Cold Case Files – REOPENED: Secret in the Well

Host: Paula Barros
Release Date: January 15, 2026
Theme:
This episode revisits the nearly 34-year cold case murder of Timothy Coggins, a brutal racially-motivated killing in Griffin, Georgia, in 1983, and the dogged investigation that ultimately brought his killers to justice. The episode explores institutional racism, the impact of hate groups in law enforcement, the persistence of Coggins’ family, and the breakthroughs in both forensic science and human resolve that solved the case.

Main Theme & Purpose

The episode uncovers how racism, fear, and systemic failures allowed Timothy Coggins’ murder to go unsolved for decades. It also highlights hope—through the unwavering determination of Coggins’ family and new investigators, justice emerges, culminating in the killer’s conviction and a measure of closure for the family and community.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Background: The Night of the Disappearance

• Timothy Coggins (23) vanishes after a night out with his sister, Talisa, at the People’s Choice, a Black dance club in Griffin, Georgia (00:42).
• Witnesses note Timothy was last seen dancing with a white woman—an act fraught with danger in the racially tense south of the 1980s (01:41).
• Upon leaving the club, Timothy reportedly enters a car with the white woman and two white men; he is not seen alive again (01:55).

Discovery of Timothy’s Body

• Two days later, Timothy’s body is found near the notorious “hanging tree” in northern Spaulding County—he has been brutally tortured, stabbed, and dragged behind a truck (04:26-05:29).
• Autopsy reveals multiple stab wounds and a cross cut into his chest, likely meant to mimic the Confederate flag as a racist message (07:59-08:28).
• Early investigation is stymied by community distrust and open Klan infiltration of law enforcement (06:27).

Initial Investigation Fails

• Detective Oscar Jordan (a rare Black patrol officer) immediately suspects racial violence. He identifies potential suspects, including Franklin “Frankie” Gebhart and Bill Moore, but is soon removed from the case as white investigators take over (14:10).
• Suspects offer shaky alibis, yet authorities decline to interview critical witnesses or pursue the leads (14:31).
• The Coggins family is harassed and threatened into silence; they’re even too afraid to put a headstone on Timothy’s grave (15:13, 15:43).
• The case goes cold just three months after the murder (15:52-15:59).

The Family’s Ongoing Grief and Distrust

• Decades pass and grief lingers; the family is left without answers or justice and becomes deeply distrustful of law enforcement (16:11-16:53).
• Quote: “Who do you turn to for help when the number one people who are supposed to help you don’t?” — Heather Coggins (16:53).

The Case Reopened

• In 2016, young GBI investigator Detective Jared Coleman reviews the cold case and is disturbed by the racial violence and flawed investigation. Key evidence (Timothy’s pants) has vanished, and potential witnesses were never questioned (17:44-18:15).
• New leads surface suggesting the original alibi for Gebhart (from girlfriend Mickey Guy) was unreliable and related to jealousy over Guy’s rumored relationship with Timothy (18:15).
• Despite Gebhart’s rage during questioning, police lack physical evidence—pivotal case items are missing due to police interference (19:55-20:18).

Uncovering Systemic Racism

• Newly-appointed Sheriff Daryl Dix works to restore trust and collaborates closely with Coleman, helping to hunt for missing evidence (20:54-21:17).
• A diary from ex-deputy Norman Foskey is unearthed, revealing Klan members were present in both the sheriff’s office and police department during the original investigation (24:50-25:32).
• Quote from deputy’s diary:
  “... Deputy Stan asked me if I would join the Klan. Johnny, the owner of the cafe, said, ‘you are making the best move of your life...’ and had a number of good cleansing in the police and sheriff’s department.” — (25:08)

Breakthrough: The Prison Letter and the Secret in the Well

• Coleman discovers that Christopher Vaughn, a child witness to the events, repeatedly wrote to authorities about what he heard—Gebhart bragging of the murder and disposing of evidence in a well on his property, but was ignored (26:00-27:56).
• Using Vaughn as a covert informant in jail, investigators get enough incriminating dialogue from a conversation with Gebhart to justify a property search (29:01-29:33).
• A well on Gebhart’s property is excavated; an Adidas shoe, a broken knife handle, and a blood-stained shirt are recovered—directly linking to Timothy and the murder details (29:53-31:05).
• Quote: “There was just kind of a bit of a moment of silence as we kind of thought about, you know, what Tim went through in that moment.” — Det. Coleman (30:41)
• DA Marie Broder is moved by the brutality when presented the cold evidence: “The brutality almost overtook me. Seeing it and knowing that he’s wearing this when he died...” (31:05)

Notable Moments & Quotes

Fear and Racism

• “...with the Klan and the sheriff department being infiltrated, there was no intention to have an investigation. Nothing’s going to happen. Cause after all these years, why would it?” — Cynthia Ward, cousin (00:10)
• “If you live in a world where you think racism does not exist, then you’re in a very shaded bubble. The only way that you can solve racism is to admit that it exists.” — Heather Coggins, niece (07:59)

Investigation Reopened

• “After 34 years, we got the call that they were reopening the investigation. I don’t believe it. And they start to announce it to the news media... Okay, maybe something is going to happen.” — Cynthia Ward (25:46)
• “We knew that someone was actively moving in the community, trying to conceal evidence and obstruct the investigation.” — Det. Coleman (20:18)

Closure and Justice

• “I wanted him to be able to put the handcuffs on Frankie Gebhart and Bill Moore.” — Sheriff Dix on involving original investigator Jordan in the arrests (31:40)
• “It was almost a party in the courtroom. We were dancing and hallelujah and crying and Marie was crying and the sheriff. It was everybody. I remember one thing the judge told Gebhart. He said, ‘You’ll never get a chance to stab anybody else.’” — Cynthia Ward (34:11)

Family and Memory

• “I miss my Uncle Tim. I miss the life that he could have had. I miss the life we could have had with him. We were able to have a memorial service... and we also put a headstone on Tim’s grave and it’s engraved, Gone but not forgotten.” — Heather Coggins (35:00)

Timeline & Key Segment Timestamps

• The Night Timothy Disappeared: 00:42 – 03:18
• Discovery of the Body: 04:15 – 05:45
• Initial Racially-Compromised Investigation: 06:27 – 15:52
• Family Fear, Grief, and the Case Goes Cold: 15:59 – 16:53
• New Detective, Fresh Eyes, and Missing Evidence (2016): 17:00 – 20:54
• Evidence of Klan in Law Enforcement: 24:50 – 25:32
• Breakthrough with Christopher Vaughn and the Well: 26:00 – 31:05
• Arrests and Trial: 31:40 – 34:11
• Verdict, Closure, and Memorial: 34:11 – 35:34

Conclusion

This episode poignantly details how Timothy Coggins’ murder, shaped by the horrors of overt racism and institutional complicity, might have been quietly erased from history—were it not for the persistence of family, honest law enforcement, and the re-evaluation of old wounds. The Coggins family finally sees justice and closure after decades of pain and injustice, offering hope that the darkest cases can one day see the light.

For more information and similar cases, visit A&E’s Cold Case Files.