Cold Case Project | Brunch with law enforcement, support groups - WJBF-TV

EVANS, Ga. (WJBF) – Families of victims of the Cold Case Project met with one another and law enforcement for some encouragement and tips on their path to justice.

It was NewsChannel 6’s first Cold Case Project Brunch, designed to give the families hope and help.

“My sisters have been missing almost 32 years,” said Shanta Sturgis.

One by one they shared their stories once more.

“For 23 years, my sisters’ case went cold. Nobody knew they were missing. Nobody knew their names. Then we got a new sheriff. I called down there. He decided to open their case back up because their case was closed a year after they went missing,” Sturgis told the audience.

Shanta Sturgis is talking about her twin sisters Dannette and Jeanette Millbrook, who have been missing since 1990. The twins and other families featured during the first year of Cold Case Project, NewsChannel 6’s in-depth series on local murdered and missing persons cases, all met in one room together for the first time.

“My father was murdered in 1998,” Diane Ivey Waller said. “My calls for the most part have gone unanswered. I’ve had a few responses but shocked to know that in his file was only a piece of paper with his name and his date of death.”

She’s talking about Rev. James Ivey, killed in Aiken County at his used furniture store in 1998. His daughter, grandson and other loved ones attended the brunch along with Carolyn Bates. Her son Larry Sanders Jr was killed in his Edgefield County home in 2010.

“His door was kicked in and from what I know, two individuals started shooting. One bullet hit him. That’s the bullet that killed him,” Bates said.

Ahead of sharing their loved ones stories, the families heard encouraging words from Pastor Angela C. Harden and received tips from law enforcement, including Burke County Sheriff’s Office Captain Randall Norman, on how they handle cold cases.

GBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Sara Lue, with the Thomson field office spoke. She said, “We work in a lot of rural counties and we receive requests for assistance. And there are certain entities that can request us.”

Lue said not just the sheriff, but other local leaders such as the mayor can tap the GBI to look into a case. She shared other details about how the agency uses technology to track cell phone data, often linked to cars that can tell authorities where someone has been. She said all felons have fingerprints in the system too, a helpful tool that can be used if that evidence is left.

“[If you are a] Family member, victim of a loved one that you’ve lost, raise your hand please…”

And a face many in the cold case community say they desperately need, a victims advocate. Investigator Gladys Mason from Edgefield County Sheriff’s Office told the group the importance of knowing the current investigator of their loved one’s case and keeping their information up-to-date.

“If you change your address, if you move we must know that you’ve moved. Your phone number. Peoples phone numbers change all the time,” said Inv. Mason, Victims Advocate.

And a light of hope came from Andy Cato, who shared his story about how his son went missing and was later discovered murdered. Now, all involved have been convicted and are serving time.

“Every day, pray. Pray for some healing. I would say pray for justice, but I don’t believe justice is fair. You’re never made whole again,” said Cato, who founded Project Drew.

The event was held at Brandon Wile in Evans. Several other groups, including The Fall Line Podcast and Raymond Green International Outreach attended. NewsChannel 6 plans to make the event an annual one.

Photojournalist: Regynal McKie

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source: https://www.wjbf.com/coldcase/cold-case-project-brunch-with-law-enforcement-support-groups/

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