It was a quiet December night in 2000, when tragedy struck the Wingate Inn in Cobb County, Georgia. A pair of masked robbers burst into the hotel lobby. Within seconds, one of them leaped over the front desk, leaving a single fingerprint behind. A single gunshot followed. Rodney Castlin, the 36-year-old night manager, was dead.
The killers took just $304. But what they left behind was far more devastating—a shattered family, an unborn child who would never meet his father, and a detective who made a vow that would shape the next 16 years of his life.
A Family Torn Apart
Rodney Castlin wasn’t just another name on a case file. He was a devoted father, a loving husband, and a man working nights so he could take business classes during the day. His dream? A better life for his family.
At the time of his murder, his wife Kelley Castlin was eight months pregnant. She would give birth to their second child without ever seeing Rodney again. The pain was unimaginable. But that night, Detective John Dawes—then a young forensic investigator—looked Kelley in the eye and made a promise: “I will find who did this.”
The Case Grows Cold—But One Man Never Gave Up
The single fingerprint left at the scene seemed like a lucky break. But when run through AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System), there were no matches. Months turned into years. New cases took priority. Still, John Dawes never let go.
As time passed, Dawes rose through the ranks, becoming the lead homicide detective, and eventually heading the Cobb County Cold Case Unit. Through it all, Rodney Castlin’s murder case sat on his desk. He made it clear to everyone: This one matters.
A New Lead After 12 Years
In 2012, an unexpected break emerged. A federal inmate told investigators about a hotel murder “at a place with ‘Win’ in the name,” that had occurred more than a decade earlier.
With renewed urgency, Dawes re-ran the fingerprint. This time, a name popped up: James Lorenzo Randolph, a repeat offender arrested in South Carolina weeks after the murder for a similar armed robbery. He had been in and out of prison since—but now, Dawes had a tangible lead.
One Final Piece: The Getaway Driver Talks
Having identified Randolph, the investigation turned to a key witness—the getaway driver. Dawes found him and offered immunity in exchange for testimony. The driver confessed everything—names, timelines, roles. It was the final piece Dawes needed to close the loop.
The Arrest—and the Call That Ended a Nightmare
On October 6, 2014, James Lorenzo Randolph was arrested in Columbia, South Carolina. Dawes made the call to Kelley Castlin himself.
“We got him,” he said. Sixteen years of waiting. Sixteen years of hoping. And finally, justice.
The Trial: A Courtroom Full of Tears and Closure
In 2016, Randolph stood trial. The evidence was clear. The fingerprint. The getaway driver’s testimony. His past crimes. There was no way out.
The court sentenced Randolph to three life terms plus 35 years. He tried to apologize, offering a soft “I’m sorry, man.” But Dawes, a veteran detective, wasn’t moved. “He doesn’t know remorse,” he later said.
A Detective’s Promise, Fulfilled
For Dawes, this wasn’t just a conviction. It was the completion of a promise made 16 years earlier, to a grieving widow, at the worst moment of her life. Rodney Castlin’s murder wasn’t just a cold case—it was unfinished business, personal and powerful.
Dawes reflected:
“Solving this case proves something important: Cold doesn’t mean forgotten.”
Rodney’s Legacy and the Cold Case Files Spotlight
The story of Rodney Castlin’s murder and Dawes’ relentless pursuit of justice will be featured in an upcoming episode of Cold Case Files on A&E. For the Castlin family, it’s validation. For other families with unsolved tragedies, it’s a ray of hope.
Why This Case Matters More Than Ever
Rodney Castlin’s story isn’t just about loss—it’s about the power of perseverance, the importance of promises, and the human faces behind cold case files. And for Detective Dawes, it’s a reminder that justice doesn’t have an expiration date.
“Every case matters. Every victim matters. And every promise should be kept.”