Bricola Coleman Was 12 Years Old — Decades Later, Her Killer Has Never Been Identified

Atlanta, Georgia — September 12, 1989

Her name was Bricola Coleman.

She was only 12 years old and lived with her mother, Della Belle Coleman, in an apartment complex in northwest Atlanta.

On September 12, 1989, Della returned home from work and walked into a nightmare.

Her daughter was lying lifeless on the kitchen floor.

Bricola had been beaten, sexually assaulted with a broom handle, and strangled with her own jump rope.

Investigators Focus on Juan Marichal Fox

The investigation eventually focused heavily on Juan Marichal Fox, who had been a regular visitor to the apartment complex where his mother lived.

Investigators linked Fox to the scene through a palm print found on the refrigerator and a pubic hair described as consistent with his.

Years later, another crime raised additional suspicions.

In 1992, Fox committed a rape in Marietta in which a broomstick was also used to overpower the victim. He was ultimately sentenced to three life sentences for that attack.

But the evidence in Bricola’s murder would eventually complicate the case against him.

DNA Changes the Case

In 2000, testing of DNA recovered from underneath Bricola’s fingernails revealed that it did not match Fox.

Prosecutors dropped the case against him.

Fox has maintained that he did not kill Bricola and claimed that he had tried to save her.

Even Bricola’s mother publicly expressed uncertainty that Fox was responsible for her daughter’s murder.

“Juan knew Bricola since she was a baby, and I just can’t believe he killed my daughter,” Della said.

With the DNA exclusion and the case against Fox dropped, the central question remained unanswered:

Who killed Bricola Coleman?

A Cold Case Gets Another Look

Years after Bricola’s murder, then-Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard vowed that her case would not be forgotten.

A new cold case squad was formed, with Bricola’s murder placed at the top of its list for renewed investigation.

But decades have now passed since Della Coleman came home from work and found her 12-year-old daughter murdered on the kitchen floor.

The physical evidence once used to point investigators toward a suspect ultimately failed to provide the answer prosecutors needed.

Bricola’s killer has never been brought to justice.

Anyone with information regarding the murder of Bricola Coleman is asked to contact Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta at 404-577-TIPS (8477).

© The Vivid Faces of the Vanished