Eight years after 23-year-old Shanequa Quanee Sullivan disappeared from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the central questions in her death remain unanswered. Her body was found in Newton County’s Yellow River weeks later, and investigators have never publicly identified a suspect in the case.
A WSB-TV report published Monday, August 3, revisits Sullivan’s disappearance and the investigation that has lingered for years without a public resolution. The case remains especially troubling because Sullivan vanished after leaving work at one of the region’s busiest transportation hubs, then was found nearly 40 miles away.
Sullivan Disappeared After Leaving Her Airport Job
Sullivan worked for ABM Janitorial Services at the airport and was last seen on February 4, 2018, after finishing her shift. Her family told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that she had autism and typically followed a familiar MARTA route from the airport to her home in Forest Park.
Investigators said airport video showed Sullivan attempting to use her Breeze Card at the MARTA station, then walking back toward the terminal after the card failed. She was carrying a red tote bag and pink umbrella, according to The Covington News, but no complete record of her movements after that point was located.
Her Body Was Found In The Yellow River
A fisherman discovered Sullivan’s body in the Yellow River near Rocky Plains Road in Newton County on March 3, 2018. The Newton County Sheriff’s Office said the Georgia Bureau of Investigation identified her through fingerprints, and investigators believed she may have entered the water not far from where she was found.
Authorities also said Sullivan was not wearing the same clothes seen in the airport footage. Investigators interviewed co-workers and friends but initially reported that they had not developed a clear lead or found a known connection between Sullivan and Newton County, according to The Covington News.
Missing Surveillance Complicated The Investigation
The case was further complicated by the loss of airport surveillance footage. In a 2018 report, WSB-TV reported that Atlanta police acknowledged investigators should have secured video showing Sullivan after she returned to the airport.
Newton County investigator Jeff Alexander said airport police video was stored for only 28 days, while Atlanta police said some footage had been recovered but did not track all of Sullivan’s movements. The missing video may have shown whether someone approached her, offered her a ride or encountered her inside the airport, investigators said at the time.
Investigators Still Need A Break In The Case
By February 2021, FOX 5 Atlanta reported that tips had slowed and investigators were struggling to find new leads. Alexander said the case had drawn calls from around the world early on, but that the flow of information had largely dried up.
The Newton County coroner later determined Sullivan died from “homicidal violence” before her body was dumped in the river, though officials did not publicly release how she was killed. The reporting cited in this update does not identify an arrest, criminal charge or publicly named suspect, leaving Sullivan’s family and investigators still waiting for the missing piece that could explain what happened after she left the airport.
