Augusta families left waiting for answers amid cold-case backlog
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Years after her son’s death, one Augusta mother refuses to let her child become a statistic.
Kevin Coatney would be turning 24 this year.
Instead, his family just marked three years since he was shot and killed while leaving Club 706.
The case has gone cold.
Unfortunately, Kevin’s case is just one of nearly 200 that Richmond County is still working to solve.
SEE THE LIST OF COLD CASES:
There is only one person in Richmond County’s cold case unit.
One person in the cold case unit has been assigned to find closure for these families.
But with a new istration comes new officers with ties to the community, which could be key in helping get answers.
Every frame of Coatney’s life tells the same story — style, ambition, always chasing something big.
FEMA curbing some hurricane help, and Ossoff is not happy
The Federal Emergency Management Agency this week denied Georgia’s request for an extension of full federal financial assistance for hurricane recovery.
“He’d say, ‘Mom, I just want to get out of Augusta, go to Atlanta. I want my brand to go worldwide,’” said Artia Jones, Coatney’s mom.
To his mom, Coatney was the blueprint for dreams in motion.
“Kevin was always my motivator. He was just the head of our household. He was everything here,” said Jones.
But everything froze on January 30, 2022.
Finding Solutions: ‘Spread the Love’ campaign begins at Golden Harvest
Golden Harvest Food Bank is spreading the love this February and they’re calling on you at home.
“This is a pain definitely that lives with us for the rest of our lives,” said Jones.
Her oldest son is gone.
“He didn’t deserve that. No child deserved that,” she said.
But to sit here three years later, she said, “Not getting anything. It’s just still very painful.”
Coatney’s name is one of nearly 200 on this list of unsolved homicides in Richmond County.
BUS-ted SYSTEM: Disabled Augustans lack a reliable ride
Five years after COVID became a problem, Augusta officials are still blaming the pandemic and other issues for what some see as a breakdown of paratransit service.
Sergeant Randall Amos with Richmond County Sheriff’s Office cold cases and violent crimes said: “To not know what happened to a loved one, whether they have gone missing or they were murdered, not having any answers, I think is worse than not making an arrest.”
Amos runs the cold case unit.
“I know Sheriff Brantley has brought in a lot of experienced officers. You know, they have ties to the communities, they know people and can get information to the cold case and homicide unit,” said Amos.
But above all, Amos says, “We encourage family to check-in. I know it’s difficult. Like I said with the list it’s difficult to check in with everybody. We encourage people to call, and we encourage the community if they have any information on anything.”
14 months later, upgrades still not started at Augusta park
Augusta’s Dyess Park is in desperate need of improvements – and city leaders agree.
For Coatney’s mom, she won’t stop until she gets justice for her son.
“Behind every case, every crime committed, there’s a witness out there. Just do the right thing,” said Jones.
“It’s gonna take some of us in the community. We know that. The police department can’t do it all. They would need our assistance, but it’s up to us,” she said.
The sheriff’s office encourages you if you know any information related to these cases, to call their office.
They say every little bit of information helps them in these investigations.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
