Plainville, GA Area Cold Cases

Name

Lance Banister

Age

17

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On march 28, 2008, 17-year-old lance banister was found floating in talking rock creek in murray county, ga. He had been missing for over 3 weeks when his body was found.

Agency

Georgia Bureau of Investigation

Name

Patricia Hanlon

Age

53

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

The body of ms. Hanlon was discovered in the bedroom of her apartment by a concerned coworker at approximately 12:00pm on july 27, 2000. Ms. Hanlon had been brutally murdered. The backdoor to ms. Hanlon’s apartment was discovered to be partially opened when her coworker arrived. There were no obvious signs of forced entry into the apartment. Ms. Hanlon appeared to have been deceased for some time prior to her body having been discovered. It is estimated that the murder could have occurred sometime between july 24 and july 27. Ms. Hanlon was wearing bed clothes at the time of her death. Ms. Hanlon’s apartment was in disarray and several items appear to be missing from the apartment.

Agency

Georgia Bureau of Investigation

Name

Robert Woody

Age

31

Cause of Death

Beaten/Stabbing

Info

On wednesday, april 25, 1990, at 1:30pm, the bodies of robert m. Woody and his wife patricia ann woody were found in their single family home on rudy york road just outside the city limits of cartersville. The bodies were discovered by robert's employer who had gone to the home when robert failed to show up for work that morning. Robert had been beaten and stabbed and patricia had been strangled and stabbed. The woody's were last seen alive at 11pm the previous evening, tuesday, april 24, 1990, when they left a friend's residence in patricia woody's car. Investigators think the murders occurred sometime between midnight and 3:00am on april 25, 1990. Because there were no signs of forced entry into the home, investigators believe the assailant knew the victims and that robert was the target of the attacks. Patricia became a victim because of her mere presence in the residence that night.

Agency

Georgia Bureau of Investigation

Name

Stephen Cox

Age

38

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

On the evening of november 18, 2004 stephen "Steve" lankester-cox, was at his mother’s home, 3665 walden lane acworth, ga., when he received a call from an unknown person. During the call cox was overheard by his mother to say that he saw the lights of a vehicle pulling into the drive. Cox left the residence with unknown person(s) and was never heard from or seen again. Cox was 38-years-old when he disappeared.

Agency

Georgia Bureau of Investigation

Name

Walter Cropper

Age

20

Cause of Death

Gun/Firearm

Info

The gbi, adairsville police department and bartow county sheriff's office are seeking information on the murder of a 20 year old federal jobs corps trainee whose body was found near adairsville on october 6, 1992. The victim, walter j. Cropper, was last seen sunday, september 20, 1992 at 1:00 pm in prestonsburg, kentucky. He was seen walking down the road in front of the jobs corps center in prestonsburg. He was to graduate from the jobs corps the next week and return to his home in panama city, florida. On thursday, october 6, 1992, cropper's partially decomposed body was discovered 20 feet from martin luther king, jr., drive which is located about a mile from the intersection of I-75 & highway 140 in adairsville. He had been shot in the chest. Investigators do not believe he was killed at this location. They also think his death occurred the day he disappeared from kentucky - sunday, september 20, 1992. Cropper may have been riding in a 1992 red ford probe. Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the gbi tip line at 1-800-597-tips. Hgt: 5' 8" wgt: 133 lbs. Hair: sandy eyes: blue

Agency

Adairsville Police Department

Name

Patricia Hanlon

Age

53

Cause of Death

Murder

Info

The gbi and the cartersville police department are seeking information into the death of patricia hanlon. The body of ms. Hanlon was discovered in the bedroom of her apartment by a concerned coworker at approximately 12:00pm on july 27, 2000. Ms. Hanlon had been brutally murdered. The backdoor to ms. Hanlon’s apartment was discovered to be partially opened when her coworker arrived. There were no obvious signs of forced entry into the apartment. Ms. Hanlon appeared to have been deceased for some time prior to her body having been discovered. It is estimated that the murder could have occurred sometime between july 24 and july 27. Ms. Hanlon was wearing bed clothes at the time of her death. Ms. Hanlon’s apartment was in disarray and several items appear to be missing from the apartment. A reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators of this crime is being offered by the bartow county crime stoppers program.

Agency

Cartersville Police Department

Name

Robert Woody

Age

31

Cause of Death

Beaten/Battered

Info

Robert m. Woody age: 31 hgt: 5'4" wgt: 161 lbs. Occupation: mechanic at a battery reconditioning business in cartersville found: april 25, 1990 at 1:30pm found by: robert's employer last seen: 11:00pm april 24, 1990 leaving friend's house. On wednesday, april 25, 1990, at 1:30pm, the bodies of robert m. Woody and his wife patricia ann woody were found in their single family home on rudy york road just outside the city limits of cartersville. The bodies were discovered by robert's employer who had gone to the home when robert failed to show up for work that morning. Robert had been beaten and stabbed and patricia had been strangled and stabbed. The woody's were last seen alive at 11pm the previous evening, tuesday, april 24, 1990, when they left a friend's residence in patricia woody's car. Investigators think the murders occurred sometime between midnight and 3:00am on april 25, 1990. Because there were no signs of forced entry into the home, investigators believe the assailant knew the victims and that robert was the target of the attacks. Patricia became a victim because of her mere presence in the residence that night. Anyone with information on these murders or on the woody's is asked to contact the bartow sheriff's office at 770/382-5050 or the gbi tip line at 1-800-597-tips.

