A man is believed to have killed his wife, his pregnant mistress, and himself in a horrifying double murder/suicide that has left two children motherless.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Kevin Atkins allegedly killed his pregnant mistress and his wife before killing himself.
- His pregnant mistress was also the mother of two young girls.
- Though the mistress seems to have believed Atkins was estranged from his wife, it appears he was not.
- Pregnant women are more likely to die by homicide than by maternal illness.
THE DETAILS:
According to the Dalton Police Department, Kevin Akins shot and killed his wife, Nicole, in their home on May 21st. He then went to the home of Cindel Rhoden, with whom he was having an affair; Rhoden was five months pregnant with Akins’ son. He shot and killed Rhoden, and then killed himself.
A GoFundMe set up by Rhoden’s family said Akins was estranged from his wife and was able to lure Rhoden into a relationship through lies and manipulation. Rhoden was a single mother to two girls, and was pregnant with her first son. “Three innocent (4 if you count the unborn) lives were lost in a single day, leaving behind shock, grief, and two little girls who now face a future without their mother,” it said. “Cindel was more than just a victim of this tragedy she was kind, full of life, and a devoted mom doing her best for her girls.”
Her aunt, Lynn Barker, told WANF, “She was a victim of manipulation. She took people at their word. That was her mistake. But it doesn’t mean she deserved or asked or put herself in the position for this to happen.”
READ: Misleading study links ‘anti-abortion’ laws to higher homicide rates for pregnant women
Another GoFundMe, arranged by Nicole’s family, said they had actually been together for 20 years and were not estranged.
Surveillance footage showed Akins leaving the home after murdering Nicole at around 6:00 in the morning. Her death was discovered when coworkers became concerned after she didn’t come to work for two days, and they asked police to perform a welfare check.
Rhoden’s body was discovered by her stepfather, who had a key to the apartment; police had not yet been given permission to enter, and it was Rhoden’s stepfather who ended up finding her.
Homicide is a leading cause of death for pregnant women, with pregnant women more likely to be murdered than to die from maternal illness.
