Welcome to the DeKalb County Cold Case Task Force Investigations Page

In early 2022, members of the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office (DKDA) learned that there were 27 people whose remains were housed at the DeKalb Medical Examiner’s Office (DKME) without identification.   The majority of the people in these cases are presumed to be homicide victims.  This is what prompted the establishment of the DeKalb County Cold Case Task Force. 

Early on, the Task Force – consisting of staff from the DA’s Office, the Medical Examiner’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the DeKalb County Police Department, and a private lab partner – applied for grant funding to assist in these efforts.  In October 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice awarded the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office a 3-year Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program grant to identify the remains of these 27 individuals.  To date, the Task Force  has successfully identified several individuals, while also adding more cases for a total of more than 30 cases.   

While working on the unidentified remains cases, the Task Force learned that there are over 600 unsolved homicide cases in DeKalb County.  This prompted the Task Force to apply for additional federal funds in order to work these cases.  In October 2023, the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office received a “Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA” grant from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). 

The goal of this site is to raise public awareness of the Task Force's work so that previously cold cases can be solved and the unknown individuals currently at the ME's Office can be identified and reunited with their families.  

How Can You Help?

There are multiple ways community members can help the DeKalb County Cold Case Task Force:

• Review the Unidentified Remains page, which includes artistic renderings of each unidentified person along with case information detailing where they were found and any distinctive clothing or items located with them.   

• Anyone who recognizes someone or may have information about what happened to them, should please call the Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney's Cold Case Tip Line at 404-371-2444 or email DA_ColdCase@DeKalbCountyGA.gov. 

• Help increase the DNA sampling from our community by donating DNA.  

• Learn more about the Task Force's work by attending an event.  

TIP LINE: 404-371-2444