Timothy Coggins

Summary

Truer Crime: The Timothy Coggins Case

Host: Celisia Stanton
Season: 2, Episode: Timothy Coggins
Release Date: March 17, 2025

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Introduction

In the season finale of Truer Crime, host Celisia Stanton delves deep into the haunting and unresolved murder of Timothy Coggins, a 23-year-old Black man whose brutal death in 1983 highlighted systemic racism and the challenges of attaining justice in rural Georgia. This episode not only unpacks the harrowing details of Tim's case but also explores the enduring impact on his family and the broader implications for true crime storytelling.

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Background of Timothy Coggins

Timothy Coggins was a beloved member of his large family in Spaulding County, Georgia. Described by his niece Heather Coggins as "the life of any party," Tim was known for his vibrant personality, love for music, and unwavering dedication to his family. His sister Talisa Coggins shared, “There was nothing my grandmother could ask of him that he wouldn't do.”

Notable Quote:

“He was a young guy who looked after his mom and sisters. There was nothing my grandmother could ask of him that he wouldn't do.”
— Heather Coggins [11:10]

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The Crime and Initial Investigation

On the morning of October 9, 1983, while his sister was enjoying a typical Sunday morning, Tim was found brutally murdered beneath a community-known oak tree, ominously referred to as the "hanging tree." His body bore multiple stab wounds, some arranged in an unsettling X pattern reminiscent of the Confederate flag, signaling a possible racial motive behind the attack.

The initial investigation was fraught with challenges. Local law enforcement, already troubled by racial tensions in the area, struggled to make progress. Deputy Oscar Jordan and Jesse Gates, two Black deputies, were assigned to assist but were soon removed from the case by their superiors, effectively halting the investigation.

Notable Quote:

“You have to live in fear when you don’t know who did it.”
— Heather Coggins [20:00]

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Family Suspicion and Racial Tensions

The Coggins family harbored deep suspicions from the outset, believing that Tim's murder was racially motivated. Tim had been openly associating with white individuals, including dancing with Ruth "Mickey" Elizabeth Gay, a white woman at the People's Choice Club—a predominantly Black venue. This behavior was unusual for the time and place, further fueling the family's fears.

Notable Quote:

“Tim was a free spirit, the kind of guy who led the life he wanted to live. You couldn't tell him who he was allowed to spend time with.”
— Talisa Coggins [15:00]

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Reopening the Case: A New Lead

Three decades later, in February 2016, Special Agent Jared Coleman of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) reopened Tim's case. A pivotal moment came when a letter surfaced from Christopher Vaughn, the 10-year-old boy who had discovered Tim's body in 1983. Vaughn admitted involvement in the murder, implicating Frankie Gebhart and Bill Moore Sr. as the perpetrators.

Notable Quote:

“I want to make sure everyone gets home safely. This was confirmation to the family that 34 years later, Tim made it home.”
— Tyrone Coggins [40:00]

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The Trial and Conviction

The reopening of the case led to the arrest and trial of Frankie Gebhart and Bill Moore Sr. Despite decades passing, physical evidence was unearthed from a well near Gebhart's trailer, including the murder weapon—a knife—with cuts matching Tim's wounds. While Bill Moore Sr. pleaded guilty to manslaughter in exchange for a lesser sentence, Frankie Gebhart faced a full trial.

During the trial, the prosecution presented overwhelming witness testimonies, with over a dozen individuals claiming Gebhart had confessed to the murder. Although Gebhart's defense argued the unreliability of these witnesses, the sheer volume and consistency of their accounts, coupled with the recovered evidence, led to his conviction on multiple charges, including malice murder and felony murder.

Notable Quote:

“Frankie was convicted on every charge brought against him. Finally, justice for Tim.”
— Celisia Stanton [41:22]

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Emotional Impact and Closure

The conviction of Frankie Gebhart brought a sense of closure to the Coggins family, allowing them to finally honor Tim properly. The family reunited in an emotional moment, embracing those responsible for their grief and finding solace in the long-awaited justice.

Notable Quote:

“We remember some of the words Tim used to say, but you can't remember. How did he sound? He had a big, joyful laugh, but how did he sound again?”
— Heather Coggins [20:00]

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Historical Context and Systemic Racism

Celisia Stanton emphasized the broader historical context of Tim's murder, noting that racist violence against Black individuals has been a persistent issue in America. The Equal Justice Initiative's findings on lynchings between 1877 and 1950 underscored the systemic nature of such brutality, with Georgia ranking second only to Mississippi in the number of lynchings.

Notable Quote:

“This history and that, I think is something worth sitting with. Because this story, Tim's story, it's not an exception. It's a brutal thread in a long worn pattern of violence.”
— Celisia Stanton [30:34]

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Behind the Scenes and Action Items

In wrapping up the episode, Celisia Stanton shared insights from her research and interactions with the Coggins family. She highlighted Heather Coggins' desire to see her uncle's story adapted into a major motion picture to ensure his legacy endures. Additionally, Celisia encouraged listeners to support the Equal Justice Initiative's Community Remembrance Project, which memorializes victims of racial violence and educates communities about racial injustice history.

