Katie Castleman

Her death remains one of Atlanta’s oldest cold cases — unsolved for 25 years. The beloved anchor for Atlanta’s News Center 5, she also launched an investigative program, airing locally on Thursdays, gathering popular support and critical acclaim. She garnered the attention of the corporate network chiefs, and they wanted her to consider a move to New York to be a regular contributor for “Weekend Edition.” She was ambitious and eager, often burning the candle at both ends for weeks at a time. In what became her final broadcast for News Center 5, she was visibly shaking (although just slightly) and slurred her words during sign off.  Her car ran off the road into a water- filled ravine near the Interstate. Toxicology reports indicated alcohol and barbiturates were in her system at the time of death.  Friends and family insisted that she was not a drinker nor a drug user, and they (along with the public) demanded an inquiry. Further investigation revealed that Castleman’s car had been forced off the road. Speculation ensued that she’d been drugged, and those on her news reporting team pointed the finger at Jim-Jim LeBouef, the owner of Atlanta’s largest ice manufacturer and the subject of an investigation into alleged corruption and bribery between LeBouef and various city officials.