ATLANTA — Atlanta police have made several breakthroughs in a high-profile murder in northeast Atlanta’s Virginia Highland neighborhood and a series of violent crimes in the area.Atlanta Police Chief George Turner was scheduled to speak at a 1:15 p.m. news conference Wednesday to detail the latest developments, including an arrest and several detainments.

Officers have spent more than a month investigating the shooting death of 39-year-old Charles Boyer. Police told Channel 2’s Ryan Young that an arrest has been made in the case. Investigators said Boyer’s killing isn’t the only area crime the suspect is tied to.Police sources told Young that six people were being held in custody in connection to 21 crimes around the city. They said three would face murder charges in connection with Boyer’s killing.Police told Young the crimes started with several taxi cab robberies in October, then a carjacking on Nov. 19.

Two days later, Boyer was gunned down outside his girlfriend’s apartment on Virginia Avenue, police said. They said three masked men tried to rob them and enter the home, and Boyer died putting up a fight. Hours later, three men robbed two men and raped a woman at a house on Boulevard, police said.

Police said they have connected several of the crimes, but they won’t release suspects’ names while they proceed with lineups.Neighbors said they are pleased with the recent police work in the cases.“It’s very comforting, and I have to say I feel a lot safer going into the holiday season,” a neighbor told Young.