Georgia woman charged with murdering girlfriend, dismembering body, stealing identity

A Georgia woman has been taken into custody for allegedly dismembering her girlfriend and then assuming her identity for more than a decade. Law enforcement officers considered the 2007 murder of Nicole Alston a cold case until DNA technological advancements linked 41-year-old Angel Marie Thompson to the crime.

Thompson, of Fulton County, collected nearly $140,000 in government benefits while living under her deceased partner's identity. Prosecutors said the defendant, who was 24 at the time of the killing, set Alston on fire and burned her body to a crisp before leaving the dead victim near an intersection in Troup County.

Additionally, Thompson reportedly purchased homes and vehicles under Alston's name, according to arrest warrants obtained by the Atlanta-Constitution Journal.

Advanced 2023 DNA testing connected Thompson to the murder, which Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis described as the most gruesome investigation she has seen in her career. "There was no way to identify her," said Willis, who added that Thompson allegedly sex trafficked Alston and decided to kill her when the victim expressed a desire to leave the relationship.

"I wish I never let her come to Georgia," Alston's mother told the Court, adding, "She didn't deserve this."

Sandy Springs Detective John Nanoff said Thompson was on dating sites within a few hours of Alston's dead, burning body being dumped on the side of the highway. He told the court that Thompson opened bank accounts under Alston's name, acquired a driver's license, and received housing assistance and social security benefits, the Daily Mail reported.

Nanoff described the killing as "meticulous," saying, "It's astounding that she was able to do what she did for how long she did it. I've never seen something so calculated."

Thompson has been charged with murder and identity theft, with a pending human trafficking charge, authorities said. The District Attorney's Office will present the case to a grand jury by the end of October.