Topline: Atlanta police say a 51-year-old suspect is now in custody in the 1999 killing of Bridgett Lockhart.
Published: July 15, 2026 2:00 pm ET
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Bridgett Lockhart was killed July 31, 1999, in Atlanta. She was 29 years old.
A cold case that reshaped one daughter’s life has finally led to a murder charge nearly three decades later.
ATLANTA, Ga. — Atlanta police say Janarra Sherrer, 51, has been arrested and charged in the July 31, 1999 killing of Bridgett Lockhart, a 29-year-old mother who was found slain on Oakcliff Court.
According to WSB-TV, Sherrer turned himself in at the Fulton County Jail and is charged with murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Police said Lockhart’s daughter, Elandra Loyal, joined law enforcement last month and publicly pleaded for someone to come forward with information about her mother’s death. Loyal now works as a DeKalb County police officer and said her search for answers has motivated her to help other families find justice.
Investigators said police originally searched for a man believed to have been Lockhart’s boyfriend for about six months at the time of the killing, likely using the name Janarus or Janaris. Police now say they believe Sherrer is responsible.
Authorities also said Sherrer has a prior criminal record that includes child abandonment, battery, aggravated sexual battery and theft offenses. He is being held in the Fulton County Jail as the 1999 homicide case finally moves forward.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Man Charged in 1999 Killing of Atlanta Mother After Nearly 30 Years
Atlanta police say a 51-year-old suspect is now in custody in the 1999 killing of Bridgett Lockhart.
By Aaron Stephensen
Published: July 15, 2026 2:00 pm ET
Bridgett Lockhart was killed July 31, 1999, in Atlanta. She was 29 years old.
A cold case that reshaped one daughter’s life has finally led to a murder charge nearly three decades later.
ATLANTA, Ga. — Atlanta police say Janarra Sherrer, 51, has been arrested and charged in the July 31, 1999 killing of Bridgett Lockhart, a 29-year-old mother who was found slain on Oakcliff Court.
According to WSB-TV, Sherrer turned himself in at the Fulton County Jail and is charged with murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Police said Lockhart’s daughter, Elandra Loyal, joined law enforcement last month and publicly pleaded for someone to come forward with information about her mother’s death. Loyal now works as a DeKalb County police officer and said her search for answers has motivated her to help other families find justice.
Investigators said police originally searched for a man believed to have been Lockhart’s boyfriend for about six months at the time of the killing, likely using the name Janarus or Janaris. Police now say they believe Sherrer is responsible.
Authorities also said Sherrer has a prior criminal record that includes child abandonment, battery, aggravated sexual battery and theft offenses. He is being held in the Fulton County Jail as the 1999 homicide case finally moves forward.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Man Charged in 1999 Killing of Atlanta Mother After Nearly 30 Years
Atlanta police say a 51-year-old suspect is now in custody in the 1999 killing of Bridgett Lockhart.
By Aaron Stephensen
Published: July 15, 2026 2:00 pm ET
Bridgett Lockhart was killed July 31, 1999, in Atlanta. She was 29 years old.
A cold case that reshaped one daughter’s life has finally led to a murder charge nearly three decades later.
ATLANTA, Ga. — Atlanta police say Janarra Sherrer, 51, has been arrested and charged in the July 31, 1999 killing of Bridgett Lockhart, a 29-year-old mother who was found slain on Oakcliff Court.
According to WSB-TV, Sherrer turned himself in at the Fulton County Jail and is charged with murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Police said Lockhart’s daughter, Elandra Loyal, joined law enforcement last month and publicly pleaded for someone to come forward with information about her mother’s death. Loyal now works as a DeKalb County police officer and said her search for answers has motivated her to help other families find justice.
Investigators said police originally searched for a man believed to have been Lockhart’s boyfriend for about six months at the time of the killing, likely using the name Janarus or Janaris. Police now say they believe Sherrer is responsible.
Authorities also said Sherrer has a prior criminal record that includes child abandonment, battery, aggravated sexual battery and theft offenses. He is being held in the Fulton County Jail as the 1999 homicide case finally moves forward.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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