The Atlanta Police Department's Cold Case Unit has reopened the brutal and unsolved 2004 murder of John E. Ray. Detectives believe Ray was targeted via a gay internet "hookup" or dating website, reports the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The article suggests that Ray may have been closeted to his friends and family.
Ray’s body was found on May 19, 2004, bloodied and lying face-down on the floor of his home, his hands bound behind his back and the broken-off blade of a knife in his chest, police said. Gone were Ray’s TV, some stereo equipment and his car, [Detective David Quinn] said. "We believe that the day that he [disappeared], he was on a date in his home," Quinn said. “At some point, something happened … something huge, and John Ray is attacked violently within his home."
But the killer was calculating. "That one individual actually took a shower at John Ray’s home,” he said. "He also took the time to go into the kitchen [and] get cleaning products, and … he wiped everything down with bleach."
By chance, police happened upon Ray’s car in the early hours of the next morning, when the vehicle ran a stop sign not far from the crime scene. But the responding officer was called off the ensuing chase, just in time to see the car collide with an electricity pole and explode a transformer in his rear-view mirror, police said.
Detectives believe the killer may have targeted other victims."I think that the person that preyed on John Ray online was not gay," Quinn said. "They came here specifically to target John Ray for robbery."
The Ray case is just one of a number of unsolved murders in Atlanta's Black gay community.
In May 2009, 43-year-old Patrick Boland, a gay man originally from Jamaica, was killed in Piedmont Park. Police have no suspects.
Twenty-one-year-old Samuel Blizzard Jr. and 26-year-old Calvin Streater were shot execution-style over the 2010 Atlanta Black Gay Pride weekend. Police have no suspects and in April 2011 released the sketch of a person of interest.
Only a week earlier, Durand Robinson was gunned down in an apparent carjacking on August 25. Robinson was the co-owner of the popular nightclub Traxx. There are still no arrests in that murder. Police re-canvassed the crime scene in April.
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May be the Black gay community can take 30 minutes from Sizzling in Miami, the Inferno in DR, Splashing in Houston or Beaching Partying in LA or cruising pride festivities in ATL, WDC, NYC, Baltimore, NC and all around the USA and demand justice for these Black gay men. For goodness sakes, Durand Robinson was the co-owner of legendary Atlanta hotspot Traxx. This is unbelievable not to mention unacceptable. Stop dancing, drinking, drugging, bbm'ing, texting, fb'ing , shopping and sexing for a few seconds in favor of something meaningful.
Posted by: kirk | 04 June 2011 at 15:53
Right on Kirk! Our community needs to get organized and get politically active on these issues. Sadly when Black Pride weekends around the U.S. have the workshops and seminars to educate and organize, many of the younger LGBT folks don't attend anything but the parties.
Posted by: The Professor | 04 June 2011 at 20:29
From the article: “‘I think that the person that preyed on John Ray online was not gay,’ Quinn said. ‘They came here specifically to target John Ray for robbery.’”
Quinn ought to know, though, that being gay and targeting someone specifically for robbery are not incompatible.
Posted by: Jim | 04 June 2011 at 22:26
Wow. I do not remember this case. Scary. And Kirk you are right, but I would not hold my breath ...
Posted by: The other guy | 07 June 2011 at 12:23
Having lived in Atlanta 39 years now, you see and hear a lot about Atlanta's Black preachers in Georgia. It is a brotherhood and like with any brotherhood you're gonna look out for your brother. The opening sentence of this report said it all, "Why is this not a surprise?" A number of these preachers (including New Birth member and rumored lesbian Bernice King) marched with Eddie in 2004 when he led a national march in Atlanta against gay marriage several years ago or supported him if they weren't able to march. There's dirt on Creflo with rumors on his money laundering but he hasn't gotten caught yet. When he does get caught, Eddie when be their supporting that anointed one.
Posted by: Cleon | 08 June 2011 at 12:17
My bad, I posted the comment above under the wrong article, however what I will say is over the years Atlanta has had a number of murders of gays as pointed out in the article and the community has remained silent. We have remained silent because most of the community is closeted and don't want their photos in the newspapers and be outed. It is not an excuse or a reason as it is a fact of why we don't publicly organize.
Posted by: Cleon | 08 June 2011 at 12:29
You guys are looking to ice water in hell if you think the thirsty, pressed, paranoid fools (which makes up a significant lot of Atlanta) will organize to solve these murders.
If the truth and the culprits are discovered it will be via anonymous tips. That's the truth.com...
Posted by: kayman23 | 12 June 2011 at 11:27