For over a decade, authorities have been striving to unravel the mystery surrounding the torture and murder of three individuals discovered deceased in a vehicle in Georgia.
Recently, an assistant principal at an Alabama middle school was among four individuals charged in connection with the crime.
Deputies in Clayton County, Georgia, apprehended Keante Harris last week following a grand jury indictment on three counts of malice murder in the long-standing cold case.
Three additional suspects—Kenneth Thompson, Kevin Harris, and Darrell Harris—were also charged with the same offenses and were arrested across three states without incident, as stated by the sheriff’s office.
Keante Harris is identified as an assistant principal on McAdory Middle School’s website, and his LinkedIn profile indicates he has been employed in the county’s district for nearly six years, holding his current position since January 2023.
These arrests mark a significant step towards resolution in the case, which commenced on January 13, 2013. Officers from Georgia’s Union City Police Department discovered an abandoned 2010 Dodge Charger with three deceased victims inside along I-85 in Fulton County.
An ensuing investigation revealed that the victims had been lured to a residence in Jonesboro, Georgia, where they were forcibly taken inside at gunpoint, tortured, placed in the backseat of the Dodge Charger, and ultimately abandoned in Fulton County.
Eleven years later, Clayton County Police Chief Kevin Roberts and his team provided the district attorney with sufficient evidence to secure murder indictments from the grand jury. The sheriff’s office obtained 12 murder warrants for the four suspects, each facing three charges, on May 8. Within 48 hours, the individuals were apprehended. It remains unclear if the three individuals surnamed Harris who were charged in the case are related.
Walter Gonsoulin, the superintendent of Jefferson County Schools, which includes McAdory Middle, acknowledged Keante Harris’ arrest in a statement to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“At this time, we still are gathering facts about the specifics of this situation,” Gonsoulin told the outlet. “However, early indications are that the charges are not related to this individual’s employment with Jefferson County Schools. Per standard procedure, Mr. Harris has been placed on paid administrative leave. As more facts become available, we will act according to our district’s policy.”