Notable Quote:

“When you forget what happened, when you forget your history, it repeats itself.”
— Heather Coggins [45:13]

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Conclusion

The Timothy Coggins case serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring struggles against racial violence and the importance of persistent advocacy in seeking justice. Through meticulous storytelling and emotional interviews, Truer Crime not only sheds light on Tim's tragic story but also calls listeners to remember and act against the patterns of injustice that continue to affect communities today.

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Supporting the Cause

Listeners are encouraged to:

• Share Tim's Story: Spread awareness within personal networks.
• Follow on Social Media: Engage with Truer Crime on Instagram, X, and TikTok.
• Support the Equal Justice Initiative: Donate to the Community Remembrance Project at eji.org.

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Credits
Truer Crime is created, hosted, and written by Celisia Stanton, produced by Tenderfoot TV in association with Odyssey. Additional writing and research by Olivia Heusingfeld, with executive production by Celisia Stanton, Donald Albright, and Payne Lindsay. For more episodes, visit TrueOrCrimePodcast.com or search Tenderfoot TV on your favorite podcast app.

Transcript

[Tenderfoot TV]

Foreign you're listening to a Tenderfoot TV podcast.

[Advertiser 1]

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[Celisia Stanton]

Hi friends. I am so excited to share this new Season two episode of Truer Crime with you. If you want an ad free listening experience, subscribe to Tenderfoot [e-mail] or on Apple Podcast. Hi friends.

[Advertiser 2]

This is the last episode of the.

[Celisia Stanton]

Second season of True or Crime. I cannot believe how fast that happened, but here we are. I have really enjoyed diving into these important stories with you, and I'm really hoping that we can do this again for season three.

[Advertiser 2]

Here's how you can help make that happen. First, please leave a review for the show.

[Celisia Stanton]

A very small percentage of the folks who listen to this show every week.

[Advertiser 2]

Have actually left a review.

[Celisia Stanton]

And you know what? No shade. Honestly, I get it. I also struggle to write reviews sometimes, but if you want more episodes, this really does make a difference. Earlier this season, I shared our goal of hitting 2,000 reviews by the end of season two. We're still several hundred reviews short of that goal, but I know we can still get there. Go do it right now. As you're listening to me talk, open your app and give the show a star rating. You don't even have to write anything.

[Advertiser 2]

But it really does help if you do. This could be two.

[Celisia Stanton]

Two sentences. Two sentences is literally fine. Just say what you like about the show. Second, find the episode that is still sitting with you. Could be from season one, could be from season two, doesn't matter. Find that episode, click on it, click share, and text it to someone who you think would appreciate it. You don't even have to say much. You can literally just say you have to listen to this. I really cannot undersell how much of a difference this makes. The shows with longevity are the ones that have a community of listeners who.

[Advertiser 2]

Are loud about it.

[Celisia Stanton]

We may not be the biggest show.

[Advertiser 2]

But I believe that we have some.

[Celisia Stanton]

Of the best listeners out there. You can be a part of changing the way true crime stories are told. And that starts with sharing the shows you love shows like True or Crime. Third, this is a fun one.

[Advertiser 2]

We just dropped our very first True.

[Celisia Stanton]

Crime merch, a limited edition T shirt that I am honestly obsessed with. It features a little inside reference that only the real ones will understand. If you know, you know. But it's something I think everyone will like, so don't worry. I've been wearing mine non stop and getting so many questions about it. And you know what? These shirts are super limited. Like once they're gone they are gone for good and every purchase directly supports the show and helps make season three possible.

[Advertiser 2]

Grab yours before they sell out by.

[Celisia Stanton]

Clicking the link in today's episode description or by visiting Shop Tenderfoot tv. Trust me, you're going to want this one. Finally, if you want to make sure you don't miss this when we come back, make sure you subscribe to the show on your podcast player and that you go follow the show on instagram x and bluesky@truecrime pod and you can follow me on Instagram and TikTok, Alicia Stanton, or via my weekly email newsletter. Sincerelyceleciaincerelycelesia.substack.com Listen, I know it's super easy to think like eh, I really don't.

[Advertiser 2]

Need to do that.

[Celisia Stanton]

I'll find you when you come back. But the Internet is genuinely so loud these days. We are constantly being inundated with news and content and it's basically impossible to keep up with everything unless you are.

[Advertiser 2]

Directly subscribed to your favorite creators.

[Celisia Stanton]

And even then it's hard. So you know what, if you want.

[Advertiser 2]

To skip all that, that's cool too.

[Celisia Stanton]

We have another option for you. I don't blame you. Sign up for our [e-mail] and we'll shoot an email when we're back. Now let's get into the season finale.

[Advertiser 2]

Please be aware that today's episode discusses anti black racist violence. Please take care while listening. Whenever I hear about a true crime case, I get really preoccupied with when it happened. This tendency to whip out my camera.

[Celisia Stanton]

Roll, scroll back on Facebook, rack the.

