GA GA - Sophia Denmark, 27, Macon, 21 Feb 2009

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Toward the end of February this year, around the five-year anniversary of this young woman's unsolved murder, there was a flurry of coverage about Sophia from Macon-area media. Her family is really needing some answers.

There's a weird twist, with what seemed a strong suspect (who, it seems, confessed) not panning out. I've included links to (first) the anniversary coverage from three sources and then a couple of older items:

Five years later, unsolved Macon murder still brings pain

...On Feb. 21, 2009, Sophia was found face down inside her bedroom at 2127 Walnut St. She was pronounced dead at the scene.


A man who was seen entering the house before Sophia was found had confessed to killing her, but DNA recovered from under her fingernails wasn’t a match. Sophia’s killer has never been found. ...


...Initially under Macon Police Department jurisdiction, Sophia’s case now has Bibb County Sheriff’s Office investigators assigned to it. The police department folded into the sheriff’s office last month. ...


...Anyone with information on the case is asked to call investigators at 478-751-7500, or they can call Macon Regional CrimeStoppers at 877-68-CRIME.
more at: http://www.macon.com/2014/02/20/2950156/five-years-later-unsolved-macon.html



Cold case unsolved 5 years later

...Denmark's grandmother, Ophelia Austin, says the family continues to dig for information too, while still remaining hopeful.

"We're just praying that if somebody will see Sophia and remember something that happened that night, or remember somebody and would come forward," Austin explained. ...

...The family is offering a $3,000 reward to anyone with information on the case. ...
more at: http://www.13wmaz.com/story/news/local/macon/2014/02/21/macon-cold-case-unsolved/5708217/


Five Years and Still No Answers After Pleasant Hill Neighborhood Unsolved Murder


..."She was so much fun, she would light up a place. She just loved everybody," Ethel Austin, Denmark's grandmother said. ...

"We hadn't been able to talk about it amongst ourselves, it was just so hurtful, every day it feels like it just happened it never gets old," Austin said.

All she wants is justice for her "Sophie."

She thought she had it, when an arrest was made a few years back, but police released the suspect after clues showed there was no connection to the murder. ...
more at: http://www.41nbc.com/news/local-new...er-pleasant-hill-neighborhood-unsolved-murder


Older coverage:

Woman’s strangulation death first Macon homicide of 2009

...“At the time the body was found there were no visible signs of foul play,” said Sgt. Melanie Hofmann, Macon police spokeswoman. ...

...The autopsy revealed Denmark died of asphyxiation caused by strangulation, Jones said. ...
more at: http://www.macon.com/2009/02/24/629743_womans-strangulation-death-first.html


Macon man gets probation for concealing death

While a Macon man pleaded guilty Monday to concealing the death of a woman found strangled near a Walnut Street boarding house, the woman’s killer has not been charged.

...when interrogated by police, Allen said he strangled Denmark and pushed her. She struck her head, and he moved her body, Bobbitt said. He was charged with murder and incarcerated, and he’s been in jail for nearly two years. ...

...In November 2009, Central State Hospital determined that Allen wasn’t competent to stand trial. He was medicated, re-evaluated and found to be competent for trial in February 2010.

After watching a video of the police interrogation and keeping in mind Allen’s mental status, Bobbitt said Allen’s statement and confession to the killing were called into question.

DNA recovered from underneath Denmark’s fingernails was tested and determined to be from a man -- but it didn’t match Allen, she said. ...

...Allen did admit to covering up the death. ...
more at: http://www.macon.com/2011/02/01/1431345/macon-man-gets-probation-for-concealing.html
 
Another older item, from shortly after Sophia's death, with a more in-depth look at Sophia, her lifestyle, her family, etc.:

Family has few answers in Bibb woman’s death

...As a young adult, Denmark would leave Warner Robins and move to Macon and Atlanta, Hill said, later returning to her hometown to live with friends and other relatives.


Young said her daughter, who was unemployed, recently had expressed an interest in attending cosmetology school at the American Professional Institute on Riverside Drive. ...


“It was about two weeks ago. She called me and asked me to take her down there to the school. I told her to come meet me at work, at the bus station. But she never showed up,” Young said. “Everybody goes through hard times. She was talking about doing positive things with her life.”


Hill said her sister had a warm spirit that kept her surrounded by many people.


“She was friends with everybody,” she said. “This took us by surprise. We never thought anybody would take her life in this way.” ...

more at: http://www.macon.com/2009/02/27/633396/family-has-few-answers-in-bibb.html
 
Another anniversary article about Sophia:

Family Still Seeks Justice in Unsolved Murder

..."Oh its been so painful and so hard. And we haven't been able to that much speak about it because it is so piercing to the heart. And so I prayed about it and I wanted to come forth and get her picture out and see if somebody knew something on that day." -- Ethel Ophelia Austin, Sophia's grandmother ...

From the same item, more about the man who originally was charged with the murder:

..."But he did admit to Sophie's daddy that he picked her up and took her to her apartment but we never believed that he was the one that murdered her.(") ...

more at: http://www.wgxa.tv/story/family-still-seeks-justice-in-unsolved-murder-20140224

Also, Sophia's obituary is archived at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/ma...?n=sophia-denmark&pid=163236750&referrer=1040

At this point, it can no longer be viewed without paying to "restore" it. Directly at the link, however, there is such a bright and smiling (though small) picture of Sophia that you can view -- so, I included the link.
 
Looks as if an aunt of Sophia's posted a tribute video for Sophia a while back:

[video=youtube;vhIZQLmEknw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhIZQLmEknw[/video]



The info on the YouTube site (hope it is OK to quote it here) reads:
Published on Feb 21, 2015

This is my niece Sophia. Sophia LaTessa Denmark was a light that was taken from my family February 21, 2009. Her killer has never been found. Myfamily is offering a $3,000.00 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of her killer. If you know anything about the murder call the Macon Crimestoppers at 877-68-CRIME
 
DNA was found under her fingernails. Maybe a good case for #othram?
 

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