On a summer day in Monroe, Louisiana, the bodies of Dexter Burkhalter and Russell Atkins were found in a gruesome scene at Atkins' residence on June 8, 2012. Both men had been brutally stabbed and, after succumbing to their wounds, were each shot in the head. The motive for the grisly double homicide appeared to be connected to drugs and money, with cocaine and pills scattered on the floor near the victims.
Bloody shoe prints leading from inside the house to the porch hinted at the suspects' escape.
The investigation into the murders led authorities to focus on two individuals, Demetric Whitlock and Rico Collins. Evidence gathered from DNA, cell phone records, and the distinct shoe prints left at the scene all pointed toward their involvement. On October 17, 2012, both men were arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree murder. During questioning, Collins provided investigators with two statements. He admitted to being present at Atkins' home with Whitlock, claiming they were there to fill out applications for oil field work. Collins accused Whitlock of being the one who killed both Burkhalter and Atkins and admitted to helping move the bodies.
Following their arrests, a grand jury indicted both Collins and Whitlock on two counts of second-degree murder on October 25, 2012. Throughout the legal proceedings, Collins's account of the events evolved. While his initial statements to the police consistently portrayed Whitlock as the sole murderer, during trial preparations, he reportedly admitted to stabbing one of the victims himself. Despite this admission, he maintained that Whitlock was responsible for stabbing both victims and shooting them. Demetric Whitlock was ultimately convicted of two counts of manslaughter and, being a fourth-felony offender, was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences.
