FROM OUR ARCHIVES: Atlanta’s Tragedy: An Update

A comprehensive study of the Atlanta Child Murders, and the arrest of Wayne Williams, from 1981

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced March 21, 2019, that state and local authorities would take a fresh look at evidence in the cases of Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered Children. The AJC’s Joshua Sharpe reports that “police have made no commitment to actually reopen the decades-old investigation. Instead, the mayor and other officials said last week that the police department, the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation would gather evidence — such as DNA or fibers — still in their possession then determine if any of it can be retested with technologies that weren’t available in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when nearly 30 black children and young adults were killed.” HANDOUT

Wayne Williams, center in dark jacket, was convicted in 1982 of the murders of Jimmy Ray Payne and Nathaniel Cater. He is currently serving two consecutive life sentences for the killings. Williams maintains his innocence. AJC FILE PHOTO

Edward Smith, 14, vanished July 21, 1979, and was found dead of a gunshot wound to the upper back in a wooded area near the body of Alfred Evans. HANDOUT

Alfred Evans, 13, disappeared July 25, 1979. He was killed by strangulation. HANDOUT

Milton Harvey, 14, vanished September 4, 1979. His cause of death is listed as being undetermined. HANDOUT

Yusuf Bell, 9, was the first non-teenaged victim listed among the Atlanta child killer’s victims. He vanished October 21, 1979, and was found dead of strangulation. HANDOUT

Angel Lenair, 12, is one of only two girls listed among Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered Children. She disappeared March 4, 1980, and later was found dead of asphyxiation. HANDOUT

Jefferey Mathis, 10, disappeared March 11, 1980. His cause of death was listed as “undetermined.” HANDOUT

Eric Middlebrooks, 14, disappeared May 18, 1980, and was found bludgeoned to death, HANDOUT

Christopher Richardson, 12, went missing June 9, 1980. He was later found strangled. HANDOUT

The second girl listed among the Missing and Murdered Children, Latonya Wilson, was 7 when she disappeared on June 22, 1980. Her cause of death was listed as undetermined and her case is among those remaining unresolved. HANDOUT

Aaron Wyche, 10, vanished June 23, 1980. His cause of death was asphyxiation. HANDOUT

Anthony Carter, 9, disappeared July 6, 1980. He was found dead of multiple stab wounds. HANDOUT

Earl Terrell, 11, went missing July 6, 1980. He died from asphyxiation. HANDOUT

Clifford Jones, 13, went missing August 20, 1980. He was found dead of strangulation. HANDOUT

Darron Glass, 10, vanished September 14, 1980, and has never been found. His case has been discussed in connection with the child murders, but it remains unresolved. HANDOUT

Charles Stephens, 12, vanished October 9, 1980. He was found suffocated. HANDOUT

Aaron Jackson, 9, went missing November 1, 1980. His cause of death is listed as asphyxiation. HANDOUT

Patrick Rogers, 16, went missing November 10, 1980. He was bludgeoned to death. HANDOUT

Lubie Geter, 14, vanished January 3, 1981. He was later found dead from asphyxiation. HANDOUT

Terry Pue, 15, went missing January 22, 1981, and was later found dead of strangulation. HANDOUT

Patrick Baltazar, 11, disappeared February 6, 1981. He died of strangulation. HANDOUT

Curtis Walker, 15, disappeared February 19, 1981, and was later found dead of asphyxiation. HANDOUT

Joseph Bell, 15, vanished March 2, 1981, and was later found dead. Asphyxiation was listed as the cause. HANDOUT

Timothy Hill, 13, vanished March 13, 1981, and was later found dead from asphyxiation. HANDOUT

William Barrett, 17, is the last listed child or teen victim. He vanished May 11, 1981, and was killed by strangulation. HANDOUT

Eddie Duncan, 21, was the first of the adult victims to go missing. He disappeared March 20, 1981, and was strangled to death. HANDOUT

Larry Rogers, 20, is among the adults believed slain by the Atlanta child killer. He went missing March 22, 1981, and was later found strangled. HANDOUT

Michael McIntosh, 23, another of the adult victims, went missing March 25, 1981. He was later found dead, asphyxiated. HANDOUT

Jimmy Ray Payne, 21, is one of two men whom Wayne Williams was convicted of murdering. Payne vanished April 23, 1981, and was killed by asphyxiation. HANDOUT

John Porter, 28, went missing in April 1981 and was found dead of multiple stab wounds. His is one of two cases never officially listed as being part of the original Missing and Murdered crimes, although his death has been discussed in connection with the killings. HANDOUT

Nathaniel Cater, 27, is the second man Williams was found guilty of murdering. He vanished May 22, 1981, and was later found asphyxiated. Cater’s is the last case listed as being associated with the Atlanta Child Murders. HANDOUT

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Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced March 21, 2019, that state and local authorities would take a fresh look at evidence in the cases of Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered Children. The AJC’s Joshua Sharpe reports that “police have made no commitment to actually reopen the decades-old investigation. Instead, the mayor and other officials said last week that the police department, the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation would gather evidence — such as DNA or fibers — still in their possession then determine if any of it can be retested with technologies that weren’t available in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when nearly 30 black children and young adults were killed.” HANDOUT

By Mandi Albright

June 18, 2021

Presented here, in full, is the special report “Atlanta’s Tragedy: An Update,” which ran in the combined June 28, 1981, Journal-Constitution Sunday edition. Included is the original front page story and the story package from the Perspective section.

READ THE ORIGINAL SPECIAL REPORT BELOW: To zoom in on the story, click the three bars at top right. Then click “Original Document (PDF).”

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES: Main story | Victim profiles | Case chronology | Interactive map | Complete coverage