In the early morning hours of February 11, 2015, Antivious Tay Kurtz, a 29-year-old Black man, was fatally shot while sitting in his truck outside his home on Bunker Hill Drive in Atlanta, Georgia. He had just returned from his job as a supervisor at a Dick's Sporting Goods warehouse in East Point. The attack was not a robbery, as his personal belongings were left untouched, leading investigators to suspect a more personal motive.
The leading theory explored by the Atlanta Police Department was that Kurtz's murder was an act of retaliation. He had recently provided information to the company about a theft ring operating at the warehouse, which resulted in the termination of several employees. Investigators with the Atlanta police and Dick's Sporting Goods worked together to probe this connection, believing Kurtz may have been targeted for his cooperation with authorities. Detective Cedric Smith of the Atlanta Police Department noted that Kurtz was 'squeaky clean' and that the lack of robbery pointed towards a targeted killing.
The sudden and violent death of Antivious Kurtz left his family devastated. His mother, Ernestine Kurtz, described the immense pain of losing her son, a grief she hoped no one else would ever have to experience. She spoke of her faith as a source of strength during the difficult time. Despite the ongoing investigation and the strong belief that his death was connected to the warehouse theft ring, no arrests have ever been made in the case. The murder of Antivious Tay Kurtz remains unsolved, leaving his loved ones still searching for justice.
