Small Georgia Girl Found Dead in Cement-Filled Suitcase Finally Identified after 35 Years; Mother and Stepfather Indicted on Murder Charges

Police – Accident – Death – Obituary News : Thirty-five years after the discovery of a small girl’s body in a cement-filled suitcase in an abandoned TV console, authorities have finally named the victim and charged her mother and stepfather with murder. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced on Monday that the girl, previously known as “Baby Jane Doe,” has been identified as five-year-old Kenyatta “Keke” Odom.

Evelyn Odom, also known as Zmecca Luciana, 56, and Ulyster Sanders, 61, have been indicted on multiple felony charges including murder, first-degree cruelty to children, aggravated battery, concealing the death of another person, and conspiracy to conceal the death of another person. The charges were announced in a press release distributed by the agency.

According to the indictment obtained by WSB-TV, Odom and Sanders subjected the child to scalding water, resulting in disfigured legs and feet that ultimately led to her death. They then wrapped her body in a baby blanket, placed her inside a gym bag, encased her in concrete within a suitcase, and abandoned her in an old TV console about two hours away from their Albany home.

The girl’s body remained undiscovered for approximately three months. Initially estimated to be between three and four years old at the time of death, investigators later determined the child’s age through forensic testing. A medical examiner from the GBI concluded that the manner of death was homicide.

Investigators discovered evidence near the crime scene that suggested a connection to the Albany area. However, despite extensive forensic testing, national media coverage, and comparisons to missing children reports, little additional evidence was obtained. It wasn’t until 2019, using genome sequencing and a possible family tree, that a potential link to the Albany area was established.

Despite the suspected connection to Albany, investigators lacked the breakthrough they needed until a tipster called in after a news broadcast on the anniversary of the girl’s death in 2022. The tipster provided crucial information that led to the identification of the girl’s name, although specific details were not disclosed.

On November 1, the GBI presented their case to a jury in Dougherty County. Last Thursday, Odom and Sanders were arrested without incident. The agency expressed gratitude towards a private donor who offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the child’s identification.

The identification of Kenyatta “Keke” Odom brings closure to a case that has remained unresolved for over three decades. As the legal proceedings against her mother and stepfather unfold, the hope is that justice will be served for the untimely and tragic death of a young girl whose identity was unknown for far too long..