ATLANTA, GA – A night of music and dance turned fatal for a 25-year-old woman in downtown Atlanta. Mitchel Dang had informed her family about her plans to attend a party at Alley Cat Atlanta, a popular venue for house and techno music, on August 26.
Dang, who was passionate about dancing, was looking forward to the night’s performances, which included Grammy-winning DJ Victor Calderone and international artist Giammarco Orsini. She even shared her excitement in a vlog post, where she showcased her outfit and expressed her eagerness for the night ahead.
However, when Dang didn’t return home that Saturday night, her family grew increasingly worried. Initially, they decided to give her some space, but by the start of the next week, their concern had escalated. Unable to contact Dang, they reached out to the Atlanta Police Department.
On August 30, four days after Dang’s disappearance, officers were dispatched to a “person down” call at a parking garage on 75 Martin Luther King Dr., located across from the Fulton County Justice Center Building. The location was roughly two miles from Alley Cat, where Dang was last seen. The “person down” was identified as Dang, marking her transition from a missing person to a homicide victim.
The Atlanta Police Department has been tight-lipped about the ongoing investigation. However, Dang’s family shared that detectives believe the crime was a random act of violence. They also noted that the parking garage where Dang’s body was found was not where she had parked her car.
On September 22, nearly a month after Dang’s body was discovered, police arrested 24-year-old Ja’Keivious Arnold with the help of the Chamblee Police Department. Arnold was apprehended at the DeKalb County Animal Services building, where his girlfriend is reportedly employed. He has since been charged with kidnapping, murder, and robbery, and is currently being held without bond at the Fulton County Jail.
Despite the arrest, Dang’s family continues to grapple with their loss. Her father, Minh Dang, and her sisters, Mary and Maggie, have shared their grief and memories of Mitchel, emphasizing the void her absence has left in their lives.