nanabillie
03-19-2009, 04:30 AM
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/mar/19/no-peace-for-family-until-killer-is-found/
http://web.knoxnews.com/static/images/kns/bgs/header_bg_photo.jpg
No peace for Nola Atkins' family until killer is found
Vigil on Saturday to honor her, keep case alive
By Matt Lakin
Thursday, March 19, 2009
http://media.knoxnews.com/kns/content/img/photos/2009/03/18/031909nola1_t220.jpg (http://www.knoxnews.com/photos/2009/mar/18/51745/) J. Miles Cary (http://www.knoxnews.com/staff/j-miles-cary/)
Ron Martin visits the home of his slain mother, Nola Atkins, on Wednesday in East Knoxville. Martin says he can’t bring himself to enter the house where he found his mother shot to death on March 21 last year. The killing remains unsolved.
http://media.knoxnews.com/kns/content/img/photos/2009/03/18/031909nola2_t220.jpg (http://www.knoxnews.com/photos/2009/mar/18/51746/) Submitted Photo
Nola Atkins
Homicide maps
A data map that shows homicides in Knoxville (http://web.knoxnews.com/map/crimemap/knoxville.shtml)
A data map that shows homicides in Knox County (http://web.knoxnews.com/map/crimemap/knoxcounty.shtml)
Ron Martin kissed his mother's photo Wednesday and prayed again for an answer.
Nola Atkins would have turned 73 this week. Instead of celebrating her birthday, Martin's bracing himself for the one-year anniversary of her unsolved killing.
"There'll never be any closure for us, but I want it resolved," he said. "If nobody speaks up, this can happen again."
Martin and his wife, Joyce, plan to hold a prayer vigil 10 a.m. Saturday for Atkins in front of the house at 3712 Selma Ave. in East Knoxville where she'd lived for more than 40 years. Martin found her body there March 21, 2008, shot during an apparent break-in. Police are still seeking the killer.
Speakers at the vigil include City Councilman Bob Booker and fellow members of Atkins' church, Tabernacle Baptist.
Martin said he's also invited the family of Lester Walton, killed March 5 in a drive-by shooting while visiting his 92-year-old mother on Ashland Avenue.
Knoxville Police Department investigators believe the shooters went to the wrong house that night. No arrests have been made so far.
"In each case, you've got two completely innocent victims," said Deputy Chief Gary Price.
Martin said he hopes the vigil will keep both cases alive and help part the cloud of silence that surrounds so many such crimes.
"Things have to change," he said. "How many times as a city are we going to let this happen?"
Police ask that anyone with information in either case call 865-215-7317 or 865-215-7212.
Matt Lakin may be reached at 865-342-6306.
http://web.knoxnews.com/static/images/kns/bgs/header_bg_photo.jpg
No peace for Nola Atkins' family until killer is found
Vigil on Saturday to honor her, keep case alive
By Matt Lakin
Thursday, March 19, 2009
http://media.knoxnews.com/kns/content/img/photos/2009/03/18/031909nola1_t220.jpg (http://www.knoxnews.com/photos/2009/mar/18/51745/) J. Miles Cary (http://www.knoxnews.com/staff/j-miles-cary/)
Ron Martin visits the home of his slain mother, Nola Atkins, on Wednesday in East Knoxville. Martin says he can’t bring himself to enter the house where he found his mother shot to death on March 21 last year. The killing remains unsolved.
http://media.knoxnews.com/kns/content/img/photos/2009/03/18/031909nola2_t220.jpg (http://www.knoxnews.com/photos/2009/mar/18/51746/) Submitted Photo
Nola Atkins
Homicide maps
A data map that shows homicides in Knoxville (http://web.knoxnews.com/map/crimemap/knoxville.shtml)
A data map that shows homicides in Knox County (http://web.knoxnews.com/map/crimemap/knoxcounty.shtml)
Ron Martin kissed his mother's photo Wednesday and prayed again for an answer.
Nola Atkins would have turned 73 this week. Instead of celebrating her birthday, Martin's bracing himself for the one-year anniversary of her unsolved killing.
"There'll never be any closure for us, but I want it resolved," he said. "If nobody speaks up, this can happen again."
Martin and his wife, Joyce, plan to hold a prayer vigil 10 a.m. Saturday for Atkins in front of the house at 3712 Selma Ave. in East Knoxville where she'd lived for more than 40 years. Martin found her body there March 21, 2008, shot during an apparent break-in. Police are still seeking the killer.
Speakers at the vigil include City Councilman Bob Booker and fellow members of Atkins' church, Tabernacle Baptist.
Martin said he's also invited the family of Lester Walton, killed March 5 in a drive-by shooting while visiting his 92-year-old mother on Ashland Avenue.
Knoxville Police Department investigators believe the shooters went to the wrong house that night. No arrests have been made so far.
"In each case, you've got two completely innocent victims," said Deputy Chief Gary Price.
Martin said he hopes the vigil will keep both cases alive and help part the cloud of silence that surrounds so many such crimes.
"Things have to change," he said. "How many times as a city are we going to let this happen?"
Police ask that anyone with information in either case call 865-215-7317 or 865-215-7212.
Matt Lakin may be reached at 865-342-6306.