On the evening of November 5, 2020, in Newnan, Georgia, the life of 43-year-old Kevin Duane Robbins, an African American male, was tragically cut short. Responding to a 'shots fired' call on East Broad Street, Newnan police discovered a grim scene. Robbins was found on a back deck of a residence, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Another victim, 39-year-old Willie Edward Bussie III, was located deceased in the driveway of the same home.
Both men were pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly expanded as a series of violent and connected events unfolded over the next few days, creating a wave of fear throughout the community. Investigators began to piece together a timeline that would link the murders of Robbins and Bussie to other fatal shootings. A critical lead emerged with the description of a gray Ford Crown Victoria seen at the scene of a subsequent homicide.
This information led law enforcement to the Red Roof Inn on Bullsboro Drive in Newnan, where they located the vehicle and its owner, Nicholas Martez Nelson. Nelson was taken into custody without incident. The scope of his violent spree became terrifyingly clear as investigators linked him to not only the murders of Robbins and Bussie but also to the shooting death of Warner Mandrel Parks and the discovery of three more victims—Tangela Molden, Monte James Ballard, and Michael Lang—at a Motel 6 on Herring Road.
Nicholas Martez Nelson was charged with six counts of murder, including that of Kevin Duane Robbins. In February 2023, he pleaded guilty to all charges. During his sentencing, Nelson expressed remorse for his actions, which he attributed to long-term drug use, but could not offer a clear motive for the killings. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, bringing a close to the legal chapter of a case that left a profound and lasting impact on the Newnan community.
