Shanequa Sullivan’s relatives have waited eight years as investigators examine an incomplete timeline and surveillance evidence lost early in the case.
NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. — Eight years after Shanequa Sullivan disappeared from Atlanta’s airport and was found dead in a river, her family is renewing its appeal for information that could identify the person responsible.
Sullivan’s grandmother, Sylesta Seabrum, said the family continues to think about the 23-year-old airport worker and the joy she brought to those around her. The family’s request comes as the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Newton County Sheriff’s Office take another public look at Sullivan’s final known movements.
Sullivan was last confirmed alive on Feb. 4, 2018, at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where she performed janitorial work. A fisherman found her body in the Yellow River in Newton County on March 3. Authorities determined that she was the victim of a homicide, but no arrest has been announced.
The distance between the airport and the river has remained one of the central mysteries. Investigators have not established publicly how Sullivan left the airport, who transported her or what happened during the weeks before her body was recovered.
Sullivan had developmental disabilities and was described by her family as joyful, giving and trusting. Seabrum served as her guardian for much of her life. Investigators believe someone may have exploited Sullivan’s trusting nature and persuaded her to get into a vehicle.
The available security video shows Sullivan attempting to use her Breeze Card at the airport MARTA station. When the card did not work, she remained near the gate briefly and then walked back toward the North Terminal. That is the last location where investigators have confirmed seeing her alive.
The case suffered an early setback when surveillance recordings that might have shown Sullivan’s later movements were not preserved. Atlanta police acknowledged in March 2018 that investigators should have secured all available airport video after she returned to the terminal.
At the time, airport surveillance footage was generally kept for 28 days. Sullivan’s body was found after that period expired, and video that could have shown where she went was automatically erased. Some footage was recovered, but it did not provide a complete record of her movements.
The missing recordings left investigators without a continuous visual timeline through one of the world’s busiest airports. It also limited their ability to determine whether Sullivan met someone, entered a vehicle or walked to another part of the airport complex.
Other unanswered questions involve the clothes Sullivan wore at work. Authorities said she had on a burgundy ABM janitorial smock and black pants when she was last seen at the airport. Those items were not found with her body and have not been recovered.
Investigators have not disclosed Sullivan’s cause of death or said whether they recovered physical evidence that could identify a suspect. They also have not publicly named a person of interest. Authorities continue to describe the case as an active homicide investigation.
The GBI joined the Newton County Sheriff’s Office investigation in 2024. The agency’s involvement brought a renewed examination of the case file, available evidence and Sullivan’s movements before she vanished.
Investigators are now asking travelers, airport employees and visitors to check for photographs or videos taken on the afternoon of Feb. 4, 2018. The date was Super Bowl Sunday, and officials believe images made by people passing through the airport may show a useful detail in the background.
Authorities are also seeking information from anyone who may have heard another person discuss Sullivan or admit knowledge of the crime. Investigators believe the person responsible may have made a statement during the years since her death.
Sullivan’s relatives said the passage of time has not reduced their need for answers. Her grandmother said a call from someone with credible information could help the family understand what happened and finally bring accountability in the case.
The killing remains unsolved as of Aug. 4, 2026. Investigators continue to seek evidence that can connect Sullivan’s last confirmed sighting at the airport to the Yellow River, where her body was found nearly a month later.
Author note: Last updated Aug. 4, 2026.