What happened to Lisa Rosenthal? Details explored ahead of The Real Murders of Atlanta on Oxygen
The Real Murders of Atlanta season 3, episode 19, features Lisa Rosenthal’s case, airing on Saturday, June 21, 2025, on Oxygen. Viewers can also stream this gripping true crime series on the Oxygen app or Peacock.
This episode unravels the brutal murder of Lisa Rosenthal, a 40-year-old mother and computer sales worker. Found stabbed in her Alpharetta home, her death stunned the community. The episode explores the investigation into her tragic end, revealing a web of betrayal and hidden motives.
The case exposes a calculated killer among those Lisa trusted. Alongside her story, the episode delves into the emotional toll on her family and the meticulous police work that cracked the case. It highlights Atlanta’s complex social dynamics and the quest for justice.
Lisa Rosenthal was brutally murdered in her Atlanta home in 2006
As reported by AJC, Lisa Rosenthal, a 40-year-old computer sales worker and mother of two sons, was found dead in her Alpharetta home on January 12, 2006. She had been stabbed multiple times in the arms, face, and back, with a fatal wound piercing her heart. The discovery came after her sons returned from school and noticed gaming devices missing, prompting concern that led to them finding her body.
Officers found no signs of forced entry, suggesting Rosenthal knew her killer. The medical examiner confirmed she died from stab wounds, with death occurring earlier that day. Investigators initially considered a burglary due to the missing items but soon focused on her social circle. Charles Lendelle Carter, a 39-year-old chef who had dated Rosenthal’s friend, emerged as the prime suspect.
Carter had a history of violent crimes. A pawnshop receipt for a stolen DVD, signed by Carter and bearing a fingerprint from Rosenthal’s younger son, was pivotal in linking him to the crime. He was arrested in early 2006. Carter’s trial revealed he killed Rosenthal in a calculated attack, possibly motivated by personal connections to her circle.
The jury convicted him of murder, sentencing him to life without parole. Rosenthal’s family, including her two sons, was left devastated. Carter remains incarcerated, with additional life sentences for other murders.
Was there any accomplice in Lisa Rosenthal’s murder?
As reported by AJC, in the 2006 case, Charles Lendelle Carter acted alone, as established by Fulton County detectives Glenn Kalish and Michael Lindstrom. The investigation, sparked by Rosenthal’s son noticing missing gaming devices, hinged on the pawnshop receipt.
Carter’s confessions during interrogations shocked authorities: he admitted to killing Apriel Allen, 38, stabbed and sexually assaulted in Atlanta in 2004; Angela Thayer Green, 35, strangled in Norcross in 2005; and Michael Leon Sneed, 35, shot and dumped behind DeKalb’s Henderson High School in 1992.
He is also a person of interest in the 2003 murder of Brittany LeAnn King, 16, in Henry County, linked via his cousin’s car. Carter, describing himself as a “monster” with uncontrollable “urges,” revealed an abusive childhood and fears his son will inherit his darkness, per AJC interviews.
By 2011, Carter’s guilty pleas in Fulton and Gwinnett Counties secured three life sentences, though he briefly attempted to withdraw his Fulton pleas in 2010, claiming coercion. Rosenthal’s vulnerability as a single mother, known to Carter through a friend, underscored the betrayal.
Her sons, now adults, advocate for violent crime awareness, reflecting their mother’s legacy. The episode illustrates how a single clue—a pawned DVD—unraveled a serial killer’s reign, leaving metro Atlanta grappling with his chilling legacy.
Stay tuned for more news and updates.
