Missing Person Case Becomes Homicide Investigation

By: Kaitlyn Pratt WSAV News 3 | WSAV-TV
Published: August 07, 2008

The body of Aciea Battise was found in the trunk of the Honda Accord she was last seen driving before disappearing some time after 9:00 p.m. on Thursday. Police have now turned this missing person’s case into a homicide investigation.

Late Wednesday afternoon, police found a silver Honda Accord in the 300 block of E. Charlton Street. The car was towed to the Annex where forensics technicians examined the car after a search warrant was granted. Search warrants were also executed at numerous other locations.

At this time, police are looking closely at the relationship Ms. Battise had with two men – 39 year-old Luther Marion RUTH III and 26 year-old Terry Kovan COLEMAN.

On July 8, police launched an investigation after Terry Coleman was assaulted. During the ensuing investigation, Coleman was elusive about a number of facts in the case and it wasn’t until a week later that Coleman identified Ruth as the attacker. Police were continuing that investigation when a report was made on Friday, August 1 around 4:00 p.m. that Ms. Battise was missing.

Over the weekend police began investigating her disappearance and by Monday police were executing search warrants for cell phone and financial records in an attempt to locate the missing woman. Police released information to the public on Tuesday in hopes that someone had seen her car or Ms. Battise.

At the same time, the search was on for Ruth. Police tracked him down while he was out of town, and upon his return to Savannah from out-of-state last night, he was arrested and charged with the Aggravated Assault on Terry Coleman.

At this time, detectives continue to investigate all avenues of this case. Mr. Coleman has voluntarily come to Metro Police Headquarters to speak with investigators.