On the night of October 23, 2012, 18-year-old Vanessa Malone, affectionately known as 'Honey,' left her home in Stone Mountain, Georgia, to visit friends at a nearby apartment. Shortly after arriving, she tragically walked into the middle of a violent home invasion. According to witnesses in the apartment, between three and six armed men, clad in black, had forced their way into the residence.
The intruders had already bound two of the occupants and were in the process of robbing the place.
When Vanessa entered the apartment, the chaotic scene turned deadly. She was shot multiple times. The assailants then dragged her to a back bedroom closet. The other individuals in the apartment, a man and a woman, eventually managed to free themselves and alert the authorities. By the time police arrived, Vanessa Malone was deceased. The only item reported stolen from the scene was her cell phone, leading her family to believe that the official narrative of a random robbery might not be the whole truth and that her friends might hold more information.
For years, the case grew cold, despite the tireless efforts of Vanessa's mother, Flora, who worked to keep her daughter's story in the public eye. A significant breakthrough finally came in April 2020, nearly eight years after the murder. DeKalb County police arrested 34-year-old Donald Ash and charged him with second-degree murder, concealing facts, and making false statements in connection with Vanessa's death. Investigators revealed that a gun confiscated from Ash during an unrelated arrest was ballistically matched to the weapon used to kill Vanessa. His blood also reportedly matched evidence found at the crime scene.
Although an arrest was made, authorities believe that Donald Ash did not act alone and that more individuals were involved in the crime that cut short the life of Vanessa 'Honey' Malone. The investigation remains ongoing as police continue to seek justice for Vanessa and her family. Donald Ash was initially denied bond but was later released in June 2020 to await trial.
