Police mum about investigation of transgender Athens resident’s mysterious death

Santonio Coleman (Facebook)

By Joe Johnson

Santonio Coleman died last weekend after being found injured on a wooded trail on the east side of town.

The Athens-Clarke County Police Department said that the death of the 48-year-old transgender citizen was being investigated as a homicide, but they’re refusing to say anything beyond that about the case.

Some members of the community are wondering whether “San” might have been killed as the result of a hate crime.

“This is an active investigation, and to protect the integrity of the case, detectives have nothing further to share at this time,” ACCPD spokesman Geof Gilland said.

Community advocate Cameron Jay Harrelson said that while he understood the concerns that some people have about how Coleman was fatally injured, he has taken a wait and see stance.

“Our local LGBTQ+community is a family, and we always mourn when a member of our community loses their life,” he said. “As we await more details regarding this case, may we all uplift and support San’s family during this difficult time.”

The police department says that the investigation began the morning of October 19, when officers were dispatched to a reported injured person on the Trail Creek Trail, which is located behind the University of Georgia’s Chicopee Complex.

Upon arrival they found Coleman lying critically injured on a concrete path.

They died after being transported to the hospital.