[Advertiser 2]

Recesses of my memory. Where was I? Who was I with? What was I doing at this moment when someone's life changed forever? And sure, you could call it self centered, that's fair. But it's only natural right to find ourselves in the narrative. Honestly, for me there's something humanizing about it. When I can connect to a story through a context that's familiar, it all feels deeply real. A reminder that a true Crime story isn't just a story. It's someone's actual life. And today's case was no different. Only problem was, it all unfolded in 1983, a good 12 years before I landed Earthside. So since scrolling, my Facebook feed was out. I decided I had the next best thing. Hello? I could call my mom.

[Celisia Stanton]

So I'm doing this true or crime episode and basically I wanted to learn a little bit more about what life was like in the 1980s.

[Advertiser 2]

And I was like, I gave her the whole spiel. I just gave you how I really wanted to contextualize today's story. That in order to put myself in that headspace, I figured it would help to hear what growing up in the early 80s had actually felt like.

[Tenderfoot TV]

Oh, my gosh. Yeah. I have so many memories of the eighties in New York especially.

[Celisia Stanton]

My mom grew up in Manhattan.

[Advertiser 2]

A true city kid.

[Tenderfoot TV]

First of all, like, we were so independent. Like, my mom and dad would go out on Saturday nights and I'd get to stay home and babysit my brother. And that was so cool. Cause I felt like I was a grown up and got to do what I wanted and cook whatever I wanted to eat. I really remember eating cereal and jelly sandwiches. Like, that was the bomb.

[Celisia Stanton]

She had her routines and she stuck to them.

[Tenderfoot TV]

So TV was a big part of my weekends because I'd have my whole line up from like six in the morning till I feel like noon. It was just straight up cartoons. And then I'd be playing. So I would always be running around in the playground. I remember my mom used to be like, I can hear you screaming all the way. New apartment.

[Celisia Stanton]

Playing inside usually meant breaking out the Cabbage Patch Dolls or booting up the Atari. But there was also plenty of time spent listening to music. And we can't forget the music.

[Tenderfoot TV]

So of course, Michael Jackson, that was when I think Thriller and Beat it, those came out and he was like the bomb. Like, everybody loved him because he could sing, he could dance, he could put on a show.

[Advertiser 2]

And Michael Jackson, it turned out, wasn't the only one putting on a show in the early 80s.

[Tenderfoot TV]

My dad always loved taking pictures. You know, I'd be the model. Or if he was doing a video, you know, I'd be on camera like, hello, this is Cecilia Stanton Adams.

[Advertiser 2]

You know, having fun, being silly, always performing.

[Tenderfoot TV]

So there was a song called Flashdance. It's like what I'm feeling and. And the woman who's singing it, she's dancing all over. And then at the very end of the scene, she lands on this chair and she pulls a string and all this water comes down on her. And I was like, I want to dance that scene.

[Advertiser 2]

My mom spent her time like most kids her age. School, music, tv, play outside, repeat. Our conversation was this comforting reminder that across time, kids are still just kids. And in the fall of 1983, my mom was 10 years old and so was a boy named Christopher Vaughn. But far from the bright lights and energy of nyc, Christopher lived in rural Georgia. And in the morning hours of Sunday, October 9th, while my mom was likely plopped in front of a television taking in her morning lineup of cartoons, Christopher was out hunting two people from different worlds. But at 10 years old, they still had so much in common, each enjoying the last whispers of their weekend. Tomorrow, a new week of fifth grade likely awaited both of them. Christopher was out with his dad. The pair hoped to catch a few squirrels. They were 50 minutes from Atlanta, in a town called Sunnyside in Spaulding County, Georgia. It was a resoundingly normal morning until sun. Suddenly, it wasn't. Their group had come upon a large oak with towering limbs. This tree was a community fixture of sorts in Sunnyside. The hanging tree, locals called, was there that the hunters, flanked by 10 year old Christopher Vaughn, saw it the body of a man. When police arrived, they surveyed the scene, a field off Minter Road. The victim was a young black man, 5 7, likely in his early 20s. It was immediately apparent that he'd been brutally attacked. Stab wounds punctured both his lungs, zigzagging across his stomach and back in an X pattern reminiscent of the Confederate flag. Nearby, tire tracks and pools of dried blood indicated that the victim had likely been chained and dragged by some kind of vehicle before he'd been abandoned at the base of the hanging tree. According to gq, the sheriff's department, hoping to secure an id, circulated harrowing photographs of the victim throughout the town's black community. It was this tactic that landed deputies at the door of the Coggins family. A woman named Talisa Coggins peered at the image, unwilling to accept what she knew in her gut. That man in the picture. It was her brother. This is the story of Timothy Coggins. I'm Celisia Stanton and you're listening to truer crime. For 21 year old Talisa Coggins, it was difficult to imagine that the brutalized man in this photo could be her brother. Just two years her senior, Tim was 23, the fourth of eight kids. His extended family was also large, and his many cousins were more like siblings. As Tim's niece, Heather Coggins, told cnn. They didn't come from much, but they came from love, and that taught them to love each other. But Talisa and Tim had a particularly special bond. As kids, he'd taken his role of big brother seriously, teaching her to ride a bike and how to get home from the store by herself. But that was just the kind of person Tim was, a young guy who looked after his mom and sisters. There was nothing my grandmother could ask of him that he wouldn't do, heather told cnn. If she asked him to walk to Atlanta and pick up a croissant, he'd do it. Atlanta, I should mention, is a good 40 miles from where Tim lived.

