Found Deceased GA - Shanequa Sullivan, 23, autistic, Atlanta, 4 Feb 2018

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Nothing new, so I'll add my thoughts on the investigation. I hope that Newton County law enforcement has more than they are telling us, because the latest from APD is them admitting they botched it with the video footage. I'm afraid the criticism of the police is distracting people from finding the killer. If we need footage, does anyone else have it? What did she say to her coworker? I can't imagine she didn't tell him or her she was stranded if that was the case. What about the phone? Can it be tracked on airport wifi?

Newton said her phone was not usable but had wireless capability. I took that to mean she had no credit on the phone. She apparently spoke to a coworker and used their phone to call two numbers. Newton LE have subpoenad those numbers. ( couldn't they just call them?) The coworker voluntarily provided the phone for them to get those numbers so hopefully they're on it. Maybe whoever she called came and met her?
 
Nothing new, so I'll add my thoughts on the investigation. I hope that Newton County law enforcement has more than they are telling us, because the latest from APD is them admitting they botched it with the video footage. I'm afraid the criticism of the police is distracting people from finding the killer. If we need footage, does anyone else have it? What did she say to her coworker? I can't imagine she didn't tell him or her she was stranded if that was the case. What about the phone? Can it be tracked on airport wifi?
Must be tons of traffic cam footage around the airport and what about taxi or other vehicle dash cams? Also, they can still track her phone can't they?
 
I agree, my first impression was that Shanequa was holding something, presumably a phone, up to her ear at the Marta. And yes, she did look like she was hanging about for someone or something. I just don't understand enough about phones and apps to know what could have been happening with her phone :thinking: (too old!). I wondered if perhaps she had got talking with someone who took the Marta at the same times and was waiting to see if they showed up to help her? Or some people pretend to be on the phone, I have heard, if they feel a bit unsafe?

With regard to the clothes, it was an unusual way to phrase things. My immediate thought was that Shanequa was found in something that was very much a contrast to what she had last been seen in. Perhaps sort of party, glamorous, more dressed up than her work outfit. It seemed to be one of those things LE want to keep back in order to trip up any suspects. It could fit in with what I suspect happened, ie that someone she knew or had a slight acquaintance coerced her into doing certain things, which Shanequa then protested at and then her abductor became violent. I wish that wasn't the scenario but sadly for a vulnerable young woman, I think it's the most obvious motive to harm her.
The loss of the video is a big error on the part of the initial investigators, if there was much initial investigation which I'm not convinced of. But at the very least they could have called the airport and told them to retain the footage from that day. Even if the police couldn't be bothered to review it, Shanequa's employer has a duty of care towards her and as soon as they knew she was missing probably from their premises, they should have made efforts to get statements from colleagues (just as a workplace incident) and retained their footage. ESPECIALLY as Shanequa was a disabled employee, they should have had measures in place to give her extra help if and when she needed it.

Could somebody have given her a track phone a day or two before she went missing?
 
Could somebody have given her a track phone a day or two before she went missing?

On her Instagram page, she gives out two separate numbers, so this is a possibility, as is having her service cut off multiple times and getting new numbers, as is having both a government phone and a regular one. Wish the authorities would get on this.
 
https://m.facebook.com/ATLairport/posts/892732284224395

This is the 13 Feb Airport PD FB post that states she was seen "getting on a MARTA" at 3.26 p.m. . That was not correct was it?

Initially, likely before they'd tracked her MARTA card, the public was told she got on a MARTA and rode either to College Park or East Point to catch the bus and it was unknown if she had indeed gotten the bus. That's when I personal started looking for her because those are the MARTA stations I use.

Later, it was revealed that her MARTA card was declined art Airport and she purportedly never got to College Park or East Point.
 
The Airport police didn't review the footage properly if they stated she got on a Marta but actually she didn't. If they had looked properly at that video they could have easily traced her next steps. Wth were they playing at ?
 
The Airport police didn't review the footage properly if they stated she got on a Marta but actually she didn't. If they had looked properly at that video they could have easily traced her next steps. Wth were they playing at ?

I agree and it is really frustrating. Nobody knew where to look. If you're not from around here, College Park and East Point aren't the safest areas, so my assumption was the crime happened there.

I haven't ruled this out myself--that she left the airport and tried to walk to College Park or East Point to get her bus and something happened. But we should have footage then, right?
 
I agree and it is really frustrating. Nobody knew where to look. If you're not from around here, College Park and East Point aren't the safest areas, so my assumption was the crime happened there.

I haven't ruled this out myself--that she left the airport and tried to walk to College Park or East Point to get her bus and something happened. But we should have footage then, right?
Well one would think so. I mean this is an international airport so they would have all manner of camera footage. Newton County Sheriffs office appear to be the only LE doing anything - they got the numbers she dialed on the coworkers phone. Why does it take so long?

