Arrest made in 1999 killing of Atlanta mother Bridgett Lockhart
Cold case suspect behind bars for 1999 murder
A suspect is behind bars at the Fulton County jail after turning himself in for the 1999 murder of a mother of two, according to authorities.
ATLANTA - Nearly three decades after a young Atlanta mother was found dead inside her home, investigators have made an arrest in the case.
PREVIOUS STORY: Man wanted for 1999 Atlanta murder of Bridgett Lockhart
What we know:
Atlanta police announced that Janarra Sherrer turned himself in at the Fulton County Jail and has been charged with murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in connection with the death of Bridgett Lockhart.
Lockhart, 29, was found dead on July 31, 1999, inside her home on Oakcliff Court in northwest Atlanta. Her two children were asleep inside the residence at the time of the killing.
The backstory:
Investigators had long believed that Lockhart's boyfriend of about six months was responsible for her death. Earlier this year, police publicly renewed their appeal for information, describing the suspect as a light-skinned Black man believed to have spent time around Bankhead Highway, now known as Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway.
For years, Lockhart's daughter, Elandra Loyal, sought answers in her mother's case while serving as a police officer with the DeKalb County Police Department.
"One night she is there smiling, laughing and being a mom and the next morning she's gone," Loyal previously told FOX 5.
"My mother deserves justice and our family deserves the truth," she said. "One piece of information could make all the difference."
Man arrested for 1999 cold case homicide
A man has been arrested for killing a young Black mother in Atlanta back in 1999. Police say Janarra Sherrer turned himself in at the Fulton County Jail.
What they're saying:
Detective Summer Benton secured the warrants and notified Lockhart's daughter, Elandra Loyal, who is now a DeKalb County officer. Loyal was only 5 years old when her mother was killed.
"She breathed a sigh of relief," Benton said. "She broke down crying, and she thanked us."
Loyal spoke to FOX 5 in June about her family's decades-long search. "My mother deserves justice and our family deserves the truth," Loyal said. "One night she is there smiling, laughing and being a mom and the next morning she's gone."
Lt. Christapher Butler said community tips and news organizations helped lead them to the arrest. "I told her we could not have done it without the media and she wanted me to express her thanks to everybody," Butler said.
Butler noted that Sherrer shared some details with police. "He was able to share some information," Butler said. "Other information, he kept to himself."
What's next:
Sherrer remains in custody facing murder charges and weapons offenses. According to police records, Sherrer has a prior criminal history that includes past offenses such as child abandonment, battery and aggravated sexual battery. He will remain jailed in Fulton County as the legal case moves forward toward a formal indictment.
What we don't know:
Investigators have not released a motive for the killing or explained how Sherrer was connected to Lockhart.
It remains unclear why Sherrer chose to turn himself in on Monday after 27 years.