A Georgia woman has been arrested in connection to a 2007 cold case involving the gruesome discovery of a dismembered body belonging to a New York woman. The case, which had remained unsolved for years, also involved significant financial fraud, with the suspect allegedly collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars in benefits under the victim’s identity.
On December 6, 2007, law enforcement from the Troup County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a suspicious black bag found burning at a crossroads in rural Georgia. Upon inspecting the scene, they found severely burned human remains that were missing key body parts, including the head, hands, and feet. Despite initial efforts to identify the victim, the investigation stalled.
In 2023, the case was reopened, and with the help of modern forensic techniques, DNA evidence was submitted to two labs specializing in advanced genetic analysis—Innovative Forensic Investigations in Virginia and Gene by Gene Laboratories in Texas. The results, confirmed by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation on December 13, 2023, identified the remains as 24-year-old Nicole Alston from Manhattan, New York.
Authorities revealed that Alston had relocated to Atlanta with a friend, Angel Marie Thompson, who had been wanted in New York for crimes related to theft and identity fraud. Alston’s family last heard from her around Thanksgiving 2007, just weeks before her remains were found in Georgia.
Further investigation into Alston’s death led to a disturbing discovery. After her friend’s death, Thompson allegedly assumed Alston’s identity, collecting roughly $200,000 in Social Security benefits, food stamps, and government housing assistance in Alston’s name. This fraudulent activity continued for nearly eight years. In 2015, Thompson began using her real identity again after being contacted by the Social Security Administration to requalify for benefits.
On August 19, 2024, Thompson was arrested and charged with concealing Alston’s death. While she faces charges related to hiding the death and financial fraud, the exact details surrounding Alston’s murder remain unresolved. Authorities are still working to determine who was responsible for the killing and how Alston died.
As the investigation moves forward, detectives are hopeful they can uncover the truth behind this unsettling case and provide justice for Nicole Alston.
