'No body' homicide cases in Georgia

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'No body' homicide cases in Georgia

A look at some of the Georgia homicide cases that have gone to trial despite investigators not finding a body.

Former Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter (shown in a 2024 file photo) secured two "no body" convictions in separate homicides. In 1992, Charles Thomas White III was convicted for the death of Randy Beck. White was sentenced to life in prison, five years before Beck’s remains were found. (Ben Gray for the AJC)

In 1993, a jury convicted Wanda McIlwain of murder in the death her boyfriend, George Fininis. She beat him with a baseball bat.
Investigators proved Fininis was dead after picking up his mattress and “literally the blood ran out of it like a sponge,” former Gwinnett County DA Danny Porter said. (Courtesy of Georgia Department of Corrections)

Shannon Melendi was last seen alive in March 1994. She was 19. In September 2005, a jury convicted Colvin “Butch” Hinton III of her murder. He remains in prison. (Courtesy)

Augusta police began searching for 47-year-old William "Al" Hamilton on Aug. 15, 1998. Rodney Richardson was later convicted of malice and felony murder, first-degree arson, armed robbery, burglary and theft in the slaying. (Courtesy of Georgia Department of Corrections)

Curtis Grayer raped his young stepdaughter and killed her baby, dumping the body in a pond in October 2002. He was convicted in DeKalb County in 2005. (Alexis Stevens/AJC)

Tara Grinstead, an Irwin County High School teacher, was reported missing in October 2005. Two of her former students were later linked to her death. Ryan Duke and Bo Duke were convicted of lesser charges, but not murder. (Courtesy)

Theresa Parker, 41, of Walker County, went missing in March 2007. Her estranged husband Sam, a former LaFayette police officer, was convicted of her murder in September 2009. Her remains were found in 2010. (Courtesy)

Shawndell McLeod, 35, of Lithonia, was last seen alive on Sept. 25, 2011. In 2023, Joyce Marie Pelzer was found guilty of malice murder and felony murder in the kidnapping and death of McLeod. (Courtesy of DeKalb County Police Department)

Sean Macklin’s daughter reported her missing on Nov. 10, 2020. Atlanta police later arrested Macklin’s boyfriend, Anthony Bernard Stokes, and charged him with murder. In 2023, Stokes was convicted of murder.(Courtesy of Atlanta Police Dept.)

Tiffany Foster was last seen alive March 1, 2021. A Coweta County jury recently convicted her killer, Reginald Robertson, of murder. (Courtesy)

Monisha Sharae Leath, of Polk County, was reported missing on the evening of Feb. 24, 2022, after she failed to pick up her children from their elementary and middle schools. In February 2024, her husband, Joseph Jones, was convicted of felony murder and other charges and is serving a life sentence. (Courtesy)

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Credit: Ben Gray

Former Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter (shown in a 2024 file photo) secured two "no body" convictions in separate homicides. In 1992, Charles Thomas White III was convicted for the death of Randy Beck. White was sentenced to life in prison, five years before Beck’s remains were found. (Ben Gray for the AJC)

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'No body' homicide cases in Georgia

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