Two law enforcement officers & three others arrested in racially motivated cold case
Two people employed with local police departments along with three others in Georgia have been arrested in a “racially motivated” close case murder that happened over three decades ago.
Timothy Coggins body was found in Spalding County on October 9, 1983. The 23-year-old had been “brutally murdered” and died from more than one type of trauma.
Authorities began their investigation, conducting interviews as well as gather Throughout the investigation, “No stone was left unturned,” according to investigators, but the case “went cold” until this March, when “new evidence came to light.”
Once the case was reopened new witnesses came forward, ones who had previously been to afraid to speak out.
Now, five people have been arrested for Coggins murder and two of them are facing murder charges.
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Frankie Gebhardt, 59, Bill Moore Sr., 58, have been charged with murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated battery and concealing the death of another.
Also facing charges are Sandra Bunn and her 32-year-old son, Lamar Bunn, as well as Gregory Huffman, 47. They have been charged with obstruction of justice.
Lamar Bunn worked for the Milner Police Department. “Based on the original evidence recovered in 1983 and new evidence and interviews there is no doubt in the minds of all investigators involved that the crime was racially motivated and that if it happened today it would be prosecuted as a hate crime,” authorities stated.
Coggins family has thanked the investigators for their ongoing effort to bring the killers to justice.
“We know that there’s been tireless nights and we know that you guys have put in so many hours making sure that these people were brought to justice,” the victim’s niece, Heather Coggins said. “The only unfortunate part in this is that our grandparents, Timothy Coggins’ parents are not able to see this today.”
