Hi, Crime Junkies. I'm your host, Ashley Flowers.

And today, I have a really important and tragic story to tell you all.

It's a case that was left cold for decades

until a new team of investigators finally unearthed evidence

that would help bring the truth to light.

And this case has given all of us here at AudioChuck a special mission

to help drive social change.

This is the story of Timothy Coggins.

On the morning of Sunday, October 9, 1983, a group of hunters are walking through a large

open field just north of Griffin, Georgia.

It's early fall, so I imagine they're probably expecting a pretty relaxed day spent enjoying

the outdoors.

But that all changes as they approach this absolutely massive oak tree.

The Hanging Tree

They are on the ground near the Hanging Tree, the hunters discovered a body.

And there's absolutely no question about what they found.

No mistaking it for a mannequin or anything like that.

This body is horribly disfigured and completely lifeless.

So these hunters know that they've just walked into a bloody horrifying crime scene.

They immediately alert the authorities.

When officers from the Spalding County Sheriff's Department arrive to the scene, they waste

no time getting to work and processing whatever evidence they can find.

...