Antavius Jermaine Kurtz, a 29-year-old African-American man, was fatally shot in Atlanta, Georgia on February 11, 2015. In the early morning hours, Kurtz was ambushed while sitting in his truck outside his home on Bunker Hill Drive, having 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 explore other motives for the killing.
A primary
theory pursued by the Atlanta Police Department is that Kurtz's death was an act of retaliation. He had reportedly provided information to the company about an internal theft ring operating at the warehouse. This information led to the termination of several employees, and detectives believe his cooperation may have made him a target. Detective Cedric Smith of the Atlanta Police Department noted that this was his leading theory, describing Kurtz as 'squeaky clean.' Investigators from Dick's Sporting Goods have been cooperating fully with the police in the ongoing investigation.
Despite the investigation and the clear motive of retaliation, no arrests have been made in the case, and it remains unsolved. The lack of resolution has left his family, particularly his mother Ernestine Kurtz, in immense pain. She described the loss of her son as a feeling akin to having a 'hot blade through your chest,' a pain she hopes no one else has to experience. The family continues to rely on their faith while they await justice for Antavius. The police continue to seek any information from the public that might lead to a breakthrough in the case and bring closure to his grieving family.