Agency

Bartow County Sheriff's Office

Name

Luise Martinez

Age

41

Cause of Death

Gun/Firearm

Info

The gbi and the cartersville police department are seeking information on the murder of a convenience store clerk that occurred during the early morning hours of january 18, 1993, at a magic market on cassville road in the city of cartersville. The clerk, luise martinez, was shot once in the head in an apparent robbery attempt. No money was taken because the cash register could not be opened. Martinez, who was 41 years old, was working in georgia living out of the back of his van trying to support his family who still lived in mora county, new mexico. Martinez had served as a sheriff's deputy there and was a marine veteran, having served two tours of duty in vietnam. Police are seeking three young black males as possible witnesses. The three, in their late teens or early twenties, were seen in the area twenty to thirty minutes before the murder and may have seen the offender(s) arrive at the store. Two were wearing miami hurricane starter jackets and one a university of georgia starter jacket. Contact: anyone with information on the identity of these three individuals or on the murder itself, is asked to call the gbi tip line at 1-800-597-tips.

Agency

Cartersville Police Department

Name

Johnny Jenkins

Age

45

Cause of Death

Gun/Firearm

Info

The bartow county sheriff's office, the georgia state patrol and the gbi are involved in the investigation of the drive-by shooting of a cartersville businessman that occurred around 7:30 wednesday morning, january 20, 1993, onhighway 41 just south of adairsville. The victim, 45 year old johnny mitchell jenkins, owner of jenkins transport in adairsville, was traveling north on highway 41 when he apparently was shot from another vehicle near the intersection of ccc road . Jenkins' vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree, which initially gave the appearance of a routine traffic accident. It was discovered later at floyd medical center that in addition to injuries sustained in the collision, jenkins had been shot several times with a shotgun. Investigators believe this was not a random shooting but a planned hit on mr. Jenkins. They are looking into the possibility that it may be connected to his business dealings. An unusual twist to this case is that a niece (by marriage) of mr. Jenkins was injured in a drive-by shooting that occurred the night of july 21, 1992, around 9:00 p.M. While she was traveling on halls station road from adairsville to her home in kingston. A shotgun was also used in this shooting. Investigators are looking into the possibility of these two shootings being connected. Anyone with information on this shooting is asked to call the gbi tip line at 1-800-597-tips.

Agency

Bartow County Sheriff's Office

Name

Dennis Mangrum

Age

Cause of Death

Murder

Info

On september 21, 2004, dennis mangrum was found murdered and burned to death in a travel trailer at 465 silvers road in chatsworth, georgia.

Agency

Georgia Bureau of Investigation

Name

Johnny Jenkins

Age

45

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Jenkins was shot in a drive-by while traveling north on highway 41. His vehicle struck a tree. Investigators suspect the shooting was a planned attack related to business dealings.

Agency

Georgia Bureau of Investigation

Name

Luise Martinez

Age

41

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Martinez, a convenience store clerk, was shot during an apparent robbery attempt. He was living out of his van to support his family in new mexico. Investigators seek three witnesses seen near the store before the murder.

Agency

Georgia Bureau of Investigation

Name

Walter Cropper

Age

20

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Cropper's body was found partially decomposed near adairsville. He had been shot in the chest. He was last seen in prestonsburg, kentucky, walking near the jobs corps center on september 20, 1992.

Agency

Georgia Bureau of Investigation

Name

Patricia Woody

Age

34

Cause of Death

Strangulation/Stabbing

Info

On wednesday, april 25, 1990, at 1:30pm, the bodies of robert m. Woody and his wife patricia ann woody were found in their single family home on rudy york road just outside the city limits of cartersville. The bodies were discovered by robert's employer who had gone to the home when robert failed to show up for work that morning. Robert had been beaten and stabbed and patricia had been strangled and stabbed. The woody's were last seen alive at 11pm the previous evening, tuesday, april 24, 1990, when they left a friend's residence in patricia woody's car. Investigators think the murders occurred sometime between midnight and 3:00am on april 25, 1990. Because there were no signs of forced entry into the home, investigators believe the assailant knew the victims and that robert was the target of the attacks. Patricia became a victim because of her mere presence in the residence that night.

Agency

Georgia Bureau of Investigation

Name

Patricia Woody

Age

34

Cause of Death

Ligature/Strangulation

Info

Patricia a. Woody age: 34 hgt: 5'1" wgt: 92 lbs. Address: 35 rudy york road, cartersville found: april 25, 1990 at 1:30pm found by: robert's employer last seen: 11:00pm april 24, 1990 leaving friend's house. On wednesday, april 25, 1990, at 1:30pm, the bodies of robert m. Woody and his wife patricia ann woody were found in their single family home on rudy york road just outside the city limits of cartersville. The bodies were discovered by robert's employer who had gone to the home when robert failed to show up for work that morning. Robert had been beaten and stabbed and patricia had been strangled and stabbed. The woody's were last seen alive at 11pm the previous evening, tuesday, april 24, 1990, when they left a friend's residence in patricia woody's car. Investigators think the murders occurred sometime between midnight and 3:00am on april 25, 1990. Because there were no signs of forced entry into the home, investigators believe the assailant knew the victims and that robert was the target of the attacks. Patricia became a victim because of her mere presence in the residence that night. Anyone with information on these murders or on the woody's is asked to contact the bartow sheriff's office at 770/382-5050 or the gbi tip line at 1-800-597-tips.

Agency

Bartow County Sheriff's Office