[Celisia Stanton]

Outside of focusing on family, though, Tim.

[Advertiser 2]

Was a huge music lover, the life.

[Celisia Stanton]

Of any party, always ready to break out the dance moves and quick to.

[Advertiser 2]

Offer a laugh, Talisa told ABC he.

[Celisia Stanton]

Had friends, friends and more friends.

[Advertiser 2]

In fact, it had been Talisa spending a night on the town with Tim. Who'd seen him last. It was Friday, October 7, 1983, and the two had been at the People's Choice Club. Located in the predominantly black town of Griffin, Georgia, an hour from Atlanta, People's Choice was a lively joint, the town's hotspot, filled nightly with food, drinks and dancing. As GQ wrote, like every Friday, the club was packed, pulsing with the sounds of Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, and Michael Jackson. Tim and Talisa had spun and swayed through the crowd, enjoying the energy of the night. Then, heading to the bathroom, Talisa overheard a couple of folks saying that some white men were outside asking for Tim. Looking toward her brother, she watched as he followed a man out the door. Wanting to figure out what the deal was, she decided to head after them, but by the time she got outside, they were already gone. The night eventually ended, and when she didn't hear from Tim right away, she and the rest of the family weren't particularly worried. It just wasn't abnormal for tim to be MIA for a couple of days.

[Celisia Stanton]

And remember, this was 1980, three, years.

[Advertiser 2]

Before the popularity of cell phones would eliminate the normalcy of being unreachable. Tim would turn up. They assumed he was probably just crashing with a friend, but that was two days ago. Today was Sunday, and now tomorrow. Talisa was peering at an image of a man's mutilated body, wishing she didn't know the answer to this deputy's question. A mark on the victim's arm would confirm the id. The man in the photo was Timothy Coggins.

[Advertiser 3]

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The Coggins family was in shock. Tim's brother told ABC that they couldn't believe that someone would hurt Tim, that he never bothered anyone, that he was always helping folks out, finding out what had happened to Tim, who was responsible. It all felt deeply important. With the help of the gbi, the sheriff's office was overseeing the investigation, and early on they tapped deputies Oscar Jordan and Jesse Gates to assist two of a small handful of black deputies at the sheriff's office. Jordan and Gates were eager to come aboard. According to 2020, it didn't take long for the pair to narrow in on a trailer park that was extremely close to the site where Tim was found. Residents at the park, they felt, would be some of the only people familiar enough with the remote area where Tim's body was abandoned. Meanwhile, the Coggins family had their own suspicions. Talisa told gq, we knew from the beginning that he had been killed because he was black. It was common knowledge that Tim had a lot of white friends, and in recent weeks, including the night he disappeared, he'd been seen dancing with a white woman at People's Choice club. This had stood out at the normally all black venue. Talisa told 2020 that Tim was a free spirit, the kind of guy who led the life he wanted to live. You couldn't tell him who he was allowed to spend time with. But his family worried that his behavior may have made him a target. It might have been the 1980s, but in many ways, Spaulding county was still embedded with deep roots of racism. Interracial dating was extremely taboo. And across the country, the KKK still held rallies and parades.

[Voice Actor]

These little gatherings in these fields and in these courthouse squares.

[Advertiser 2]

