Hall Co cold case: investigators say “we know who did it”

A decade has passed since the murder of a Hall County teenager. Hannah Truelove was stabbed to death on Aug. 23, 2012.

The Gainesville High School student was found the next day near her apartment complex on the banks of Lake Lanier.

The lead investigator on the case says it’s still active and he is 100% confident their main suspect is her killer.

But the joint investigation of the Hall County Sheriff’s Office and GBI has yet to find enough evidence to build a case and make an arrest.

“We’re very confident we know who did this,” said Lt. Dan Franklin about the suspect they identified from the start and interviewed twice.

But they have yet to link him to the murder.

Investigators say they still have evidence collected from the crime scene, but much of the physical evidence was washed away because of heavy downpours the night of the murder, and Truelove’s body was submerged in fast-moving water in a drainage ravine.

They’re hopeful new technology in DNA collection and testing can eventually link the suspect to the murder. And law enforcement welcomes anyone with information to still come forward.

“We’re never going to give up, never lose hope,” Franklin said. “As long as I’m around, I’m going to keep moving forward and do what I have to do to get justice for Hannah.”

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