The DNA of the Georgia woman's murderer was mistakenly identified as her twin brother, according to an investigator: 'Crime of opportunity'

On July 18, 2008, Genai Coleman was reading her Bible in her car near a transit station when a man with a gun approached her.

A man who exited a gas station nearby aimed his weapon at her and demanded she exit her gold Dodge Stratus. He then fired a shot into her chest, removed her from the car, and drove away.

Coleman, a Gwinnett County, Georgia resident, didn't make it.

"The Real Murders of Atlanta" is a true-crime series on Oxygen that delves into "shocking, sinful and salacious cases" in the "metropolitan mecca of music, entertainment and tech." The show features interviews with loved ones, investigators and others connected to the cases being profiled.

The Gwinnett County Police Dept.'s crime scene supervisor, Brittany Barrington, was present at the crime scene.

"According to Barrington, the crime was an opportunity that took advantage of the victim's carelessness. The victim was simply sitting in their car, using their phone, in a random parking lot when the perpetrator seized the opportunity to steal their car."

The police were contacted by Coleman's family, who were concerned that the mother of three adopted children had not returned home on time. It was later confirmed that Coleman had been the victim.

Coleman was a beloved schoolteacher and soon-to-be grandmother, the episode revealed.

Barrington stated that the crime scene near the popular mall where Coleman was parked had "minimal" activity, with only a pool of blood and no suspects present.

""The absence of evidence such as fired cartridge casings and the missing car immediately raised my suspicion that the casing may have been left in the car or picked up, and that the firearm used was a revolver with no casings left behind," she said."

There was a witness.

The bus driver recounted in the episode that she witnessed a man approach the driver's side of the vehicle and call Coleman a "mothef----r." She then heard a gunshot and saw the man remove Coleman from the car and place him on the ground.

A cigarette butt was discovered on the car floor, and Coleman's car was located in a lot approximately 40 miles away.

""The discovery of a cigarette butt with a small chance of providing a huge DNA lead promptly initiated a new aspect of the investigation," stated Barrington."

The cigarette was submitted for DNA.

The episode depicted how detectives examined surveillance footage and identified a man buying Bronson Lights cigarettes from a gas station. The filters of the pack matched the one found from the discarded cigarette butt. Additionally, the same man was observed strolling through a parking lot approximately 15 feet away from where the car was abandoned.

The DNA results came back. It led to Donald Smith.

Investigators have identified Smith as a "definite suspect" in the murder case. They found his cellphone records showing that his phone had pinged towers near the crime scene on the night of the murder. Additionally, he resembled the man caught on surveillance.

Although the police were confident they had their murderer, when Smith was brought in for interrogation, he maintained that he had never encountered Coleman or her vehicle. When informed that his DNA had been found at the crime scene, Smith responded nonchalantly with, "So what?"

Smith stated that the car in question could not have been his because he had never been in it.

Smith was then shown the surveillance footage.

"That is definitely not me," he said.

Smith revealed that the cellphone number found by the police belonged to his identical twin brother.

"Smith stated that Donald and Ronald are his twins," said Smith.

A murder case involving identical twins is "extremely rare," according to Barrington.

"The department has only had one major homicide case with identical twins, and since then, there have been no additional crime scenes involving identical twins. This was a unique experience, as it is not common to encounter identical twins in a crime scene. Usually, crimes involve a single person or fraternal twins. However, the rarity of identical twins makes this case particularly noteworthy."

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Smith initially declined to incriminate his brother Ronald Smith, who resided in Gwinnett County. However, he eventually admitted that the individual in the surveillance footage was Ronald.

Fingerprints were also collected from the car, which could help determine which twin was responsible for the cigarette butt.

"Despite being identical twins, each of you will possess distinct fingerprint traits that distinguish you from your sibling, as Barrington explained. This was crucial in identifying which brother was holding the roof of Genai's car, ultimately determining the actual suspect."

The fingerprints were a match for Ronald.

Ronald confessed to killing Coleman and stealing her car after being arrested. He stated that the shooting was an accident.

"Ronald declared that it was a hair trigger, as shown in the Oxygen series. He aimed to take a car at gunpoint, and when he pulled the trigger, the gun fired."

In October 2012, Ronald was found guilty of murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, hijacking a vehicle, and possessing a weapon while committing a felony. According to the Gwinnett Daily Post, he was given a life sentence plus 25 years in prison.

Anyone could be a victim of a crime like this at any time, as Barrington stated.

"Be cautious of your surroundings, as detectives, the police, and anyone investigating have a strong desire for justice. They are committed to assisting you."

"The emotional and professional tolls are real, but that's why we are here and exist."

"The Real Murders of Atlanta" airs Saturdays at 9 p.m.