Area Barnett’s murder: Vigil friend refused to let case turn cold

ATLANTA - Four months after a 25-year-old woman was shot and killed at a bus stop in West Atlanta, her close friends are demanding answers in her killing. 

"That was my dawg, my sister, one of my closest friends," said Saphirre Brown. 

She says she used to talk on the phone with 25-year-old Area Barnett multiple times a day. 

"That was our relationship: call in the morning, call in the afternoon, play a game together, just get on the phone," Brown said. 

Atlanta police investigators say Area was killed at the bus stop near Harwell Road and Collier Drive near Interstate 285 in May. 

Investigators believe she was shot and killed by someone she had a fight with there. 

Her body was discovered by a film crew. 

Four months later, the Atlanta Police Department has not identified any suspects, much less made any arrests. 

When FOX 5 reached out to APD about the investigation, they said there were no updates to share. 

"I talk to her family a lot, and they haven’t given them any updates either," Brown said. 

Brown is refusing to let her friend’s case go cold. 

She’s been posting about her on social media and continues to push investigators for answers. 

"They think we're just going to give up. Well, I'm not going to give up. While I’m here, I’m not giving up on my friend. I’m not giving up on finding out what happened to her," Brown said. 

She’s now calling on the person who shot and killed Area to turn themselves in. 

"You know my friend didn’t deserve what happened. You know my friend didn’t deserve to get killed. Everybody makes mistakes, but you have to face the consequences one way or another. So, come forward in the right way," she said. 

Brown is also asking anyone who knows what happened to Area to contact police. 

You can remain anonymous by reporting through Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS (8477).