A month after a restaurant manager was shot and killed inside her job, Atlanta police have matched DNA from evidence at the crime scene to a potential suspect.
Atlanta police Chief Erika Shields said officers are close to making an arrest in the brutal murder of Chelsea Beller, Channel 2 Action News reported. Beller, 29, was shot and killed Nov. 19 after she opened a safe for thieves inside the Barcelona Wine Bar on Howell Mill Road.
Three men rushed in as the restaurant was closing and tied up the employees with electrical tape, Atlanta police said at the time. Beller was shot in the shoulder and taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where she died.
Atlanta police found a black “Switch” brand jacket with the number 88 and a black “S” on it worn by one of the suspects.
“The good news is we did get a DNA hit,” Shields told Channel 2, “and what that means is we got DNA back on someone who is already in the system. They are on file.”
Shields did not elaborate on when an arrest would be made, nor did she release the identity of the suspect.
A $33,000 reward is being offered for any information leading to arrests and indictments in the case. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers Atlanta by calling 404-577-8477, texting information to 274637 or visiting crimestoppersatlanta.org. Tipsters can remain anonymous.
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