JUSTICE FOR SAN
On January 7, 2025, the House passed the Laken Riley Act, as its first piece of legislation of the 119th Congress with a vote of 264 to 159. The bill was named after a young, white nursing student who was murdered while jogging on the University of Georgia campus in February of 2024. Jose Ibarra was convicted and sentenced to death for the crime and was identified as an undocumented immigrant, becoming the face of calls for deportation by politicians who advocated for the mass removal of both legal and undocumented immigrants that Trump has often referred to as “drug dealers, rapists, criminals and inhuman.” The crime and the case received international attention, massive media coverage and what appeared to be bottomless resources to solve the crime that every person in Athens, Georgia and beyond, heard about.
What the world likely didn’t hear about and even very few Athens residents were aware of, was the murder of Santonio Coleman on October 20th of the same year, in the very same area on the trails of the very same neighborhood. Called “San” by family and friends, the 48 year old described as a gay man by family and a Trans woman by some friends, was discovered bloody and clinging to life by a neighbor early the morning of October 19, 2024 on the Trail Creek Trail, parallel to Oakridge Avenue off of Vine St. behind the University of Georgia’s Chicopee Complex. Santonio died the next day at an area hospital. There was no manhunt for suspects or media frenzy like Athens saw for the young, white jogger. There has been no suspect arrested and not a single mention of Santonio in the conversation around the Laken Riley Act.
Blaque/OUT Magazine was first made aware of the Coleman case when adding their name to the Trans Remembrance Archive and Information Index in November of 2024. There was a short HRC article and minimal media coverage. In late December, we were contacted with a tip regarding concern and questions from an Athen’s resident regarding how the case was and is being handled by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department based on things they had personally observed.
At 11A.M. on October 19th, the person we spoke with was taking a walk in Virginia Walker Park (where Santonio Coleman was discovered). Upon entering the Vine Street entrance they noticed some unnatural debris on the right side of the path about 20 yards from the street entrance. They saw and photographed a rubber breast insert, gauze and blood on the path as well as the edge of the sidewalk. A lot of blood. They called the police. This person having been professionally trained in technical investigations understood something very bad had likely taken place there. Upon further investigation, it appeared that police and/or paramedics had been there and left behind both items used for treatment and personal items belonging to either the suspect or victim. It was on the ground and spilling out of a nearby trash receptacle. They questioned if it was evidence, which they relayed to the non-emergency line operator who transferred them to someone else who informed them they were aware, it was okay, thanked them and hung up.
Except everything wasn’t okay. Santonio Coleman was found semi-conscious with a profusely bleeding head injury earlier that morning, was sent to the hospital and later died. Santonio lay on the trail all night long bleeding, was found shivering and unresponsive. When Coleman’s family arrived at the hospital they were unable to see San, but were told Santonio had bleeding on the brain and required emergency surgery. Coleman remained on life support after the surgery and the family was left with the impossible choice of whether or not to continue treatment after being informed that there was no brain activity. Santonio’s mother didn’t want San to suffer and eventually let them go. The incident didn’t make the news immediately. The good samaritan, who contacted us, posted pictures, asked questions and inquired with neighbors and local business owners. No one had heard anything and several days later the breast insert and bloody items remained on the ground. The trash bin was emptied on its regular garbage cycle and any remaining evidence there was lost. On October 28th the path had been pressure washed and cleared of the blood. A trail of newly cleaned spots of cement went from the spot all the way to a second park entrance like bread crumbs. A memorial had appeared and also upon searching, a short statement about an attack, with no picture on the internet. No word about who Santonio Coleman was as a person or brother or uncle or friend or that they were likely wearing feminine clothing when they were attacked that night. No word about it being investigated as a murder or a hate crime.
Eventually, in early November, a police report was released that stated that it was believed that Santonio died accidentally but offered no explanation and no cause of death. The suggestion of an accident with injuries so severe seemed to make little sense as the path was poorly lit but was completely flat and provided no obstacles to cause a fall so grave that a person might have lost their life. One would imagine a second death in a park that had become a matter of international news would warrant a large response. But when Santonio Coleman passed, the park was never shut down, there were no barricades, press conferences or sizable donations from the University. If not for family, friends and a small circle of activists, the world may have never known Santonio Coleman died or lived.
Lakeisha Fleming, Santonio’s sister, describes San as her “best friend/parent because he was the oldest”. She and their family use male pronouns to describe Santonio. She describes San lovingly, “he was a vibrant and fierce advocate for those who felt voiceless. He brought so much joy and beauty to everyone around him. My brother was more than a victim, he was a beacon of hope for many.” She vows San “will always exist within us, and we will endure. He is remembered, not just as a victim but as the incredible person he was. My brother was very much loved.”
