Clayton News Daily

By Daniel Silliman

dsilliman@news-daily.com

Homicide detectives can't undo the crimes they investigate.

A burglary detective can return property to its rightful owner, a narcotics agent can seize illegal drugs, but even when homicide detectives do their best work, the murdered are still dead, the victim's family still mourns and the tragedy remains.

The Clayton County Police Department's homicide detectives cite the mantra, "Closure -- Every victim's family deserves closure."

Sometimes, despite best efforts, cases go cold. Of the 43 homicides in 2007, 13 are still unsolved. Here are a few of those cases:

Jennifer Lee Chambers, a 17-year-old Jonesboro girl, was found murdered, burned and dumped, on Sept. 1, in the woods near Shamrock Lake. She was identified by dental records.

Clayton County detectives began looking into the teen's troubled past -- sexual abuse, drug abuse and prostitution -- and the investigation focused on her boyfriend, an older Hispanic immigrant known as "Miguel Ramirez." The man had reportedly contracted HIV AIDS from the girl, and disappeared before her body was found.

Ramirez has not been found and detectives have reason to believe that Miguel Ramirez may not be his real name. No other suspects have emerged, in the investigation.

Gregory Foldenaur, a 52-year-old banker, was shot to death in his driveway on Woodside Lane, at 2:30 a.m., June 27. His wallet was missing, and detectives believe the murder was robbery-related.

Though they suspect a male and female arrested for armed robberies may have murdered Foldenaur, no evidence connects anyone to the murder.

Harold L. Anderson was shot to death while walking along Mt. Zion Road, at 2 a.m., Oct. 4. The 51-year-old lived in an extended-stay motel and detectives don't know why he was killed.

Witnesses saw an orange Chevrolet HHR, and the make and model of the car is, so far, the only lead in the shooting.

Raymond Sanchez, Jr., 18, was found dumped near a ball field in northern Clayton County on Oct. 3. Forest Park Police determined he was murdered in front of 4510 Old Jonesboro Road. Why he was killed and who killed him still remain unclear.

Forest Park Police named four persons of interest -- Abel Nava-Uribe, 27, Alejandro Figueroa Benitez, 26, Rogelio Figueroa, 35, and Maria Melendez Flores, 27 -- but they have not been located. The case remains unsolved.

Jermale Liston January, 30, of New York, was shot in the head, on Jan. 3. He described his attacker to Clayton County Police, and acted like the shooting was a robbery, but nothing was taken from the home. Detectives believe the shooting was drug-related, but couldn't find anyone fitting the attacker's description.

January's family mysteriously refused to work with detectives, even refusing to talk to them, and moved back to New York, with the case unsolved.