FRANK RATLIFF JR
71-year old Frank Ratliff Jr was killed Saturday morning, July 16, 1996, in his home at 821 East 48th Street.
Ratliff sold sodas to his neighbors in the Emma Wheeler Homes housing project and his wife went to the store to buy supplies around 9 o'clock that morning. When she returned home a short time later, she found Ratliff dead on the living room floor. He'd been hit in the head and the blow immediately killed him.
Investigators learned Ratliff was very well-liked and a much respected person in the community. There were no indications anyone had a beef with Ratliff.
Detectives suspect someone familiar with Ratliff's routine set out to rob the elderly man but panicked when he couldn't quickly find any cash inside the house.
A couple of leads in this case indicated a former resident of Emma Wheeler Homes was near Ratliff's house a short time before the murder was discovered. But we need neighbors to come forward with more information before we can close this case.
Original Investigating Agency: Chattanooga Police Department
Ratliff sold sodas to his neighbors in the Emma Wheeler Homes housing project and his wife went to the store to buy supplies around 9 o'clock that morning. When she returned home a short time later, she found Ratliff dead on the living room floor. He'd been hit in the head and the blow immediately killed him.
Investigators learned Ratliff was very well-liked and a much respected person in the community. There were no indications anyone had a beef with Ratliff.
Detectives suspect someone familiar with Ratliff's routine set out to rob the elderly man but panicked when he couldn't quickly find any cash inside the house.
A couple of leads in this case indicated a former resident of Emma Wheeler Homes was near Ratliff's house a short time before the murder was discovered. But we need neighbors to come forward with more information before we can close this case.
Original Investigating Agency: Chattanooga Police Department
If you have information on this case, please use the form below or call the cold case hotline: 423-209-7470