No I am not from Ga or even the US, but I have become familiar with some of the Atlanta areas by following another WS case. Funnily enough, that case has a College Park connection and also involves an autistic victim of small stature. (Jenna Van Gelderen)
 
She was missing for 4 weeks. Last seen on Feb 4th and found on Mar 4th. So she may have been taken and killed almost immediately imo.

I would like to know who gave her a ride from the airport out to Yellow River. She didn't get there on public transport.
 
It seems like we are getting nothing new from law enforcement, either. Would love to know what the colleagues said when they were interviewed.
 
FYI, there was a press release by the Newton County lead investigator on June 19, revealing that autopsy determined that Shanequa did not drown in the river. She was already deceased when her body was placed in the ricer. Due to the location where the body was found, and the difficulty of getting to that particular location (due to terrain), it is felt by LE that someone who is familiar with that area of the river may be involved. But LE says nothing is off the table. All tips have been followed up on.....but have lead nowhere. LE is still working on phone records. IMO, APD really dropped the ball (once again) by not investigating the airport security tapes.....the answer to this heinous crime was likely right on video in front of their noses. I hope there will be serious repercussions for this blatant display of APD incompetence.
 
Here's that link:
Missing Hartsfield-Jackson worker found in river didn't drown, lead investigator says
Now, they’re trying a new strategy to break the case. They’ve sent out warrants and subpoenas for Shanequa’s phone records.

“Getting tower dumps – all kinds of stuff,” Alexander said.

He hopes they’ll be able to find a lead among all the data.

“You know, matching numbers that were at the airport and the river where we found the body,” he said.

They’re starting behind, because most of the surveillance video from the airport showing her last movements was automatically deleted from the system before it was collected. Atlanta Police said that’s their fault.
 
The Newton County coroner on Thursday confirmed that Shanequa Sullivan, an Atlanta airport employee whose body was found in a river nearly 40 miles from her job, died of “homicidal violence” before she was dumped.

But exactly how Sullivan was killed has not been released.

It’s yet another mystery in the months-long investigation into the 23-year-old’s death, which family members suspected involved foul play.

“I want justice. I want them to find out the person or persons who are responsible for the demise of my granddaughter,” Sylesta Seabrum told AJC.com in a previous interview. “She wouldn’t harm anyone. She didn’t have a fighting bone in her body.”
Coroner confirms Atlanta airport employee was killed, then dumped in river
 
I try to give LE the benefit of the doubt but this is just incompetence. Why wouldn't they automatically demand the tapes be saved? Why didn't the airport's lawyers themselves demand that the tapes be saved as possible evidence of a crime that may have occurred on airport property? It is standard practice to immediately stop deletion or back-up tapes when a company faces any type of investigation.
 
I try to give LE the benefit of the doubt but this is just incompetence. Why wouldn't they automatically demand the tapes be saved? Why didn't the airport's lawyers themselves demand that the tapes be saved as possible evidence of a crime that may have occurred on airport property? It is standard practice to immediately stop deletion or back-up tapes when a company faces any type of investigation.


You would probably have more of an idea than I would as you are verified attorney. But somebody who used to work in Corporate America, we did not save stuff unless we had a subpoena. Perhaps you could Enlighten from your experience as a lawyer.
 
You would probably have more of an idea than I would as you are verified attorney. But somebody who used to work in Corporate America, we did not save stuff unless we had a subpoena. Perhaps you could Enlighten from your experience as a lawyer.

As soon as a company is aware of a potential investigation or litigation, they usually institute a "litigation hold." That means any automatic deletion is stopped and records are preserved in case they would be subpoenaed. Once you have reason to know you may have information that could be used in a criminal case, you should save it. Most companies do this to protect themselves as much to help LE. You do not want to be the reason a murderer walks or something. I would think that once LE said a missing girl was last seen on your security cameras, automatic deletion would have stopped immediately under the litigation hold.

It may have been a mistake - maybe they thought the tapes were being preserved. But it still is a shame for Shanequa.
 
FYI, there was a press release by the Newton County lead investigator on June 19, revealing that autopsy determined that Shanequa did not drown in the river. She was already deceased when her body was placed in the ricer. Due to the location where the body was found, and the difficulty of getting to that particular location (due to terrain), it is felt by LE that someone who is familiar with that area of the river may be involved. But LE says nothing is off the table. All tips have been followed up on.....but have lead nowhere. LE is still working on phone records. IMO, APD really dropped the ball (once again) by not investigating the airport security tapes.....the answer to this heinous crime was likely right on video in front of their noses. I hope there will be serious repercussions for this blatant display of APD incompetence.
According to one article, they just started working on tapes and phone records-BUT, they admit they made a mistake in handling the case. At least they are admitting they messed up the investigation.
 

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