Two Alabama teens were brutally murdered in 1999, and their cases remained unsolved for 20 years. However, thanks to a DNA website, the man responsible for their deaths, Coley McCraney, was finally brought to justice.
McCraney, who seemed like an average man, was captured and arrested on March 15, 2019, for the murders of J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett. The two 17-year-old girls were found shot and killed in the trunk of Beasley’s car in 1999.
Despite leading a seemingly normal life as a truck driver and pastor, McCraney’s dark past came to light with his arrest. After being convicted of capital murder in April 2023, McCraney was moved to the William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility in late 2023, where he is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. His defense team is still fighting to overturn his convictions, claiming juror misconduct during his trial.
Investigators were able to link McCraney to the murders through a DNA match found on a family DNA website. After submitting DNA samples, McCraney’s DNA was found to match traces found on one of the victim’s clothing. Despite his claims of innocence and his version of events, McCraney was found guilty of the murders and rape.
The families of the victims expressed relief and closure at the verdict, finally seeing someone held accountable for the deaths of their loved ones.
The case was a reminder of the power of forensic genetic genealogy in solving crimes that had remained unsolved for decades.
The tragic events of 1999 may have taken 20 years to see justice, but for the families of J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett, the closure was long overdue.
