Nearly three decades after a teenager’s body was found in a shallow grave behind a vacant house in southwest Atlanta, officials have finally identified her as 15-year-old Kiyona Arnold, bringing long-awaited answers to a case that had baffled investigators since 1995.
Kiyona’s remains were discovered on April 5, 1995, by a group of children in the 300 block of Atwood Street. For 30 years, she was listed as a Jane Doe, with her identity and story unknown—until advanced forensic DNA analysis provided a breakthrough.
In 2022, the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office partnered with Othram Inc., a Texas-based forensic lab known for its use of genetic genealogy and DNA sequencing to solve cold cases. The effort was funded through crowdfunding, and later, a potential relative came forward to submit DNA. Testing confirmed the familial match, formally identifying the remains as Kiyona Arnold…