Man who shot and killed niece of Judge sentenced to life in prison

Prosecutors stated Atkins had been arrested two days prior to the shooting on domestic abuse charges. Powell had reported to police that Atkins allegedly slapped, pulled her hair, and bit her, and also stole a gun from her purse. Despite this arrest, Atkins was released on bail, a decision that deeply worried Powell, who expressed concern to police about her safety.

“What happens if y’all let him go and I end up dead tomorrow,” Powell reportedly told officers. Atkins ultimately returned to kill Powell, using a Glock pistol with a drum magazine to fire numerous shots. Prosecutors believe Atkins feared Powell would testify against him, potentially leading to a harsher sentence given his prior felony conviction.

Even as she lay dying, Powell was able to identify her attacker as “K,” a nickname for Kelvin, according to body-cam footage presented in court. This conviction followed a previous trial that resulted in a hung jury. A retrial was subsequently held.

The case involved testimony from Criminal District Judge Kimya Holmes, who is Powell’s aunt. Judge Holmes described the difficult task of informing Powell’s two daughters of their mother’s death. “She loved hard, and if she cared about you, she protected you with all that she had,” Holmes stated during the trial.

Atkins was found guilty of second-degree murder in September, culminating in the life sentence handed down Friday.