For decades, many speculated the Ku Klux Klan played a part in the unsolved 1946 mob lynching of two young Georgia couples at Moore’s Ford bridge in Walton County, and now documents reviewed by the AJC give credence to that theory.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation re-opened the cold case 17 years ago and buried in the agency's files is a reference to local Klan rosters unearthed a decade ago. The records reveal at least four suspects from the original FBI investigation were members of the Walton County Klan in the 1930s and 1940s. A fifth man — listed on a 1939 roster as the top local Klan leader — was a prominent white funeral director in Monroe where the victims bodies were first taken immediately after murders.

The AJC discovered the revelation when it gained access to the GBI's 600-page case file. To read more about the investigation into America's last mass lynching go to this link at myAJC.com.

About the Author

Featured

In this file photo from October 2024, Atlanta Braves outfielder Jorge Soler and teammates react after losing to the San Diego Padres 5-4 in San Diego. The Braves and Soler, who now plays for the Los Angeles Angels, face a lawsuit by a fan injured at a 2021 World Series game at Truist Park in Atlanta. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com