Suspect named in 1995 rape, murder of 14-year-old Nacole Smith
By KARYN GREER, JOSH MORGAN
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ATLANTA (WGCL) — The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office and the Atlanta Police Department have confirmed they have identified the man they believe is responsible for the rape and murder of 14-year-old Nacole Smith back in 1995.
A news conference was held Tuesday to provide a significant update in the case. However, authorities did not release the name of the suspect, only that he passed away in August of 2021 from liver and kidney failure.
During the press conference, Det. Vince Velazquez, who has since retired from APD and is a security consultant, talked about his involvement with the case over the years.
Velazquez says APD reopened the case in 2002 and in 2004 they got a forensic match after a 13-year-old girl was raped in East Point. However, despite their investigation, they were not able to identify a suspect at that time.
Det. Scott Demeester took up the torch after Velazquez and other veterans retired and spent hundreds of hours on the case.
Eventually, the police department was able to use genetic genealogy and match a DNA sample to the suspect. They were notified of the match just after Christmas.
Unfortunately, the suspect died in August 2021 of liver and kidney failure.
Nacole’s mother spoke during the press conference. She described the confirmation of the suspect’s identification as bittersweet, but said it did not bring closure. She says she still has many unanswered questions and her feelings are all over the place.
Betty Brown, who was the 13-year-old East Point girl who was raped several months after Nacole, was also at the press conference and gave an emotional statement. Betty and Nacole’s mother have become close over the years.
The Atlanta Police Department announced after the press conference that Kelvin Arnold is the primary suspect in the case.
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