A woman was arrested after reportedly murdering and stealing her girlfriend’s identity. On Wednesday, officials revealed that Georgia resident Angel Thompson allegedly chopped her partner, Nicole Alston, into 13 pieces. She is accused of hiding Alston’s head, hands, and feet to keep investigators from identifying the body for years, while burning the rest on a street corner in a black bag.
Troup County deputies had discovered the burnt remains at the corner of Whitfield Road and Stitcher Road in Hogansville, but without the missing body parts, they were unable to confirm who the victim was.
Authorities say the killing happened in December 2007, but for nearly two decades, the case remained unsolved. In 2023, renewed efforts by local authorities led to DNA testing through specialised forensic labs.
The results, combined with an Ancestry.com search conducted by Alston’s aunt, finally identified the victim as the 24-year-old New Yorker who had moved to Georgia with Thompson “to start her life”, according to her mother, Sylvia Austin.
Prosecutors say Alston had been the main provider in the relationship and was considering leaving Thompson, whom she described to her mother as abusive. That final phone call to her family was the last time they heard from her.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis described the case as “classic domestic violence”, where Thompson allegedly refused to let go of both her romantic partner and financial support. Less than a month after Alston’s disappearance, Thompson allegedly began using her identity, selling her car, renting her apartment, and opening bank accounts in her name.
Detectives say the fraud lasted for eight years, bringing in nearly $140,000 in stolen benefits, including Social Security, food stamps, and housing assistance. During that time, Thompson is accused of actively recruiting other potential victims and even appearing on dating sites shortly after the killing.
Thompson now faces charges of malicious murder and identity theft. Willis called the case “one of the top three most gruesome” she has ever handled, adding, “Nicole was taken advantage of … And she did not deserve this.”