Key Takeaways
- Lita’s parents, JoAnn and Emory were influential figures in Atlanta’s African American community.
- Her life changed after marrying wealthy businessman James Sullivan in 1976.
- She was fatally shot at her Atlanta home on January 16, 1987.
Lita McClinton was a Black socialite from a prominent Atlanta family, remembered both for her tragic 1987 murder and the influence of her well-known parents, JoAnn and Emory McClinton.
Her family was deeply rooted in Atlanta’s African American elite, shaping her upbringing and social connections from a young age.
Born on January 7, 1952, in Atlanta, Georgia, Lita was the eldest of two siblings namely Emory C. McClinton Jr., and Valencia McClinton.
Her father, an executive with the U.S. Department of Transportation, focused on civil rights in transportation, while her mother served as a Georgia state representative from 1993 to 2006.
Emory McClinton was born on September 8, 1933, to parents John Ahmad McClinton and Annie Will McClinton in Atlanta, Georgia.
He completed his early education at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church elementary school and David T. Howard High School, before graduating from Morehouse College in Atlanta.
Lita’s parents made themselves highly respected figures within Georgia’s African American community, with influence extending across politics and community development in the South.
Lita grew up in an environment of Black excellence and privilege. She was a member of Jack and Jill, an exclusive African-American social club, and attended elegant events that defined Atlanta’s upper-class Black society.
Educated in the best local schools, Lita went on to graduate from Spelman College with a degree in criminal justice, though she later turned her focus to fashion, hoping to one day run her own store.
Her parents’ influence instilled in her a strong sense of cultural pride and commitment to high standards.
Despite her family’s accomplishments, JoAnn and Emory would face a heartbreaking journey in seeking justice for Lita after her untimely death – a pursuit that would highlight the racial and legal struggles faced by Atlanta’s Black community.
Lita’s life changed significantly when she married James Sullivan, a wealthy white businessman from Boston and more than ten years her senior, on December 29, 1976.
The couple faced many challenges as an interracial pair living in the Deep South and later in Palm Beach, Florida.
Despite her hopes for social acceptance, Lita encountered racial barriers that subtly yet strongly limited her inclusion in certain social circles.
Initially supportive, Lita’s family grew concerned as Sullivan became increasingly abusive and manipulative.
Lita ultimately filed for divorce, but her life was tragically cut short before the divorce could be finalized.
On January 16, 1987, Lita was fatally shot in the head at her doorstep in Atlanta at just 35 years old.
Although authorities suspected James was behind the murder, there was initially insufficient evidence to arrest him.
In 1998, a Texas woman came forward with information that Sullivan had hired her former boyfriend, Phillip Harwood, to kill Lita for $25,000.
Harwood cooperated with authorities, receiving a 20-year sentence and eventual release in 2018.
James Sullivan was ultimately convicted and remains in Augusta State Medical Prison, serving a life sentence without parole.
ABC News’ “20/20” recently aired a detailed report on Lita’s murder on October 25, with co-anchor Deborah Roberts covering Lita’s final moments.
The episode, titled “A Puzzling Murder,” featured interviews with lead prosecutor Clint Rucker, retired FBI agent John Kingston, and other key figures who had worked tirelessly on the case.
Lita’s father, Emory, passed away in 2023 without fully seeing closure, while her mother, JoAnn, continues to share Lita’s story, keeping her memory alive and bringing awareness to a tragedy that continues to resonate within their family and the larger community.
In Case You Didn’t Know About
- Lita and her sister were among the first Black students to attend an all-white Catholic high school in Atlanta.
- Lita’s murder gained widespread media attention, with her case featured on shows like “48 Hours,” “Unsolved Mysteries,” and “Dominick Dunne’s Power, Privilege, and Justice.”
