The Roswell Police Department has made an arrest in the 1988 murder of 8-year-old Joshua Harmon. James Michael Coates, 56, of Woodstock, was taken into custody July 21 and booked into the Fulton County Jail on multiple charges, including murder. Roswell detectives arrested Coates after DNA evidence collected from the crime scene linked him to the murder.
On May 15, 1988 Joshua was reported missing by his parents after not returning home for dinner. After extensive searches over the following 48 hours, Joshua’s body was discovered in a wooded area near the apartment where he lived. Roswell detectives, in partnership with the GBI, investigated the case extensively and collected valuable evidence, but the case went cold.
Investigators regularly revisited the case over the intervening years in pursuit of justice for Joshua and his family, and evidence was consistently re-examined to keep pace with evolving leads and advancing technology.
In February 2021, with the permission of his family, Joshua’s body was exhumed in hopes of identifying further evidence. In March, the GA Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) taskforce, a subset of the GA Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC), provided the Roswell Police
Department with funding to pursue additional DNA testing on evidence from the crime scene.
Recently, investigators received the results of that testing performed by an independent laboratory, Cybergenetics Inc., which linked Coates to the crime. He was taken into custody without incident on a traffic stop the morning of July 21.
“This was a tragedy that no family should endure,” said Roswell Police Chief James Conroy. “The death of Josh and the fact that his killer remained free for such a long time is unimaginable. I hope this arrest brings the Harmon family a sense of closure. The many officers, detectives, special agents, attorneys, scientists and retirees who worked this case never gave up hope in bringing Josh’s killer to justice. They are truly heroes, and I thank each one for their dedication and perseverance.”
This arrest would not have come to fruition without the collaborative effort of a number of partner agencies. The Roswell Police Department would like to thank the GBI, the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office, the CJCC SAKI Task Force, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, San Diego Police Department Forensic Science Laboratory, Bode Technologies, Clements DNA Consulting, and Cybergenetics Inc., for joining in the tireless pursuit of justice.
While an arrest has been made, this does still remain an active investigation. Anyone with information about this case should contact the Roswell Police Department at 770-640-4100, or provide anonymous information through Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-TIPS (8477).
Republished courtesy of Roswell Police Department. Photo credit: RPD.