On the evening of December 14, 1985, Curtis Lee Brown, a 21-year-old Black man, left his Atlanta, Georgia home to buy a pack of cigarettes. Hours later, his body was discovered in Dean Rusk Park. He had been shot multiple times in the head, and his pants were pulled down, suggesting a possible sexual assault. For four days, his body remained unidentified until his girlfriend filed a missing person report.
The investigation into Brown's murder initially led detectives to a local tavern
where he was last seen leaving with another Black man known as 'Big Mike.' However, the trail soon went cold. Atlanta's homicide detectives, already tasked with a high number of cases, struggled to make significant progress in the investigation into Brown's death.
Ten months later, the investigation gained new momentum when another young Black man, Daryl Williams, was found murdered in a similar fashion. Ballistic tests confirmed that the same. 38-caliber weapon was used in both slayings. This crucial link led authorities to suspect a serial killer was targeting young Black men in the city. Further investigation uncovered more victims who had been killed in a similar execution-style manner.
The string of murders was eventually traced to Michael D. Terry. Terry, who was known for targeting gay men, was identified as the primary suspect and subsequently arrested. On February 22, 1987, Terry was sentenced to life in prison for the series of killings, including the murder of Curtis Lee Brown. The case brought attention to the dangers faced by marginalized communities in Atlanta during that period and highlighted the need for greater resources for homicide investigations.
