EXCLUSIVE: Man says he fought off Atlanta Child Murders prime suspect

ATLANTA — Could there be a new break in the Atlanta Child Murders investigation?

An Atlanta man told Channel 2 Action News that he fought off Wayne Williams -- the prime suspect in the Atlanta Child Murders. He said this is the first time he's talking about it publicly.

Tim Thomas told Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Aaron Diamant that he was walking home from school one night in 1976 when Williams offered him a ride.

Thomas said he got in Williams’ car and almost immediately knew something was wrong.

“I said, ‘You’re driving so slow,’ and I said, ‘Why don’t you just let me out? I can walk.’ And he said, ‘I can’t do that,’ so I said, ‘Oh, boy,’” Thomas told Diamant.

Williams is the only man ever tried and convicted in connection with the Atlanta Child Murders.

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"He started touching me in between the legs. I said, 'Whoa, man, whoa. I don't do nothing like that,'" Thomas said.

Thomas claims the man offered him oney for sex, but he refused. At a stoplight near Fairburn and Cascade roads, he tried to escape.

"By the time I pretty much got out, he grabbed my belt to start pulling me back," Thomas said.

That’s when Thomas said he punched the man several times, got away and ran home but never told anyone. Thomas told us he didn’t really follow the coverage of Williams’ arrest or trial but after seeing a 2010 television interview with Williams, it clicked.

"I look up and I seen this dude, and it was just like the same day I ran across him," Thomas said.

Former FBI special agent in charge Greg Jones agreed to watch our entire, 40 minute interview with Thomas.

“He comes off credible. I think he was spot-on with how he articulated what he believes occurred back then," he said.

Even with no way to prove or disprove that it was actually Williams who picked up Thomas that night.

“I think having a sit-down with an investigator would be very much recommended," Jones said.

It's something Thomas told us he’s now willing to do.

“If they need me, if they think I got some information, I’ll tell them. I mean, this is true blue," Thomas said.

Diamant put Thomas in touch with Jones. Jones told Channel 2 he thinks Thomas' story might help police now.

Cox Media Group