Power and privilege are examined in a book about the murder of Atlanta socialite Lita McClinton – WABE

On a cold January morning in 1987, the murder of socialite Lita McClinton shocked Atlanta and made national and even global headlines.

In broad daylight, a flower delivery man rang the doorbell of her Buckhead townhouse with a gun in tow. When she opened the door, he shot her.

Her millionaire and soon-to-be ex-husband James Sullivan was immediately considered the main suspect in orchestrating the conspiracy. The day Lita was shot was also the day a judge was scheduled to rule on the couple's divorce case.

But some believe Sullivan's power and privilege helped him seek arrest for nearly two decades.

The story fascinated author Deb Miller Landau, who was involved with WABE's “Morning Edition,” for many reasons. One in particular is examined in her new book, “A Devil Went Down to Georgia: Race, Power, Privilege and the Murder of Lita McClinton.”

Miller Landau wondered how this interracial couple's dynamic affected the endless investigation full of obstacles and dead ends. McClinton was black and Sullivan was white.

In the book, Landau also details her meeting with the hitman Sullivan hired to kill Lita. He was convicted years later and spent 20 years in prison. However, he continues to deny his involvement.