The Real Murders of Atlanta on Oxygen: How did nightclub owner Lamar Jeffcoat die?

The upcoming episode of The Real Murders of Atlanta on Oxygen is set to focus on one of the state's most shocking cases, the murder of Lamar Jeffcoat. Dating back to 1993, the brutal murder of popular nightclub owner Henry Lamar Jeffcoat became the door to a much larger world of crime. It involved the very people the public trusted to solve their problems, the cops.

This shocking case will be covered in the upcoming episode of The Real Murders of Atlanta, titled Deadly Protection. The synopsis for the episode reads:

"After a shootout in a quiet suburb leaves a strip club owner dead, police discover his murder may be part of an elaborate crime ring targeting Atlanta's high-end clubs; the truth behind who runs the syndicate shakes the city to its core."

A newspaper clipping of the crime (Image via RTB)

This particular murder goes beyond Henry Lamar Jeffcoat because of the entire trend that it was a part of. Ultimately, Riverdale police officers James C. Batsel IV and Mark D. McKenna turned out to be the perpetrators in the scenario. However, the entire ring consisted of a lot more, including Fulton County Sheriff's Department deputy, William R. Moclaire Jr, Chris Grantham, a former employee, and two Atlanta officers, Brett Morrill and Eric Hagan.

---

Who was Henry Lamar Jeffcoat and who killed him?

A newspaper clipping of the crime (Image via RTB)

At the time of the murder, Atlanta's metropolitan area was facing a severe gang crisis, which reportedly saw many nightclubs and other commercial establishments robbed and tormented.

Henry Lamar Jeffcoat was the owner of a popular nightclub, called the Goldrush Showbar on Stewart Avenue. The success of his establishment, which featured n*de dancers, was not far from the public ear.

Lamar was first attacked in 1991, when two armed men followed him home and forced him to empty his bedroom and garage safe at gunpoint, making away with $62,000. Earlier in the same year, Jeffcoat's establishment was also robbed of $82,000.

Lamar decided to prepare himself if there was another attack. He armed himself with a .9mm handgun and installed several security features in his home and his car, including an alarm to alert the authorities.

When Henry Lamar Jeffcoat, a 50-year-old returned from his nightclub on February 10, 1993, he saw two assailants waiting silently waiting for him. He believed he was prepared this time when the two masked perpetrators entered the garage door before it shut down.

Lamar also alerted the police by pressing the emergency button on his car and grabbing his handgun. The two perpetrators soon opened fire on Lamar as he fired back, but he was taken down by the hail of bullets.

As the police reached the scene, it appeared to be a botched attempt at robbery. The garage door reportedly had a small hole, which seemed to indicate that the perps broke out, and a blood trail leading out. This indicated that one of them was at least shot.

It would be a few weeks before the police would discover that the killers were police officers James C. Batsel IV and Mark D. McKenna. The authorities also discovered an elaborated crime ring built around these police officers.

The upcoming episode of The Real Murders of Atlanta on Oxygen at 9 pm EST will cover this case in detail.