Marcus Dewayne Atkins Jr., a 22-year-old Black man, was building a new life for his family in Alexandria, Louisiana. In the early hours of June 13, 2023, that future was taken from him. At approximately 1:12 a.m., Alexandria police responded to a call about a shooting on Richmond Drive. Officers arrived to find Marcus had been shot multiple times. He was rushed to a local hospital, but his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced deceased.
According to his family, Marcus had worked
hard to overcome a difficult childhood. After losing his mother at a young age and spending time in foster care, he completed the Louisiana Youth Challenge Program and earned his HiSET. He was a father to a son, Ireland Harrell, with his fiancée, Iyana Harrell, and was described as a loving and dedicated father. His sister, Airman First Class Lateacia Dwellingham, said her brother was not involved in street life and had made a "360 with his life" by holding down a job and caring for his family.
The investigation into the shooting moved quickly. Based on information gathered at the scene, the Alexandria Police Department identified 19-year-old George Thomas Carter, also of Alexandria, as a suspect. Within minutes of the incident, officers located Carter at his residence and placed him under arrest.
Carter was booked into the Rapides Parish Detention Center on a charge of second-degree murder, and a judge later set his bond at $1 million. In May 2024, a grand jury indicted George Thomas Carter on the charge of second-degree murder. His trial is scheduled for June 30.
