The Brief
- Multiple high-profile murder and violent crime cases could reach courtrooms in 2026.
- Trials span multiple counties, from mass shootings to long-delayed cold cases.
- Outcomes could bring long-awaited answers for victims’ families and communities.
ATLANTA – Courts across metro Atlanta and North Georgia are preparing for a busy year ahead, with several high-profile criminal cases expected to go to trial in 2026. From mass shootings and long-delayed cold cases to alleged domestic killings and child deaths, prosecutors and defense attorneys are gearing up for proceedings that could bring long-awaited answers for victims’ families and communities. Here is a look at some of the most closely watched trials that could unfold in the year ahead.
Editor’s Note: FOX 5 Atlanta reached out to multiple district attorneys and is waiting for some responses. Check back for updates to this list.
FULTON COUNTY
Atlanta spa shootings – Robert Aaron Long
The long-running Atlanta spa shootings case is expected to continue moving toward trial in 2026 in Fulton County.
Robert Aaron Long is already serving four life sentences without parole after pleading guilty in Cherokee County for the 2021 killings. In Fulton County, however, Long still faces 19 additional charges, including murder, aggravated assault and domestic terrorism, tied to the shootings at Atlanta massage businesses. Prosecutors have said they plan to seek the death penalty. Pretrial motions are ongoing, and no firm trial date has been set, though proceedings could stretch into late 2026.
Murder of Clark Atlanta student Alexis Crawford
The 2019 murder of Alexis Crawford remains one of Fulton County’s most closely watched unresolved cases.…