Crime Junkie
Crime Junkie
"The autopsy report revealed that the victim likely died about 36 hours before his body was discovered. So that would have been the night of Friday, October 7. They still don't know who this guy is." — Ashley Flowers
"So the people who are supposed to be seeking justice for Timothy and protecting the black community are literal clan members, it's not hard to see why this case got shut down right when Oscar was on the verge of breaking things wide open." — Ashley Flowers
"There had been so many obstacles along the way, but after the well, we knew we got him." — Marie Broder (Assistant District Attorney)
The episode meticulously chronicles the tragic story of Timothy Coggins, a young black man murdered in October 1983 in Griffin, Georgia. His body was discovered mutilated and bearing symbols indicative of a hate crime. The initial investigation, hampered by racial tensions and a likely lack of diversity within the Spalding County Sheriff's Department, failed to identify the victim for days. The arrival of Officer Oscar Jordan, a black officer, proved crucial in identifying Timothy and building early leads, including identifying potential witnesses and suspects such as Frankie Gebhardt, Mickey Guy, and Bill Moore. However, Jordan was controversially pulled from the case, and the investigation stalled for decades, with evidence also going missing.
Years later, the case was re-examined by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), with Special Agent Jared Coleman leading the charge. This renewed investigation uncovered a disturbing pattern of inadequate inquiry, including a missed lead from a prison inmate and the discovery of a 1982 KKK informant notebook within the Sheriff's department archives, suggesting deep-seated infiltration. The investigation gained significant traction when Christopher Vaughn, who was present at the crime scene as a child and heard a confession, came forward. This, combined with information from other witnesses, began to paint a clearer picture of the motive, reportedly stemming from an affair between Timothy and Frankie Gebhardt's girlfriend, Mickey Guy, and Frankie's rage.
The renewed investigation culminated in the arrests of Frankie Gebhardt and Bill Moore in 2017. Key evidence was eventually recovered from a well on Gebhardt's property, including a partially burned shirt with stab wounds, a knife, and a shoe that potentially belonged to Timothy. Despite the challenges of lost physical evidence and witness credibility, the prosecution built a strong case based on witness testimony, including confessions and boasts by Gebhardt. Frankie Gebhardt was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years, while Bill Moore pleaded guilty to lesser charges and received a 20-year sentence. The episode concludes by emphasizing the systemic issues that delayed justice and highlights the work of organizations like the Black and Missing Foundation to promote diversity and equity in criminal justice.