Gerald Atkins

In the pre-dawn hours of February 15, 2025, police in Powder Springs, Georgia, responded to a call that a person had been shot at a home on Katie Emma Drive. When officers arrived around 3:33 a.m., they discovered Gerald Atkins, a 67-year-old male from Kansas City, Kansas, suffering from what appeared to be multiple gunshot wounds. Mr. Atkins was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Cobb County Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit immediately began an investigation. Detectives quickly identified a suspect, 64-year-old Bryon Canady of Powder Springs. According to property records, Canady’s name was listed as a grantee for the home where the shooting occurred. Less than 10 hours after the incident, at 12:50 p.m. that same day, police arrested Canady and took him into custody.

Initially, Canady was charged with felony murder and aggravated assault. His arrest warrant alleged that he had intentionally shot Atkins several times. He was booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center, where he was held without bond.

In March 2025, a grand jury indicted Canady on multiple charges in connection with Gerald Atkins’ death. The indictment included one count of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. As of March 2025, the case was proceeding through the court system. Authorities have not released any information regarding a possible motive or the nature of the relationship between the two men. The investigation remains open, and anyone with information is asked to contact the Cobb County Police Department Major Crimes Unit at 770-499-3945.