Growing years later, documents would uncover that in this same period, several Spaulding county sheriff's deputies had been members of the local KKK chapter. Go Go. White and white only. But these weren't the sole factors fueling the Coggins suspicions. Who Judge Twin is the only white organization in America, according to 2020. Shortly after Tim's pass passing, his stepdad, still reeling from his loss, answered the phone. The voice of an unknown caller issued a chilling warning. You look into the face of those responsible every single day, and if you don't want another family member to be killed, you need to leave the investigation alone. On a separate occasion, boarding the school bus he drove for work, Tim's stepdad discovered a blood stained T shirt placed ominously on his seat. But Tim's stepfather wasn't the only target. The whole Coggins family was left on edge after an evening spent watching TV was interrupted by a brick careening through their window. You're next. Scrawled on the attached note. I even read in GQ about another particularly horrifying instance where a beheaded dog was left in the family home. And by now, a real atmosphere of fear swirled amongst the Coggins. According to the ap, the family held a quick closed casket funeral for Tim. And unsure whether the killer might vandalize his grave, they made the difficult decision to forego a headstone. For me, it's hard to hear that and not feel deeply for the Coggins that they were prevented from fully honoring this person they loved so fiercely. According to cnn, the whole family stayed at an aunt's house after the service, hoping that strength in numbers might ease their fears. 20 people packed together, a jumble of sleeping kids on the floor. One of those kids was Tim's niece, Heather. That night, she'd had a nightmare about her murdered uncle. She told cnn, you hear stories of what happened, and as a child, you were afraid. You didn't know if people were gonna come back. When you don't know who did it, you kind of live in fear. If I'm completely honest, it lasted all our lives. And it would last that long. Because right when Sheriff Deputies Jordan and Gates started digging into leads at that trailer park near the murder scene, both got pulled off the case by higher ups. It was a decision that left the deputies unsettled. Jordan shared with ABC that his reassignment was justified by superiors as a necessary consequence of the investigation hitting a dead end. Meanwhile, Deputy Gates was told the demands of the case exceeded his duties as a road deputy. Bottom line, after just a few weeks, the entire investigation came to a grinding Halt. More than 30 years later, there was still no progress on Tim's case. And as each year faded into the next, life continued without him, without answers, without closure. Tim's family pushed forward in whatever ways they could, fighting against their fading memories. As Heather told cnn, we remember some of the words Tim used to say, but you can't remember. How did he sound? He had a big, joyful laugh, but how did he sound again? It was another loss in and of itself. Then, in February 2016, 33 years after her brother's murder, Talisa sat with her mom, Viola, in a Georgia hospital room. An onset of diabetes related kidney failure now limited the time they had left together. According to gq, it was during one of these visits that Viola made a shocking declaration. They found out who killed Tim, she said. Talisa was confused, But Viola repeated herself. They found out who killed Tim. Viola, Talisa reasoned, was talking nonsense. Her words some kind of reaction to the brutal combination of medication and illness coursing through her body. But her mom was insistent, almost matter of fact. I ain't gonna be here for it, but they're gonna get who killed Tim. And while there was no way for Viola to know it at the time, Tim's case was quietly under review.

[Celisia Stanton]

You see, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation routinely revisits unsolved cases, hoping that a fresh look might allow for some new Leads.

[Advertiser 2]

And so, at the tail end of 2016, Special Agent Jared Coleman thumbed through the pages of Tim's file. It surprised him how little investigatory work had been done. The case, he felt, was a mountain of unpursued suspects and abandoned leads. Not long after, Tim's family got word from the District Attorney's office. Viola hadn't lived to see it, but she was right. 34 years later, Spalding County Sheriff Daryl.

[Advertiser 1]

Dick says they got new information through the gbi. Information from someone that he says shed new light on existing evidence and could lead them to several arrests.

[Advertiser 2]

When Special Agent Coleman started reexamining Tim's file, he discovered an old letter sent to investigators in 2007. Here's a voice actor reading that note.

[Voice Actor]

GBI. I would like to talk to someone about a murder that I know about. I know what happened and who did it. I show them and know how come they killed. Would someone come and talk to me?

[Advertiser 2]

The letter was signed by a man named Christopher Vaughn. And if that name sounds familiar, it's because you've heard it before. Christopher was the young boy, the 10 year old kid who, alongside his father, had discovered Tim's body on that unsettling Sunday morning so many years before. But a lot had changed in the intervening decades. Christopher was now an adult whose life had taken some dark turns since childhood. Now he had a felony record and was incarcerated for his crimes. But still, Agent Coleman's interest was piqued. It was time for investigators to have a sit down with Christopher.

[Voice Actor]

Do you have information about who murdered Timothy Goggins?

[Advertiser 2]

I don't know who done it. Well, he says he'd done it, too. Okay, and who was that? Frankie Gebhart.

[Voice Actor]

Okay.

[Advertiser 2]

Christopher claimed a man named Frankie Gebhart had told him on multiple occasions that he and another individual named Bill Moore Sr. Were the ones who killed Tim. That they'd stabbed him and disposed of the knife in a well by Frankie's house. It had been nearly a decade since Christopher had brought this story to investigators, but this was the first time anyone had actually followed up. So by now, I'm sure you're wondering, who the hell are Bill and Frankie and what connection did they have to Tim? Well, for starters, Bill and Frankie both lived in that same trailer park Investigators had initially zeroed in on in the days after the murder. They were also brothers in law, each with their own questionable reputations. Sheriff Dix told 2020 that Frankie and Bill were rough people, that they were intimidating, and that many folks in town were actively afraid of Them. According to gq, Frankie, who'd grown up in the area, dropped out of school after sixth grade to make ends meet. He got a job logging timber. But he didn't let that keep him from having fun after hours. Frankie was known for throwing wild parties where alcohol, pills, and psychedelics flowed freely. He and Bill had grown incredibly close over the years. Both were known for their violent outbursts, and each had racked up a fair share of run ins with the law. As Agent Coleman looked into the men further, he discovered police had interviewed Frankie back in 1983. According to GQ, his alibi at the time had been spotty, but still there was little follow up. And Bill Moore? It seemed that he'd never been questioned at all. Eager to pursue these abandoned leads, Agent Coleman started by interviewing Bill. Unbelievably, he claimed he'd never even heard of Tim's murder. Coleman told GQ that he knew this was a lie. Tim's murder was well known and frequently discussed in town. It all cast a heavy shade of suspicion. When Frankie was questioned, he was already locked up at the Spalding County Detention center on unrelated charges. I was able to find some recordings of this interview, but a lot of it is pretty hard to understand. And normally I just read some highlights from the transcript, but hearing Frankie's voice, it really left an impact on me, so I found a voice actor to read for him. In the recording, investigators explained why they were there. They that the body of a black man was found in 1983.

