Woman's Rape and Murder at Washington High Finally Solved, 20 years later

Over 20 years ago on April 21, 1991, morning joggers running along Washington High's track found the partially nude body of a young woman, Latrenda Jennings.

Ms. Jennings was 25 years old, and had been raped and strangled with her own belt.  Due to no leads at the time, the case went cold and unsolved.

According to the DA's press release, "the case was cold until 2009, when advanced technology matched the DNA from the crime scene to Defendant Daniels. The defendant had just been sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to two armed robberies in Fulton County. As required by law, that felony conviction prompted a DNA swab of the defendant ultimately identifying him as Ms. Jennings' killer."

Jurors returned guilty verdicts against 47-year-old Larry Daniels on Friday on charges of Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault and Rape in connection with the strangulation death of Latrenda Jennings, 25, more than two decades ago.

During Daniels’ trial this week, another woman testified about the defendant’s attack on her nine months prior to Ms. Jennings’ murder.

According to the woman’s testimony, Defendant Daniels chased the woman into a park less than 2 miles from the murder scene. He then beat, kicked, choked and attempted to rape the woman before running from the area after being spotted by police. The case was never prosecuted because the victim disappeared.

She bravely testified this week about her ordeal, stating she believes she too would have been killed by Daniels that night had police not intervened.

Due to the great work by the original investigators that took the DNA evidence and the diligent work by the District Attorney’s Cold Case Squad, the Deputy District Attorney Pete Johnson of the Major Felony Unit, and those who assisted him, this gruesome murderer and criminal is off our streets for good.