In September 2017, the body of a young Black female was discovered in the middle of a street in northwest Atlanta. She had sustained multiple gunshot wounds, and with no identification found at the scene, her identity was initially a mystery to investigators. The female, 17-year-old Denetta Franks, was eventually identified after her family recognized a police sketch that was circulated by the media.
Franks, who was in foster care, had been reported missing from Columbus, Georgia, weeks before her death.
The investigation into Denetta's death led police to two suspects, Wayne Rendell Bailey and Eddie Byrd. Authorities believed that Franks was involved with Bailey and Byrd in an armed robbery that occurred just days before she was killed. It is thought that Franks had expressed an intention to cooperate with the police regarding the robbery, which may have led to her murder. Warrants were issued for the arrests of Bailey and Byrd in connection with her death.
Following their arrests, the legal proceedings against the two men commenced. In a subsequent trial, Eddie Byrd was found guilty of the murder of Denetta Franks. The prosecution argued that Byrd killed Franks to prevent her from speaking to the police about the armed robbery. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The outcome of the case against Wayne Rendell Bailey was different, as he was acquitted of the murder charge.