[Celisia Stanton]

Frankie told investigators that he didn't remember squat, that he didn't even know the murder had occurred, much less did he recall telling anyone he'd been involved. At one point, he confessed to having an imperfect memory and said that 23 years of heavy drinking had left him.

[Advertiser 2]

With a lot of holes.

[Celisia Stanton]

Throughout the interview, though, Frankie's responses seemed to shift at times, he really walked the line, refusing to outright confirm or deny any of the accusations investigators posed against him.

[Voice Actor]

I don't know. I can't say I did, and I can't say I didn't. I ain't gonna sit here and tell you I did. I ain't gonna sit here and tell you I didn't.

[Advertiser 2]

At other points, he grew angry and impatient, denying any involvement whatsoever.

[Voice Actor]

I don't know a damn thing about that. Well, you're dead ass wrong. Cause I ain't killed nobody and you're dead ass wrong. I ain't saw nobody kill nobody.

[Advertiser 2]

He also seemed to cycle through a more subtle defense strategy, trying to paint himself as Incapable of killing Tim.

[Voice Actor]

I'm 59 years old. I can't read, can't write. Half ass, dumb. I'm dumb. I don't know.

[Advertiser 2]

At one point, investigators asked Frankie about the knife used to stabbed him, about the claims he dropped it in a well by his trailer. He was quick to snap back.

[Voice Actor]

Well, y'all come out there and dig my damn well up.

[Advertiser 2]

Near the end of the interview, investigators showed Frankie a picture of Tim. He exploded.

[Voice Actor]

I don't know that motherfucker. And you're going to quit trying to tell me I do. I ain't never seen that picture. I ain't never seen that.

[Advertiser 2]

Frankie claimed to investigators that he knew nothing about Tim's murder, that he absolutely had nothing to do with it. But as Coleman dug deeper, he found witness after witness who challenged this telling people who, like Christopher, claimed to have heard Frankie brag about the crime over and over again. According to gq, investigators listened as Frankie's friends, acquaintances and neighbors all repeated stories he'd told them. His ex girlfriend described the physical abuse she endured, recalling how Frankie would yell.

[Voice Actor]

If you keep on, you're gonna wind up like that N in the ditch.

[Advertiser 2]

The son of another of Frankie's exes told investigators that he'd heard both Bill and Frankie confess to the crime while drunk. Frankie had even lamented to him that he missed the old days of killing black people for no reason. Across the many stories, a more cohesive narrative started coming together. A picture of what had really happened that night all those years ago. According to writer Wesley Lowry, the many stories all pointed to a common theory. Tim, Bill, and Frankie had all known each other. Some witnesses claim that the tension among the men actually started when Frankie tried to buy drugs from Tim but felt he was ripped off. The final straw, though, came the night Tim was at the People's Choice club with Talisa. Remember the white woman I mentioned earlier, the one who was seen dancing with Tim? Well, her name was Ruth Elizabeth Gay, though she went by the nickname Mickey. And Mickey, witnesses told investigators, was romantically involved with Frankie. Frankie was furious. He couldn't stand the thought of a black man having the audacity to hang around his girl. He wanted to teach Tim a lesson. So he enlisted the help of Bill, and the two drove Tim out to Sunnyside. There, beneath the hanging tree, they stabbed him repeatedly. Then they chained his feet to the back of a truck and started driving, dragging his body down a stretch of road after they left him there, abandoned him in that field off Minter Road, leaving him to be discovered by a group of hunters and a 10 year old little boy. While some witnesses claimed that Mickey was also there that night, her death in 2010 meant that investigators were never able to question her, let alone assess her responsibility for what had happened that horrifying night in Georgia.

[Celisia Stanton]

It was all so sickening, almost unimaginable.

[Advertiser 2]

But the difficult truth is that racist.

[Celisia Stanton]

Violence exactly like this can be found all throughout history. In fact, an Equal Justice Initiative examination of 4,000 lynchings between 1877 and 1950 found that nearly a quarter of these murders occurred because the victim had been a black man accused of inappropriate sexual contact with a white woman. Georgia, they also uncovered, was second only to Mississippi in the total number of lynchings carried out over that period. The horrors wrought on Tim and his family exist in that context. This history and that, I think is something worth sitting with. Because this story, Tim's story, it's not an exception. It's a brutal thread in a long worn pattern of violence. When Frankie and Bill attacked Tim, when they left him for dead beneath the branches of what they called the hanging tree, they knew exactly what they were doing.

[Advertiser 2]

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[Advertiser 3]

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[Heather Coggins]

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[Heather Coggins]

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[Celisia Stanton]

Now Tim's family was closer to justice than they'd ever been before. And soon, Bill and Frankie were charged for the murder of Timothy Coggins. But even as Bill was guided into the police car, he continued to plead ignorant.

