle, and the 1989 murder of Warren R. Jones, among many others.


Unsolved Georgia Murders

According to Project: Cold Case, as of this year, there are roughly 11,482 Georgia cold cases dating back to 1980, meaning homicides that have remained unsolved over time. Several unsolved murders in Georgia can be accessed on the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s unsolved cases website, as well as many state and local law enforcement websites, which can be found organized by law enforcement organizations.

A few of the countless northern Georgia unsolved murders that are listed on this website, along with others, include the 1990 murder of Christy Stephens, the 1997 murder of Levi Frady, the 2004 murder of Patrice Endres, and the 2011 murder of Robert Lee Simmons Jr., among many others. Included among the lists are the many unsolved murders in Atlanta, Georgia, which include the 1973 murder of Sherri Swalley, the 1990 murder of Felecia McGhee, the 1995 murder of Elia Banderas, the 1997 murder of Benita Tolbert, and the 2009 murder of Patrick Boland, among others.

In addition, other examples of unsolved murders in Georgia included in the lists of cold cases or unsolved homicides are the numerous east Georgia unsolved murders. These include the 2001 murder of Robin Reeves Standridge, the 1991 murder of Kirsten Davis, the 1992 murder of David Carl Bertsche, the 1998 murder of Christy Myers, the 2008 murder of William Francis Greenwood, and the 2010 murder of Sandra Latrail Robinson, among many others.


Joseph Smedley
Joseph SmedleySuspicious Death, 2015
Asha Degree
Asha DegreeMissing, 2000

Consider this

More than 200,000 unsolved cases have gone cold since 1980, and murder clearance rates continue to drop. With equity for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other underserved victims not prioritized in the true crime community—together we can do better.

Famous Georgia Murders

Do any specific cases or names come to mind when thinking of famous Georgia murders? The vast majority of the names on the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s unsolved crimes webpage, as well as other law enforcement websites, may sound unfamiliar; however, a handful of the names on the list of all Georgia murders, list of Georgia murders, and notorious Georgia criminals are becoming household names across the state, and even the country.

Some of the most infamous Georgia murders, which remain unsolved today, include the 1979 to 1981 Atlanta Child Murders, the 1972 murder of Debbie Lynn Randall, the 1967 murder of Diane Shields, and the 2016 murder of Randisha Love, among many others. More famous Georgia murders that remain unsolved include the 2004 murder of Patrice Endres, the 2014 double murder of Shirley and Russell Dermond, the 2012 murder of Hannah Truelove, and the 2013 suspicious death of Kendrick Johnson.


Homicide Rate in Georgia

According to the 2019 Uniform Crime Report (UCR) released annually by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the violent crime rate in Georgia was approximately 340.7 per 100,000 residents of the state. In simple terms, this implies that around 341 people per 100,000 inhabitants of Georgia were directly affected by violent crime, which includes rape and sexual assault, assault, burglary, and homicide, in 2019 alone. The homicide rate in Georgia was roughly 6.2 per 100,000 people, as shown by the data released in the same report. This suggests that approximately 6 individuals per 100,000 people in Georgia were murdered in 2019 alone.

Atlanta, Georgia’s capital, is also the state’s largest metropolitan city in the state and is home to more than 5.9 million people. The violent crime rate in Atlanta, Georgia, was roughly 768.79 per 100,000 people in 2018, and the Atlanta, Georgia murders rate was around 17.74 per 100,000 people. Based on previous reports, the homicide rates in both Atlanta and the state of Georgia as a whole appear to be increasing annually.


Fulton County Murders

Fulton County, Georgia, has a population of more than 1.09 million people. In 2016, there were 18 murders in Fulton County, as stated within the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reports, and 17 murders in 2017. As per the website’s historical Uniform Crime Reports, the number of murders in Fulton County has remained pretty stable over the years.

Detectives in certain murder cases are able to gather enough Fulton County murders evidence to charge somebody with the murder and bring them to a Fulton County murders trial. Evidence that is most commonly used during Fulton County homicide trials is entirely based on the nature of the crime itself. For example, blood, hair, fingerprints or other DNA evidence, weapons, witness statements, and most frequently, Fulton County murders crime scene photos, are used to illustrate to the jury the surroundings of the crime scene, the items of evidence found at or near the crime scene, and even show the brutality of the crime itself.


