GBI again asks for information on investigation into 15-year-old murder case

DECATUR – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is again asking for information about a 15-year-old unsolved murder case.

Share:

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is again asking for information on an unsolved murder case in Douglas County. This week marks the 15th anniversary of the tragic death of Maryanne Humphrey. Today, the GBI is releasing previously unpublished sketches, an original sketch and age-appropriate sketches of the suspect who is believed to have killed her.

On September 21, 2009, a man attempted to rob the Circle K in Douglasville, where Maryanne worked. During the attempted robbery, Maryanne resisted and the suspect shot her. Despite an extensive investigation, the case was closed after investigators followed up on all leads.

In collaboration with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office and District Attorney, the GBI has released the original sketch and a new sketch of the suspect created by a GBI forensic artist. The new sketch was created using surveillance footage of the incident and was age-adjusted to show what the suspect might look like today.

“No matter how many years have passed, the GBI will continue to fight for justice for the tragic death of Maryanne Humphrey,” said the head of the investigation department, Cynthia Adkins“The citizens of Georgia have a right to live and work without fear of violent criminals. Ms. Humphrey's life was taken and our agents remain determined to find answers and bring her killer to justice for this cruel and senseless act of violence.”

“We are grateful for the time and attention devoted to solving the tragic murder of Maryanne Humphrey,” said Douglas County District Attorney Dalia Racine“We know this case can be solved and we ask our community to help us finally get justice for Maryanne.”

“Sheriff Tim Pounds and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office are committed to using every means at our disposal to provide closure to Mrs. Humphrey’s family and bring her killer to justice,” said Captain Jon Mauney of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

The GBI is asking anyone who recognizes the man in the sketch or has information about the case to come forward. Tips can be made to the GBI at 678-382-7292 or the Douglas County Sheriff's Office at 770-920-7139. Anonymous tips are also welcome and can be made by phone at 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at or through the See Something, Send Something mobile app.

The GBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to seeking justice for Maryanne Humphrey and her family and will continue this investigation until the person responsible is brought to justice.

Statement from Maryanne Humphrey’s granddaughter:

Hello everyone,

My name is Kailyn and I am the granddaughter of the victim whose life was tragically taken from us on September 21, 2009, 15 years ago today. The victim's name is Maryanne Humphreys, but I know her as Nana.

For 15 years, as the years went by and the case became more and more murky, I kept asking myself “why.” Why did this happen to my grandmother? What drove the person to make this decision and take the life of someone with such a pure heart?

I have come to the conclusion that I may never know the answers to these questions, even if the person is found and brought to justice. While that may be an understanding, with the new testing procedures and evidence that has been collected recently, we are more confident that we can loosen the grip of closure that we have so desperately wanted since the tragic incident that we have replayed in our minds far too many times than we would have liked.

From the bottom of my heart, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all departments involved, including forensics, for their efforts to bring closure to this terrible chapter in our lives. Their tireless work and dedication in developing new testing procedures and applying them to cases like this will give many present and future people the peace of mind they need to ensure that justice is served and closure is found in other tragic situations.