Cold case · Coffee County, Georgia · Updated October 2, 2026
Christy Dawn Myers: A 28-Year Cold Case Arrest
A 20-year-old woman was found stabbed near her vehicle in 1998. Nearly three decades later, forensic evidence led investigators to an arrest.
Breaking development: The Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced that James Lawrence III, 47, has been arrested and charged with malice murder, felony murder, and aggravated assault in the 1998 death of Christy Dawn Myers.
The crime
On September 15, 1998, the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office requested GBI assistance after Myers, then 20, was found near her vehicle along the Broxton-Fitzgerald Highway in Coffee County. The GBI says she had suffered multiple stab wounds.
What changed after 28 years
The GBI says continued forensic testing ultimately identified Lawrence as a suspect. The agency has not yet publicly detailed the exact forensic technique, biological material, database process, or evidentiary chain that produced the identification. That makes the forensic pathway one of the most important pieces to watch as the prosecution develops.
The arrest
Lawrence was taken into custody on October 1, 2026, with assistance from the Irwin County Sheriff’s Office and booked into the Coffee County Jail. The investigation remains active. Once investigators complete the case file, it is expected to be forwarded to the Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.
What prosecutors will eventually have to prove
- That the forensic evidence reliably connects Lawrence to Myers and to the crime scene.
- That the chain of custody and testing methodology withstand defense scrutiny after nearly three decades.
- That any DNA or other forensic association is connected to the homicide itself rather than an innocent or unrelated contact.
- That the evidence supports the specific mental-state requirements for the charged offenses.
Why this is a Jaded Evidence case
Cold-case arrests are often described as if a single DNA hit solves everything. In reality, a late forensic identification is usually the beginning of a new evidentiary phase. The critical questions are how the sample was preserved, how it was tested, what it proves, and what corroborating evidence exists outside the laboratory.
Sources
Charges are allegations. James Lawrence III is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.