Ala. Assistant Principal Arrested in Connection With 2013 Triple Homicide

An Alabama middle school assistant principal was one of four men arrested in connection with a 2013 triple homicide that remained unsolved for more than a decade.

The investigation stems from a Jan. 13, 2013 incident when three bodies were found in an abandoned Dodge Charger in Union City, Ga., the Clayton County Sheriff said in a statement. Police said the victims were tortured and murdered after being lured to a residence in Jonesboro, Ga., at gunpoint. The trio were then allegedly loaded into the Charger, where their bodies were found.

On May 8, the sheriff’s office received warrants to arrest four men, who were each indicted on three counts of malice murder, according to the statement. The sheriff’s office said the four were arrested over a span of 48 hours across three states.

One of the four men arrested is Keante Harris, who is being held in custody in Jefferson County, Ala., on fugitive from justice warrant. According to his LinkedIn, Harris works as an assistant principal for the Jefferson County school district and has worked in education since at least 2006.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Harris works at McAdory Middle School, citing a statement from superintendent Walter Gonsoulin.

“We have been made aware that Mr. Keante Harris was arrested Wednesday afternoon. At this time, we still are gathering facts about the specifics of this situation,” Gonsoulin said in the reported statement. “However, early indications are that the charges are not related to this individual’s employment with Jefferson County Schools. Per standard procedure, Mr. Harris has been placed on paid administrative leave. As more facts become available, we will act according to our district’s policy.”

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It is not immediately clear if Harris or any of the other three suspects have been formally charged. The Clayton County District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for further information from PEOPLE. 

Police did not specify how they linked the four suspects to the crime.

WAKA reported that the victims of the 2013 killings were Cheryl Colquitt-Thompson, Quinones King and Rodney Cottrell, residents of Montgomery, Ala.. Further information was not immediately available.