Union City, GA – A former assistant principal from Alabama has been arrested and charged with murder in connection to a cold-case triple homicide that occurred over a decade ago. Keante Harris, 45, was taken into custody last week with three other individuals for their alleged involvement in the killings that took place in Union City, Georgia in January 2013.
The victims, identified as Cheryl Colquitt-Thompson, 32, Quinones King, 33, and Rodney Cottrell, 43, were reportedly lured to a home, where they were forced inside at gunpoint by the suspects, according to the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office. The victims were then subjected to torture and subsequently found dead inside a 2010 Dodge Charger, which was abandoned on an I-85 exit ramp in Fulton County.
Keante Harris, who currently works as an assistant principal at McAdory Middle School in Birmingham, Alabama, has been placed on administrative leave following the charges. While the duration of Harris’ tenure as an assistant principal is unclear, his social media accounts indicate that he has been working as an educator since 2006. Superintendent Walter Gonsoulin of Jefferson County Schools stated that the charges are not believed to be related to Harris’ employment at the school district.
The investigation into the triple homicide remained unsolved for over 11 years until Harris and the three other suspects – Kenneth Thompson, Kevin Harris, and Darrell Harris – emerged as potential suspects in the case. Last week, they were apprehended in three separate states and now face three counts each of malice murder.
Law enforcement authorities have not yet disclosed any information regarding the connection between Harris and the other suspects, as well as their alleged involvement in the 2013 triple homicide. The investigation is ongoing, with further details expected to be revealed as the case progresses.
The arrest provides a glimmer of hope for the families of the victims, who have been waiting for justice for more than a decade. However, the motive behind the killings and additional pertinent information have not been disclosed by the authorities at this time.