In the spring of 1986, a chilling discovery was made in a northwest Atlanta apartment, shattering the peace of the community. On March 11, 62-year-old Dena Mae Mike, a blind African American woman who lived alone, was found deceased in her home. She had not been seen for two days prior to the discovery. The scene within the apartment painted a grim picture of her final moments. Her body was found concealed under a pile of various items, and there were signs of a violent struggle.
The apartment had been forcibly entered through a kitchen window, and several of her belongings had been stolen.
The investigation into Dena Mae Mike's death quickly revealed a horrifying pattern. Her murder was the third in a string of similar slayings that targeted elderly African American women living by themselves in Atlanta. The first victim was found on March 1, and the second on March 6 of the same year. All three women had been sexually assaulted and either strangled or smothered, and their homes had been ransacked. The series of brutal crimes instilled fear across the city, as residents and law enforcement alike came to the dreadful realization that a serial killer was at large.
The breakthrough in the case came on April 20, 1986, with the arrest of 31-year-old Richard Louis Hunter. An anonymous tip led police to Hunter, who was apprehended for a probation violation. However, investigators soon uncovered physical evidence that tied him to the murders. This evidence included fingerprints and the possession of items that had been stolen from the victims' apartments. Following his arrest, Hunter was charged with multiple counts of murder, rape, and burglary.
Facing the possibility of the death penalty, Richard Louis Hunter pleaded guilty to the murders and the associated burglaries. His admission of guilt brought a harrowing chapter to a close for the city of Atlanta. For his crimes, Hunter received a sentence of eight life sentences, in addition to 80 years for the burglaries. The plea agreement stipulated that he would have to serve a minimum of 30 years before becoming eligible for parole. The conviction of Richard Louis Hunter brought a measure of justice for Dena Mae Mike and the other victims, and a sense of relief to a community that had been gripped by fear.