Atlanta, Georgia Murders

Atlanta, Georgia, murders are significantly more common than those in most other Georgia cities, mainly due to its size and population. The majority of both recent and decades-old murders in Atlanta, Georgia, have remained unsolved, although authorities continue to investigate each unsolved homicide using every resource they can. As can be expected, Atlanta murders discussion will continue on social media until the cases are solved. Websites or other social media platforms such as Reddit, Websleuths, and Facebook are home to massive discussions where people speculate and share information concerning Atlanta murders pictures, Atlanta murders crime scene photos, and Atlanta, Georgia, murders autopsy photos, which are rarely made public even after a case is closed.

In the past few years, DNA technology has resulted in the resolution of hundreds, if not thousands, of decades-old cold cases, and Georgia is absolutely not the exception. The following are just a few of the many cases where Atlanta murders DNA has been used to solve cold cases: the 1997 murder of Lorrie Ann Smith, the 2016 murder of Bridget Shiel, and it has also led to the reopening of the 1979 to 1981 Atlanta Child Murders.



Georgia Serial Killers

Throughout history, Georgia has seen more than its fair share of Georgia killers. A handful of the most famous Georgia serial killers can be found on any top ten or other type of serial killer list, including list of serial killers in Georgia as well as Georgia serial killer lists. Georgia’s most well-known serial killers include Carlton Gary, also known as “The Stocking Strangler,” and Michael Terry. A couple of Atlanta, Georgia, serial killers who have not been identified include the “Atlanta Ripper,” who killed almost 20 African-American women from 1911 to 1915, and the Atlanta Child Murderer(s), who were responsible for killing at least 25 African-American children and adults from 1979 to 1981.


Crimes in Georgia

If you’re curious about the statistics regarding crimes in Georgia, a number of law enforcement organizations provide reports, which are often released annually, on their websites that detail the crimes that occur in the state or city. Every year, the Federal Bureau of Investigation publishes a Uniform Crime Report that details the types of crimes, crime statistics, and crime locations in every state, as well as most cities and counties in each state, including a report on crime in Georgia.

Unfortunately, it appears that the number of Georgia homicide and true crime stories in Georgia will never stop. According to Project: Cold Case’s homicide statistics website, there were around 33,176 murders in Georgia between 1980 and 2019. Around 21,694 of the homicides were solved throughout the years, leaving roughly 11,482 unsolved homicides remaining in Georgia alone. Despite all of this, Georgia’s numerous law enforcement agencies will never quit working to solve or bring resolution to all of Georgia’s true crimes, no matter how long it takes.


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Additional Georgia Cold Cases