[Voice Actor]

I mean, I ain't got nothing to hide. I don't recall nothing about what y'all even talking about.

[Advertiser 2]

Okay?

[Voice Actor]

I mean, my whole entire life now.

[Advertiser 2]

I'm a serious and still, the two men didn't seem all that surprised when officers came to arrest them. Sheriff Dix would tell cnn, I don't want to say both of them knew it was coming, but I think because of the news, they were putting things together. In an appearance on local news station WSB tv, Tim's niece Heather described the complicated emotions her family faced after learning about the arrests.

[Heather Coggins]

It was a shock, to say the least. We grieved 34 years ago. We learned to deal with it. Although it was unsolved all these years, we still learned to deal with it. Now we're grieving all over again because now the memories are coming back again.

[Advertiser 2]

And as Tim's family adjusted to this new reality, the prosecution prepared for trial. But as they built their case, they Faced a real challenge. Despite an abundance of witness statements connecting Frankie and Bill to the crime, they didn't have any hard evidence. According to gq, police had collected a number of things from the crime scene, including DNA and hair samples found on Tim's body, an empty liquor bottle abandoned nearby, and a wooden club suspected to have been used during the attack. But by the time Frankie and Bill were charged, all of that evidence had disappeared, Lost to the many decades the case had sat cold. Still, prosecutors held out hope. Frankie had told people in town that he'd abandoned the knife used to stabbed him in a well near his trailer. If investigators could recover that knife, it might just blow the case wide open. So they hired a hydrovac company to excavate the well. Assistant District Attorney Marie Broder told Annie she remembered feeling wracked with nerves as debris was pulled up from the hole. According to witnesses, Frankie said he'd burnt items over the years, then dumped what remained into the well. So when Marie saw soot and trash with charred edges being sucked from the ground, she knew they would find what they were looking for. According to gq, they did find a knife. But that wasn't all. Among the garbage they pulled from the well was a pair of shoes they suspected were Tim's and a shirt with holes in it. In an interview with 20 20, Marie described seeing that shirt for the first time, counting the cuts along the back. Four, five, six, seven slashes. It was a number that stood out to her immediately. According to Tim's autopsy, he'd been stabbed in the back seven times. They had what they needed. Physical evidence connecting Frankie to the murder. At trial, they didn't hold back. Assistant DA Marie Broder let her passion show when she spoke. She told GQ that she wanted the jurors to feel angry, to really be upset about what Frankie did to Tim. The prosecution called more than 12 witnesses, many of whom told story after story about Frankie admitting to and briefly bragging about Tim's murder. Over the years, the jury foreman told 2020 that he counted at least 17 separate instances of Frankie admitting to the murder. GQ reported that Frankie's lawyers admitted his client had said racist things, but that it didn't make him a killer. The fact of the matter was, Frankie said he didn't do it, and the people claiming otherwise weren't exactly credible. The defense strategically highlighted facts about the witnesses. Some used drugs. Some had felonies. Some were even currently incarcerated. And while the incarcerated witnesses said they hadn't been offered a deal in exchange for their testimony, the defense Claimed they still had incentives to lie. With so much on the line, why should a jury believe them at all? And look, I mean, it's an interesting argument, honestly. I'll be the first one to admit just how tenuous and unreliable informant stories can be. But even if these individual witnesses lacked credibility, it was the overwhelming number of them that I found most compelling. And when you pair it all with the items found in that well, yeah, for me, what happened that Sunday in 1983 was clear. And the prosecution held tight to their story. During closing arguments, they painted one last picture of what had happened to Tim.

[Voice Actor]

That man right there is a racist, and he's admitted killing. Timothy Cogger took a chain and wrapped it around Timothy Cogger's feet and drugged him from the roadway where his sweater was found. And they drugged him up and down that power line on Monroe Road, leaving his body in a field to be found days later.

[Advertiser 2]

It was such a vivid and disturbing image. But the defense emphasized that it was just a made up story. It's just trash, they said in their closing arguments. That's what those witnesses amount to. That's what all your jailhouse witnesses amount to. Just trash. The same thing that was found in the well. In total, the trial lasted just one week. And now it was time to wait for a verdict. And soon, news of that verdict snaked through the community. The energy was tense. Yes, the evidence against Frankie was compelling, but he'd still managed to elude responsibility for three decades. From that perspective, anything seemed possible. So in a packed Georgia courtroom, the Coggins family waited nervously. I found a video of this moment from abc. Watched as the judge addressed the room. Ladies and gentlemen, he began, I'm going to bring this jury in and we're going to receive the verdict. And we're going to receive it with silence and respect. The camera panned towards the prosecutor. She's leaning forward, her elbows resting on the table in front of her, hands clasped close to her lips. She's shaking.

[Heather Coggins]

In the Superior Court of Spalding County, State of Georgia. State of Georgia versus William Franklin Gebhart. Having considered whether the state has proven each element of the following offenses, we the jury unanimously find as count one, malice murder, guilty. Count two, felony murder, guilty.

