Photos: The 1970s Flint River Murders on Atlanta's southside

South Fulton County

Five people were killed in a period spanning 1973-77 on Atlanta's southside, with two bodies found in the Flint River.

2003 -- Carl M. Patton, right, with his attorneys at a preliminary hearing in Fayette County for four murders that took place in 1977. (MARLENE KARAS/AJC file)

The Oct. 28, 1978, Atlanta Journal's Metro main story attempted to piece together the strange story of what became known as the Flint River Murders.

Fred Wyatt (left) and Betty Jo Ephlin (right) are suspected to have been murdered by Carl Patton in 1977. Wyatt was Patton's uncle and Ephlin was Wyatt's girlfriend.

Liddie Evans (left) and her boyfriend Joe Cleveland (right). Both are suspected to have been murdered by Carl Patton in 1977.

2003 -- Carl M. Patton, Jr., 53, at left in orange jumpsuit, the suspect in four 1977 murders, is escorted by Fayette County Sheriff's Corporal Jimmy Gunn, right. (Kimberly Smith/AJC staff)

Norma Patton testifies in court against her husband, Carl Patton, who was accused of killing four people. In exchange for her testimony, she was given immunity from accessory to murder charges but was sentenced to 12 months probation and fined $1,000 in Fayette County Superior Court in 2003. (MARLENE KARAS/AJC staff)

2003 -- Fayette County Sheriff Randall Johnson walks across the bridge over the Flint River at the Clayton/Fayette county line. In 1977 four murders took place and the two of the bodies were found here and the case was cracked with DNA evidence in 2003. (MARLENE KARAS/AJC staff)

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Credit: AJC staff

2003 -- Carl M. Patton, right, with his attorneys at a preliminary hearing in Fayette County for four murders that took place in 1977. (MARLENE KARAS/AJC file)

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