Friends and family tell us San was an incredible hair stylist who brought laughter and joy everywhere they went and was known to dance their way into every room. This was not a person whose memory will disappear over time or be noted only for their passing, Santonio Coleman will be remembered for their full authenticity and unencumbered joy.
Blaque/OUT reached out to Detective Christina Bradshaw of the Athens-Clarke County Police Department who was listed as the chief detective on the case and did not receive a response at the time this article went to print. We also filed a FOIL report with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and were able to obtain only the redacted Field Case Report filed on October 25, 2024. It lists basic information about the location of the crime, the victim and the individual that called 911 as well as it being an open death investigation but makes no mention of what Santonio was wearing, the potential of the death being investigated as suspicious, a homicide or a potential hate crime.
Mokah Jasmine Johnson, Co-founder and Executive Director of the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement (AADM) leads an org that is committed to advocating for racial and social justice by helping individuals protect their civil and human rights and amplifying the voices of marginalized communities. AADM has stood in solidarity with the family of Santonio Coleman and Imani Scott-Blackwell of Southerners on New Ground (SONG) to host a community vigil and launched a petition to better light the trail where Santonio was attacked as well as renaming it in Santonio’s memory. Johnson shared the family's deep disappointment with the lack of support and resolution from the local police department.
“Unfortunately, achieving justice for individuals like Santonio “San” Coleman often proves to be an uphill battle. However, we remain steadfast in our commitment to the Coleman family in demanding accountability and justice,” Mokah Jasmine Johnson shared, “the only way to do that is for the community to join in seeking answers and justice for Santonio.” The AADM petition now has 102 signatures. The org also assisted in purchasing a memorial marker on behalf of the family to place at the Trail that has since been removed or stolen.
Scott-Blackwell shares in the frustration of what she calls, “San’s suspicious death, ACCPD’s shoddy investigation, and the minimal media coverage…. It reminds us of something that all marginalized & criminalized people know to be true. No one is coming to save us.” Imani’s organization, SONG, envisions a South where all LGBTQIA+ folks are able to live free from fear in their communities. One of their campaign pillars is “Protecting our Queer & Trans Kindred” so they immediately sought to utilize organizational resources to support San’s family and uplift San’s life and impact on the community. She says thus far, “I haven’t heard much from [law enforcement] at all. To my knowledge, no press conference or consistent communications like the scale of what we saw post Laken Riley’s murder. Anti-Blackness is a global phenomenon along with Transphobia and violence against women and femmes. This is a big problem in every corner of the world and needs to be contended with in Athens, GA just like anywhere else. Our bodies are not seen as vulnerable by the state. They come quickly when it's time to criminalize us but are few and far between when we need to call for help.”
The family has theories and received information as to who may be persons of interest in the death of Santonio, that they say the police department are aware of but there have yet to be any arrests. The good samaritan we spoke with offered their professional assistance in locating missing property of Coleman and further searching the area of the attack with their own equipment and did not receive a response from local law enforcement.
In an open investigation it is difficult to determine what is and isn’t being done or whether law enforcement is doing their due diligence or not. Even in the best of circumstances and with the most dedicated of investigators, full information may not be shared with media, the public or even family members to not compromise the investigation. But what is beyond clear is frighteningly similar crimes, in the same community, under similar circumstances and with the same law enforcement agencies in play- the life of a 20-something white female jogger certainly seems to garner more attention, more resources, more outrage and more value than Santonio Coleman’s did.
With that being said, the Laken Riley Act now heads to the Senate. It will be one of their first Legislative decisions and will require 60 votes to advance. But the Laken Riley Act isn’t legislation to protect women or college students or in opposition to Sexual Assault. The Laken Riley Bill is legislation that requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to take undocumented immigrants into custody who have been charged in the US with theft and other minor crimes (no conviction is required, only an accusation) . This Bill is meant to be used as a tool for deportation and the criminalization of immigrants. Two people’s lives were lost to violent crime in Athens, Georgia. One crime solved, one virtually ignored and both may be the victim of one of the most violent of modern crimes- politics.
If you have information about the murder of Santonio Coleman, police have asked that anyone with information on Coleman’s death contact detective Christina Bradshaw at 762-400-7632 or christina.bradshaw@accgov.com. To sign the Anti-Discrimination Movement (AADM) petition to memorialize Santonio Coleman and make the park a safer place for visitors, visit: https://www.change.org/p/petition-in-honor-of-san-coleman. In 2025, local organizers will host community safety training classes such as boxing and self-defense. If you are in the Athens, Georgia area and interested in training with SONG, email: imani@songsouth.org. #JusticeForSan
Learn more about the Santonio Coleman case, get updates to this article and view more photographs in the February issue of Blaque/OUT Magazine https://www.blaqueout.com/magazine on February 1st.
****TRIGGER WARNING: Photos contain graphic images of crime scene
