Photo courtesy of CBS46 News.
The case of Nacole Smith, the 14-year-old girl who was beaten, raped and shot to death in Atlanta, is being reopened, according to CBS46. The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office reopened the case on June 7, the 26th anniversary of the murder.
Smith was on her way to school when she realized she’d forgotten her science project at home. She walked backed home to get her science project and took a shortcut through the woods. Her body was later found in the wooded area near Campbellton Road. Smith had been beaten, raped and shot two times in the face.
Detective Vince Velazquez was later assigned to the cold case and connected the DNA found on Smith to a rape the attacker committed nine years later. The killer raped a 13-year-old girl who got away. A composite sketch was drawn based on her information, and new age-progression technology was used to update the sketch.
While the DNA matched, authorities couldn’t match it to anyone in the system. Velazquez, who is still on the case, believes that the killer is still committing the same crimes today. He thinks that the killer has gotten away with it because he has learned from his mistakes.
Authorities are currently narrowing down suspects by using DNA evidence to find distant relatives of the killer and re-testing other evidence, including the ballistics. Officials are hoping that re-testing the evidence will lead to a break in the case. Assistant District Attorney Adriane Love said she hopes this year is the year the murder is solved. She also noted that her office now has an entire unit working on cold cases, including Smith’s.
“The brutality in which she was treated likely was the result of the fact that she fought for her life,” said Love.
Acquanellia Smith, Nacole’s heartbroken mother, also commented on her daughter trying to defend herself from her murderer.
“Nacole was a fighter,” she said. “I know she fought that man that day.”
Smith has been waiting 26 long years for her daughter’s murderer to be brought to justice. Every year on Nacole’s birthday, Smith takes purple balloons to the site where she was found. She has never stopped looking for her daughter’s killer and helps to keep her name in the spotlight. She is also in frequent contact with Detective Velazquez.
“So, what kind of mom would I be if I don’t fight to bring this guy to justice,” said a teary-eyed Smith. “It’s just a matter of time. Just a matter of time before I’ll be able to breathe again. So I just keep pushing and keep fighting cause I know she’s watching and saying ‘my mom is going to get him.'”
Smith said to WSBTV that not knowing who killed her daughter is difficult.
“That’s hard,” Smith said. “Trying to live each day not knowing who did it.”
Police are asking anyone with information to contact Atlanta Crime Stoppers.