District Attorney Paul Howard Announces Indictment in 1994 Murder

Sherman Ridley Formally Charged with Murder of Lorraine Lansford

Atlanta-Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard, Jr. (Atlanta Judicial Circuit) announces that Sherman Ridley (39) has been indicted for the 4 October 1994 murder of Lorraine Lansford (28). Ridley has been formally charged with murder, felony murder (two counts), and aggravated sodomy.

Ms. Lansford was found severely beaten, strangled, and sodomized under an abandoned house on McAfee Street in northwest Atlanta. At the autopsy, swabs were taken from her body, and these swabs were retrieved by the District Attorney’s Cold Case Squad and tested. These tests led to the development of a profile of an unknown male’s DNA which subsequently was uplifted into C.O.D.I.S. and identified Ridley. On 16 December, the Squad arrested the defendant for the murder of Ms. Lansford.

These charges are merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

CONTACT: Erik Friedly, 404.224.0560 (office); 770.583.6069 (pager); erik.friedly@co.fulton.ga.us