David AbbottAndrew Acquah-ImbeahJoshua AdamsKamille AdamsMichael AdcockShelia AdkinsEric AhoyaRaymond AkinsJoel AkridgeBrandon AlexanderBrenda Alexander EdmondsonMark AllenEva AllenAlicia Allen-SaltersReyna Alvarado-CarreraGreen AmberGloria BairdTara Louise BakerCarolyn BanksLouis BarberoAlexander BartlettAbul BasharKevin BassAlicia BatesMorgan BauerNatosha BelowMonica BennettMichael BennettPaul BillingsDaniel BirchfieldKyler BlahaApril BlairRobert BoneMonica BowieJazz BoyceHerbert BrandTracy BrandonAshley Britt-WoodsCharles BrockAndrew BrownTerry BrownArtreveon BrownTroy BurnettJamarkus BurnsideLouis BurroughsCecilia BustamanteShirley ButlerSteven ByrdDaniel CableAida CalfeeAntonio CampbellWei CaoStephanie CarrEmma CarrollWilliam CarterDaryl CauthenDejuana CawleyBlake ChappellJuanaliza ChappellRussell ChaseJohnnie ClarkKyle ClinkscalesBridget ClodfelterJohn CloudMay 10, 1984 Cobb County Jane DoeBrandi ColeRhonda Sue ColemanJamaree ColemanAdrienne ColeyMarilyn ColliErin CollierCorey CousinJohn CraftJoseph CrinerRobert CrookJose CruzAdrina Cruz-FariasDymashal CullinsFrances Marie CurfmanAthena CurryHermenegildo Cux MorenteRonald DavisTeresa DeanErnest DemoryMark DewittJessica DietzelDeborah DillDesmond DixSabrina DonaldAnn DormineyCourtney DrakeJames DunnJohn DunnJasmine EarlBecky EdmondsonSadie EdneyMichael EdwardsJames EllisPatrick ElmoreHolly EmmettBetty EmmettPatrice EndresSaulo EstradaCarol EvansDerrick Evans JrDennis FallinWilliam FarrerPatricia FaulknerKenneth FendersonJudson FieldingDiane FieldsFlorentina Flo- CamiloTina ForresterTammy FortsonThomas Funk, Jr.Justin GainesMarjorie GayLisa GeiseEbony GiddensAlvin GiddensDennaia GillespieJohn GladstoneTracie GleasonMonte GloverAmelia GomezMatilde GonzalezJames GramlingRaymond GreenDonald GreenWillie GreenMarion Gresham Sr.Tara GrinsteadDiane GuethTimothy GuyRoy GuytonMelissa HackleSandra HaleWilliam HamiltonCharles HardyJesse HartleyAnthony Haszleton JrJames HegidioBrandon Lee HelmsCrystal HendrixJose HernandezDestiney HicksLaura HillArtdrunetta HobbsBryan HobbsTerri HolifieldTamla HorsfordSherrell HortonLewis HouseRobert HoustonStephanie HowardFredrick HuffmanJanice HughesTyrone HughesLatrease HunterCatrina JacksonJimmy JacksonPatrick JacksonMonica JacksonWillie Jackson, Jr.Douglas Jarmon IIJohn JohnsJimmy JohnsonKendrick JohnsonTareaha JonesTyrone JonesOrlando JordanPatricia JordanJames JoynerPeter JutrasSabah Karriem-ConnerNewanna KelleyKatie KempAyesha KhanFatima KhanThomas KratzerDaniel KwonCASSANDRA LACKEYSandra LandrumCharles LawsonVincent LeagueVirginia LeeDeborah LewisMary LittleSabrina LongEddie LoudNelly LucasJerri LuttrellMariah MackCharles Mack, Jr.Timothy MalpassStacey MartinJames Martin JrDurrel MathesonJimmy MaughonTavis McAlmontCharles McBrideChanceler MccallLogan Mccaskill JrBenjamin MccullersTeresa McDonaldLydia McduffieSean McDuffyDeborah MckneelyShawndell McleodMae McMurphyShannon MelendiMary MergelTwyla MickeyDannette MillbrookJeannette MillbrookJanet MillerDamian MondsDeborah MoodyHelen MorganLena MorrisAlan MorseAlton MossPat MossSarah MurphyAlejandra NavaStacey NeaseCynthia NesmithGregory NicholsonDaryl NicholsonThomas NigroBelinda NorredMarquis NunnallyJeremy OBannonRandall PalmerCarlos ParkerCheryl ParksShy'Kemmia PateMichael PaulSindy Perez-AguilarWanda PerkinsMarcie PetersonMariana PinedaJean PondersMarlon PowellSimon PowellCindy Powers ByrdWarren PresleyKenneth ProffittI Gusti Agung PutraMary RadfordCleveland RakestrawMaria RayWhitney ReddickSusan ReddingHarry Reed, Jr.David ReevesLorrene ReynoldsDonald RiesenWillie RileyMagdalena RiquiousCharles RobertsKeeslyn RobertsBula RobertsonKeith RocheleauTamikqra RogersJimmy RogersBranville RolleAllyson RomedyCharles RomerCatherine RomerMynor Romero MirandaElliott RountreeTerry RouseGordon RowellFelita RuarkSaunders RymerAltomease SalletDanisha SamuelBarbara ShanveriaDa' Wan Shaw-GibsonLaurie SheppaJonathan ShieldsKevin ShurlingJames SisumAlisha SmileyHazel SmithMichael SmithTravis SmithRhonda SmithOliver SmithDale SmithLewis SmithYaris Sochom-GomezByron SpellerTommie StevensonWaymon StewartOswald StewartClyde StewartMelba StriblingJoseph SummerallDurrell SummerourTavish SuttonMaurice TaittTravis TankersleyDevin TaylorJoseph TaylorTrinity TaylorCarlene TengelsenNewman TerrellJeremy ThomasChristopher ThompkinsEdward ThornburgCora TillmanSonie ToeBrianna TreharnHannah TrueloveSonya TukesCorey TurnerNicholas TurnerJoshua UsrySaidi Us SanchezJenna Van GelderenElyssa VasquezCarolina VasquezMarisa VelascoJose VelasquezDethi Veras-ThorntonOctavio Villanueva-GarciaPaula WadeBrandon WadeErroll WagnerMcKenzie WalkerLamar WalkerMark WallerQuinton WallsBrenda WaltersTommy WamplerGrongie WardErnest WardMelanie WarrenRandolph Warr, JRLori WashingtonSamuel WatersMichael WayBrian WehrleJulian WhiteMary WhiteAlaiza WhitlowTiffany WhittonTimothy WilliamsNancy WilliamsMarion WilliamsJonathan WilliamsLisa WilliamsRandy Williams JrLewis Williams,JrNikita WingoAustin WiseDerrick WrightDanny WrightConroy WrightFaustina YanezJames YostChristoph Zahn