[Voice Actor]

Count three, aggravated battery, guilty. Count four, aggravated assault.

[Celisia Stanton]

The Coggins family held hands, tearfully processing the verdict. Frankie Gebhart was convicted on every charge brought against him. Finally, justice for Tim.

[Advertiser 2]

Heather Coggins addressed the court on behalf of her family.

[Heather Coggins]

We understand that this has been tiresome and taxing to everyone. But we are completely grateful to be here today. It has been 34 years for us to be here, and we are finally here. And now we can go back to Tim's grave as well as my grandmother's grave, and we can say, hey, you guys can now rest in peace. So for that, Judge Sayles, we are eternally grateful. Eternally grateful.

[Advertiser 2]

Frankie was sentenced to life in prison not long after Bill Moore forewent to trial, pleading guilty to manslaughter in exchange for 20 years in prison and 10 years of probation, according to ABC. After Bill's hearing, his daughter Brandi approached Heather Coggins. I'm sorry this happened to your family, she told her face streaked with tears. Heather hugged her. We know that no one wins here, she comforted. Our family lost 35 years ago. We know that your family have lost as well. Nobody wins. Talisa, Tim's younger sister, stepped toward Brandy, embraced her. A chain reaction began as family member after family member quickly followed suit until suddenly it's just one giant family Coggins hug, with Brandy at the center. It's a remarkable moment of empathy and understanding, a powerful reminder that for all the world's darkness, there's still so much, much compassion. For me, it felt like a lesson worth holding onto. Talisa would elaborate on the moment in an interview with gq. Black people have a way, she said. Because of all that we've been through, the way we was raised, forgiveness is the first thing that black people learn. For the Coggins, the reopening of Tim's murder investigation allowed them the gift of closure. All those years ago, they'd left Tim's grave unmarked, fearful it might be targeted. But now they were free to resolve that unfinished business, able to place a headstone at Tim's burial site, eager to host a lively service that honored the man they loved, according to the ap. At that service, Tyrone Coggin shared a few words, words about his brother. He always wanted to make sure everyone got home safely. This was confirmation to the family that 34 years later, Tim made it home. I wonder a lot about what a happy ending looks like for a story about tragedy. No matter the outcome, Timothy is still gone. But for the Coggins family, it's a rare moment of accountability, a rare moment of justice in a system that so rarely serves victims and their families. And I think it's important to remember that three decades, while too long, is not too late, is the kind of recognition that so many families are still seeking that Timothy's life mattered.

[Celisia Stanton]

Before you hop off, I wanted to share a bit more behind the scenes of this story and of course, a few action items you can take with you. During my work on today's episode, I had the chance to connect with Timothy's cousin, Heather Coggins. For years, Heather has been a representative of sorts for the entire Coggins family, always doing whatever possible to keep Timothy's story out there. As Heather puts it, when you forget what happened, when you forget your history, it repeats itself. So today I wanted to make sure to pass that message along to you. Heather shared with our team that one of her biggest dreams is for her uncle's story to be picked up for a major motion picture adaption, a way for his life and legacy to reach across the country, but most importantly, to not be forgotten. But of course, this isn't something that happens without action. And it all starts by sharing Timothy's story in your own community. By telling a friend or family member about Timothy Coggins, about the person he was, the life he lived, and the injustice he and his family endured at the hands of a system that failed them. You can text a friend, pick it up at the family dinner table. You can also head over to True or Crime's social media accounts rueercrimepod on Instagram and X and Helicia Stanton on TikTok. And this week we'll be sharing more videos and graphics about today's episode so you can share those with your own networks to help spread the word. I also wanted to direct you to support the Equal Justice Initiative. In particular, I want to highlight their Community Remembrance Project, which supports efforts to locally memorialize documented victims of racial violence and to educate communities about the history of racial injustice. Since 2015, their work has included installing more than 80 historical markers in local communities and helped collect soil from 700 sites of racial terror lynchings. Please consider donating to support this work on their website eji.org for a full source list and links to all of today's action items, make sure to visit our [e-mail] True or Crime is created, hosted and written by me, Celisia Stanton and is a production of Tenderfoot TV in association with Odyssey. Additional writing and research by Olivia Heusingfeld. Executive Producers are myself, Donald Albright and Payne Lindsay. Additional production by Olivia Heusingfeld and Jamie Albright. Editing by Liam Luxon with additional editing support by Sydney Evans and Jaja Muhammad. Our supervising producer is Tracy kaplan. Artwork by Station 16 Original music by Jay Ragsdale Mix by Dayton Cole. Thank you to Oren Rosenbaum and the team at UTA Back Media and Marketing and the Nord Group. For more podcasts like Truer Crime, search Tenderfoot TV on your favorite podcast app or visit us@Tenderfoot TV. Thanks for listening thanks for listening to this season two episode of True Crime. If you want an ad free version of this show and other great shows from Tenderfoot TV, you can subscribe to Tenderfoot plus at tenderfootplus.com or on Apple Podcasts.