FACT CHECK: Is There An Active Serial Killer In Atlanta, Georgia?

A post shared on Facebook claims there is an active serial killer in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.

Verdict: False

There is no evidence of an active serial killer in Atlanta, according to the city’s mayor. The two recent murders in the Atlanta area are unrelated.

Fact Check:

Cases of homicide, shootings and assaults have risen in Atlanta over the last two years, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Now, an Aug. 1 Facebook post claims there is an active serial killer in the Atlanta area who “murdered and dismembered” a woman.

“Hey nobody is talking about this but there’s literally an active serial killer around Atlanta, GA,” the post reads. “They have no leads on who it is but a woman was BRUTALLY murdered and dismembered. the news won’t talk about this ?? and police will not release info so please spread awareness for this.”

There is, however, no evidence of an active serial killer in Atlanta. An active serial killer in the area certainly would warrant an announcement from the Atlanta Police Department, but a search of the department’s “News” section on its website turned up no mention of such a threat.

The Atlanta Police Department sent Check Your Fact a July 30 statement which said many claims surrounding a recent murder were “inaccurate.” (RELATED: Is There An Active Serial Killer In Baton Rouge, Louisiana?)

“There have been many rumors and much speculation surrounding this case, both among members of the public as well as internally,” part of the statement reads. “Much of the information is inaccurate and some is completely false.”

The claim about the serial killer appears to have arisen following two recent murders in the Atlanta area. On July 28, 40-year-old Katherine Janess was found stabbed to death in Piedmont Park in Atlanta, according to ABC News. No arrests had been made as of Aug. 3 in connection to the murder, CBS 46 reported. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said on Aug. 3 that there is no evidence the crime was committed by a serial killer, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“I know that there have been several rumors that there is a serial killer on the loose in our city. We don’t have any evidence of that,” Bottoms said in an Aug. 3 press conference.

18-year-old Tori Lang was found shot and dead on July 28 in Yellow River Park in Gwinnett County, outside of Atlanta, Fox 5 reported. No arrests have been made in connection with this murder yet, either, according to the outlet. Gwinnett County police Sgt. J.R. Richter said there is no evidence the two killings were related, Fox News reported.

“The information on Facebook is not correct with the claims of a serial killer,” the Gwinnett Police Department said in an email to Check Your Fact. “Our Yellow River Park death is not associated or linked to the Atlanta death.”

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