Arrest made in case of woman’s body found in NW Atlanta park

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) - Atlanta Police announced an arrest in the murder of a woman whose body was found in the woods in a northwest Atlanta park.

Jamesha Trammell, 30, was found dead in the area of Anderson Park December 16. The medical examiner’s office said she had been shot in the head.

The suspect has been identified as 25-year-old Wallace Jerome Ponder. He was arrested Jan. 20 in Gwinnett County and is being held without bond at the Fulton County Jail. Ponder is charged with murder.

Police announced the arrest during a news conference Friday alongside Trammel’s mother, three young children, and two sisters.

“This case really, really just rocked us to our core,” said Atlanta Police Homicide Commander Lt. Ralph Woolfolk.

He said about 200 hours of investigative time and resources led to the suspect being identified.

“Jamesha was a joyful person, silly, laughed all the time, she had the biggest grin,” said her mother, Shawna Trammell Brown.

She said her daughter moved from Rome to Atlanta to start a new chapter in her life.

“She just one day at a store met the wrong person,” said Brown.

Police did not discuss a motive or whether the victim and suspect knew each other.

“We lost something so precious to us, something that cannot be replaced,” said Trammell’s sister, LeKrysta Trammell.

She added, “I always thought we would go through life together. I always thought we would experience everything together.”

ORIGINAL STORY BELOW

Atlanta police are expected to provide an update on their ongoing investigation into the murder of Jamesha Sheonne Trammell.

Trammell, who was found dead along Tiger Flowers Drive in northwest Atlanta, became the focus of a homicide investigation in mid December.

Now, investigators are set to give new details into the search for her killer. Trammell’s family members are also expected to be in attendance.

CBS46 will have live coverage of the news conference at 1 p.m. here.