Curtis Atkinson Jr: North Carolina man gets life in prison for murdering parents in front of niece, kidnapping her for ransom
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA: Curtis Atkinson Jr, 43, has been convicted of the gruesome 2017 murders of his parents, Ruby and Curtis Sr, and the subsequent kidnapping of his niece.
Atkinson's crimes, committed in North Carolina, have resulted in a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
The trial, which concluded on Thursday, August 28, revealed horrifying details of the incident that unfolded on March 30, 2017.
What did Curtis Atkinson Jr do?
According to prosecutors, Atkinson and his girlfriend, Nikkia Cooper, arrived at his parents' residence on that fateful day after being evicted from their own home.
An argument between the parties escalated into a nightmarish act of violence that would scar an 11-year-old girl for life.
A press release from the Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office stated, "After an argument between the parties, the defendant and Cooper killed the defendant’s parents."
It added, "The defendant’s niece was present in the home at the time." The young girl was tragically forced to witness the brutal murders of her grandparents.
Atkinson and Cooper did not immediately flee the scene but instead chose to remain in the home alongside the lifeless bodies for days.
Atkinson and Cooper “stayed in the house with the defendant’s niece until April 2, 2017, when they kidnapped the niece and fled to Washington, DC,” per the press release.
Law enforcement agencies swiftly mobilized to apprehend the culprits, resulting in their capture on the same night.
The Metropolitan Police Department successfully rescued the niece from her captors.
“There, they were apprehended that night and the niece was rescued by officers with the Metropolitan Police Department," the release stated.
The gravity of the situation reached its peak when it was revealed that Atkinson had attempted to offer his niece to police in Washington as a ransom, per local Fox affiliate WJZY.
The horrifying crimes came to light when firefighters responded to a fire alarm at the Atkinson residence, following the couple's escape with the child.
Ruby had sustained gunshot wounds to her neck and head, in addition to a staggering 17 stab or puncture wounds to her upper body.
Curtis Sr's body was found in a state of decomposition, with broken teeth.
Charges against Curis Atkinson Jr and Nikkia Cooper
Atkinson faced a multitude of charges, including two counts of first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, conspiracy to commit murder and kidnapping, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Superior Court Judge Karen Eady-Williams delivered a sentence reflecting the nature of the crimes: two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole for the murders and an additional 404 to 532 months for the remaining charges.
Cooper, who had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder in 2019, received a lengthy sentence of 45-56 years behind bars for each murder charge, to be served consecutively.
She was also ordered to serve a concurrent sentence of 80 to 108 months for robbery, per WBTV.