Joshua Harmon, aged 8, was declared missing in Roswell, Georgia on May 15, 1988. His body was found in a wooded area near his family's apartment complex two days later. Despite considerable attention to Harmon's murder at the time, the case went unresolved. Recently, Harmon's family permitted the exhumation of his remains earlier this year. Advances in DNA analysis of evidence from the crime scene identified a match to James Michael Coates, a convicted child molester who resided in the same apartment complex as Harmon at the time of the murder. Coates, aged 56, was arrested on Wednesday in connection with the 1988 homicide.
Facing multiple charges including felony murder, aggravated assault, sodomy, molestation, and tampering with evidence, Coates was taken into custody after new DNA evidence implicated him in the killing of Joshua Harmon. Roswell police announced the arrest during a press conference on Friday but did not disclose the specific piece of evidence that led to Coates's implication.
Roswell Police Chief James Conroy expressed profound sympathy for Harmon's family, stating, "This was a tragedy that no family should endure." Conroy emphasized the emotional impact of such a heinous crime on the community, noting, "When you have something as tragic as the kidnapping and murder of an eight-year-old, that locks into your heart and that's something you don't want to give up."
Joshua was reported missing by his parents on May 15, 1988, when he failed to return home for dinner at their apartment complex in Roswell. His body was discovered two days later in a wooded area near the complex, where Coates also resided at the time, according to investigators. Although the case went cold, law enforcement continued to revisit leads as technology advanced over the years.
With the family's authorization, police exhumed Joshua's body in February 2021 to seek additional evidence. Further DNA testing of crime scene evidence linked Coates to the crime. Coates, currently residing in Woodstock, had previous convictions for child molestation in 1990 and 1993, as reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Following the 1993 conviction, he served two decades in prison before being released in August 2013, according to records from the Georgia Department of Corrections.
At the press conference, Chief Conroy praised the dedication of detectives, officers, scientists, and others involved in the case over the years, emphasizing their unwavering commitment to achieving justice for Joshua. Former Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Keith Howard, who had been involved in the case for over two decades and is now chief deputy with the Morgan County Sheriff's Office, described the resolution of the case as a "miraculous feat."
Expressing gratitude, Joshua's aunt, Marlene Carlisle, became emotional as she thanked investigators, acknowledging their dedication in pursuing justice for her nephew. She remembered Joshua as a remarkable child with a deep connection to nature and spirituality, expressing confidence in his peaceful rest.
If found guilty, Coates, who was 23 years old at the time of Harmon's murder, faces a lifetime behind bars.
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