A Georgia man has been sentenced to life in prison after he allegedly killed his live-in girlfriend and her son before attempting to flee to Mexico.
In an August 1 statement, the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office said that William Jerome Adams, 29, was convicted after he was found guilty of two counts of felony murder and two counts of aggravated assault.
Authorities said Adams fatally shot his live-in girlfriend, identified as Mary Lindsay, 39, and her 15-year-old son Atif Muhammad Jr. Adams will serve two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.
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Authorities said that on March 26, 2021, a friend of Lindsay’s mother reached out to the victim’s oldest daughter and asked her to go to the house she was staying with Adams as she had not been heard from in many days.
Authorities said Lindsay’s 19-year-old daughter and her 15-year-old sister did not stay with their mother, adding that the former and Muhammad are twins. Lindsay’s oldest daughter is said to have gained access to the home after crawling through a window.
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Upon entry, she found her 8-year-old brother asleep in her mother’s bedroom, per authorities. She also found the bodies of her mother and brother inside a locked bedroom and ultimately contacted police. Authorities determined the victims were killed on March 24, and the 8-year-old boy “had been alone in the home and unaware of the deaths for two days.”
“Investigators found three 9mm shell casings inside the room where Lindsay and Muhammad were discovered and were able to match the shell casing to ammunition found in the master bedroom,” the statement said.
“A warrant for Adams’ arrest was placed. Within a day, Police in Laredo, Texas, called to report that Adams was arrested after he attempted to cross the border into Mexico on an assumed name and without a passport. Investigators also determined that Adams took $2,000 from Lindsay’s bank account.”
During the trial, Muhammad’s twin sister took the stand and said that 10 days before the fatal incident, they found a handgun in Lindsay’s bedroom and took a photo of it, authorities said. She also told the court that Lindsay confirmed the gun belonged to Adams when they asked her about it.
“The jury also heard testimony that Adams had a controlling nature and was abusive to Lindsay. Prosecutors presented a photo that Lindsay emailed to herself documenting an arm injury that Adams gave her,” the statement said.
“The verdict and sentence are fitting for a defendant who violently took the life of a mother and son and stole from them,” District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said. “We mourn with the victims’ family and hope that the outcome of the trial gives them some closure and justice.”
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