YIR: Marlene Colon’s Murder Suspect Is a Local Israeli

Nearly a year after the brutal murder of Sandy Springs resident Marlene D. Colon, the Israeli-born woman charged with that crime will be arraigned in Fulton County Superior Court on Jan. 31, 2022. Chelci Chisholm has been charged with murder, felony murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and obstruction of a law enforcement officer.

Colon, 73, a popular Zumba instructor, was killed in her home, allegedly by Chisholm, who Sandy Springs detectives said had been renting a room from Colon for about one month. Chisholm was arrested April 5 and was denied bond in her first court appearance two days later. She has been held in Fulton County jail since she was arrested.

Court records show that Chisholm was also known as Malka Padalon.

Murder suspect Chelci Chisholm has an arrest record in Gwinnett County.

According to Chisholm’s Israeli driver’s license, provided by police, she had lived in the Tel Aviv-Jaffa area and was born in 1962. But she had lived in the Atlanta area on and off for years. Colon was known for teaching water aerobics and aqua Zumba, as well as yoga, at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta and the Breman Jewish Home. She also taught classes at the Concourse Athletic Club, to disabled children and for the American Diabetes Association.

Colon, who is survived by two sons, Loren and Jonathan, and grandchildren Matthew and Julianne, was honored in a special tribute at a Braves game on May 23. A scoreboard message in left field read: “In Memory of Marlene Colon, Taken Away From Us Too Soon.” A “celebration of life” Zumba dance class near the pool in the Spalding Lake subdivision where she lived was held on June 5, to which the public was invited.

Police have completed their investigation at Marlene Colon’s house in Sandy Springs where she died.

At her funeral, Colon was eulogized by Rabbi Scott Colbert, rabbi emeritus of Temple Emanu-El, and The Temple Senior Rabbi Peter Berg. They recounted her well-known hospitality and popularity. Colon was “always looking out for everyone else,” said Berg. “We’re not supposed to be here today. Death like this is not supposed to happen to someone we love, not to Marlene.”