Princella Yolanda Eppes was a creative and fearless young woman with a personality that lit up a room. Born on March 31, 1968, she was affectionately called "Lady Bird" by her family, a nickname her mother gave her because something in her face resembled a bird. Princella, a 22-year-old Black woman, was the protector of her siblings, known for her beautiful penmanship, her love of art, and her devoted Christian faith. She enjoyed journaling, writing poetry, and creating scrapbooks, often illustrating her entries with pictures. Her older sister, Kim, remembered her as an extrovert who encouraged others to step out of their comfort zones. After growing up in Springfield, Massachusetts, Princella followed her family to Atlanta in 1989.
She worked two jobs, one at a dry-cleaning business and another as a driver for a horse and buggy coach, to save enough money for her own place.
In the first week of July 1990, Princella achieved a major milestone: she moved into her very first apartment at The Earle on North Highland Avenue in Atlanta's Inman Park neighborhood. She was excited about her newfound independence and the journey into adulthood. On July 6, she was supposed to pick up her youngest sister, Ebony Joy, for a weekend visit at the new apartment, but she never arrived. Her family’s concern grew when her employer called on Monday, July 9, to report that Princella hadn't shown up to open the store on Saturday, which was highly out of character for the dependable employee.
That afternoon, Princella’s mother and stepfather went to her apartment. They noticed a foul odor and flies on her window from the outside. The front door was locked, so they called the police for assistance. A maintenance worker let them inside, where they made a devastating discovery. Princella was found deceased on her bed in her bedroom. An investigation determined she had been killed by a single gunshot wound to the head. Police believe an intruder shot her sometime between July 7 and July 8, 1990.
The Atlanta Police Department investigated the homicide, but with few answers and no significant leads, the case soon went cold. For decades, Princella's family felt their questions went unanswered. Her mother recalled visiting the police precinct many times in the early years, but there was never new information to share. During that era, the city of Atlanta was experiencing a high volume of murders, and Princella’s case was one of many that languished without resolution.
Decades later, Princella's family has renewed their fight for justice, launching an advocacy campaign to bring attention to her unsolved murder. Her sister, Kim Beasley, connected with the nonprofit organization Project: Cold Case in 2022, which began featuring Princella's story. The family’s efforts have led to renewed media interest, including features on podcasts like "The Fall Line" and "Detective Perspective." In 2022, the Atlanta Police Department announced it was reviewing the case and later assigned a new investigator.
"We love Princella who we affectionately call, Ladybird," her sister Kim said in a statement in 2024. "We want the public to know that we will never stop seeking answers for why she was taken from us or why it’s taken so long for her case to be extensively investigated... We will continue to advocate for her as we continue to celebrate her 22 years of life! She deserves that and so much more!" The pain of her loss remains a constant for her loved ones. "It's still hard for mom, still hard for my siblings," Beasley told a reporter. "We miss her. She's part of our family. And it's still a hole. It's like a hole there."
As of July 2024, more than three decades after her death, Princella Eppes's murder remains unsolved, and no arrests have ever been made. To generate new leads, a billboard was erected along Interstate 85 near exit 86 in Atlanta, funded by the nonprofit Season of Justice. The billboard highlights the case and a newly offered reward. Crime Stoppers of Greater Atlanta is offering up to $10,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible. Anyone with information, no matter how small it may seem, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 404-577-TIPS (8477).
