DeKalb County, Georgia – Joyce Marie Pelzer, 47, is being held responsible for some of the scariest crimes Decatur has seen in recent years. Her story is one of lies, violence, and death. Her story, which spans more than ten years, includes the kidnapping and murder of Shawndell McLeod, her ex-girlfriend, and the stabbing death of her wife later on. It shows a pattern of planned violence and cold-blooded evil.
The case of Shawndell McLeod: A Troublesome Disappearance.
In September 2011, 35-year-old Shawndell McLeod disappeared without a sign, starting the story. McLeod, who was known for being on time and dedicated, set off alarms when she didn’t show up for work. When her upset mother called the DeKalb County Police, it started a search for the missing person that quickly turned up a web of lies and violence.
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Investigators quickly found out that McLeod had a rough past with Pelzer, full of abuse and fear. Pelzer was already known to the cops because he had been wanted for threatening McLeod with a knife before. This new information cast a scary shadow over McLeod’s departure.
The story was made even more complicated when McLeod’s abandoned car was found in southwest Atlanta. The car was damaged and had a spare tire and tarp in the back seat. It looked like the driver had left quickly, but McLeod was not there.
A confession and a new crime: The Cold Case Heats Up!
The case stayed cold for years. Pelzer, who had been questioned by police, said she wasn’t guilty and that she was with her girlfriend at the time of McLeod’s disappearance. In August 2018, the breakthrough came when Pelzer’s new girlfriend—whose name has not been made public—called the police and made a shocking confession: Pelzer had admitted to killing McLeod.
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The girlfriend’s evidence showed that the crime was carefully planned. Pelzer and Lewis, who are now married, are said to have hired a hitman to take McLeod and hold her hostage while they made plans for her funeral. Even after this shocking statement, McLeod’s body was still missing. According to Pelzer, it was buried somewhere in the vast Arabia Mountain.
Cycle of violence
Also in December 2018, the story took a very bad turn. The same lover who told the police about Pelzer’s past crimes called the police again, but this time she had a very important message: Pelzer was planning to kill Lewis. After a few days, tragedy struck at a motel in Conyers, where cops found Lewis badly hurt with multiple stab wounds. Even though she was taken to the hospital, she died from her injuries.
In a dramatic chase, Pelzer led police on a high-speed chase along I-75. The chase ended in a fight where she was shot but lived. While she was in jail, Pelzer admitted to killing McLeod but put the blame on Lewis, saying that she planned the whole thing.
The Conviction: Justice Served
After already getting life in prison for killing Lewis, Pelzer was recently found guilty of killing Shawndell McLeod, which sealed her fate. From now on, she will be locked up for life, with no chance of getting out. This sentence ends a dark period in Decatur’s past marked by betrayal, violence, and a lack of care for human life. It also gives the families of the victims peace of mind.
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As the community deals with the effects of these horrible crimes, the deaths of Shawndell McLeod and Rosalyn Lewis serve as a somber warning of how devastating domestic violence can be and how important it is to stay alert when bad things are around.