Two Alabama men who were found dead inside a car along an I-85 exit ramp in Union City were asphyxiated and the woman found in the trunk died of ligature strangulation.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the cause of death Wednesday, and officially ruled the deaths a homicide.
But now the Clayton County police are taking the lead in the investigation after the crime scene was discovered in Jonesboro.
The investigation led the detectives to an address in the 8000 block of Magnolia Drive, Clayton County police spokesman Sgt. Kevin Hughes said.
"Evidence discovered there potentially supports the crime,” Sgt. Hughes said.
Around 5:45 a.m. Sunday, an officer patrolling the area discovered two bodies in the back seat of a car sitting idly on the northbound exit ramp to Flat Shoals Road, according to Union City police.
The officer later discovered another body in the trunk, police said.
On Monday, the medical examiner’s office identified the woman inside the trunk as Ms. Cheryl Colquitt-Thompson, 32.
The men in the back seat have been identified as Mr. Quinones King, 33, and Mr. Rodney Cottrell, 43. All were from Montgomery, Ala.
Asphyxiation involves depriving the body of oxygen, but authorities haven't said specifically how the men were killed.
It’s also unclear what the three were doing in Georgia and how long they were dead before being found.
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