Shuvrajit Das Biswas
The racially motivated murder of Timothy Coggins shook his family and the small community. The exuberant black man loved dancing and dating white women, which drew the ire of his killers, simply because they wanted to protect the white race. As a result, they stabbed Coggins and tied him to the back of a pickup truck, dragging his body around till he stopped moving. Then, they dumped him and disappeared.
Timothy’s case was initially closed two months after it started, but the cold case was reopened, and justice was served nearly 34 years later. Although his parents, Viola and Robert Dorsey, tragically passed away before seeing justice being done to their boy, his remaining family members did get some closure. So, who are the Coggins family members, and where are they now?
Heather Coggins
Heather is Timothy’s niece and the family spokesperson. She has been vocal about the racial undertones of the case and was present at the trials of Timothy’s murderers. She addressed William Moore at his hearing, and spoke to CNN about it, saying, “I told him that what he did to our family 35 years ago tore our family apart. Our grandmother went to her grave, not knowing what happened to her son. I said, ‘We forgive you. I hope that whoever you pray to, you ask for forgiveness and are forgiven. I also hope that you spend the rest of your natural life behind bars.”
She also made a public Facebook post thanking those who’d been by their side. Heather noted how the months of the trial were like a roller coaster. She ended the message saying that love always erases hate. Heather is currently in her 40s and resides in Griffin, Georgia. She’s also lived in Fayetteville and Valdosta at some point, as per the records.
Ramon Coggins
Ramon Lacarter Coggins is Timothy’s brother, and though not much is known about him, we know he resides in Griffin too. He’s in his 50s as per the latest records. When Timothy got his grave at Zebulon, Ramon was there with the rest of the family, grieving his demise.
Tyrone Coggins
Dwayne Tyrone Coggins is Timothy’s brother too, who spoke to local news channels after justice was served, saying that Tim always wanted to confirm everyone got home safely. Now, 34 years later, their family has received the confirmation that Tim made it as well. Coggins used to be the Spalding County Fire Battalion Chief. However, he was investigated for passing on information about the police to drug dealers in the area.
The cops met at the fire station, believing it to be a safe spot, but Coggins would relay sensitive information, putting the lives of officers at risk. He was sentenced to four years in federal prison and one year of supervised release, along with 100 hours of community service. He was sentenced in 2015, which means Coggins was out in 2019, missing the trials which brought justice for Timothy. As of now, Coggins seems to live in Griffin, Georgia and is in his 50s. Although all three family members live in Griffin, records indicate they live separately. [Cover Picture Courtesy: The Coggins Family]
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