Two white men reportedly bragged about murdering black man
Two of the suspected murderers in a 34-year cold case reportedly bragged about murdering a Black man for socializing with a white woman.
William Moore Sr. and Frank Gebhardt were charged with the murder of Timothy Coggins, who was murdered at the age of 23. Coggins was stabbed nearly 30 times and dragged behind a pickup truck.
According to Jared Coleman of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the two white men bragged about what they had done.
“They were proud of what they had done. They felt like they were protecting the white race from black people,” Coleman said.
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Coggins’ murder had been a cold case until this March, when, according to the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office, new witnesses came forward.
“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 the crime happened today it would be prosecuted as a hate crime,” the sheriff’s office said in October when the two men were arrested.
Moore and Gabhardt have been charged with murder, aggravated assault, aggravated battery and concealing the death of another. Three others have been charged with obstruction.
A judge ruled on Thursday that there was enough evidence in the case for it to go before a grand jury.
