Flowery Branch, GA — A Gwinnett County jury has sentenced William Jerome Adams, 29, to life in prison without the possibility of parole after finding him guilty of murdering his girlfriend and her 15-year-old son — then leaving her 8-year-old child alone with their bodies for two days.
Tragic Discovery Made by Victim’s Daughter
The investigation began on March 26, 2021, when Mary Lindsay’s eldest daughter went to check on her mother after no one had heard from her in days. Unable to enter through the front door, she climbed in through a window and found her 8-year-old brother sleeping in their mother’s bedroom.
The child had reportedly been unaware of the brutal murders that had occurred two days earlier, according to the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office.
Inside a locked bedroom, the daughter discovered the bodies of Mary Lindsay, 39, and her son, Atif Muhammad Jr., 15, both fatally shot.
Chilling Details of the Crime Emerge
Authorities say Adams shot both victims in Lindsay’s bedroom using a 9 mm Luger handgun. Investigators recovered three shell casings at the scene, matching nearby ammunition. Prosecutors later revealed that Adams stole $2,000 from Lindsay’s bank account and then attempted to flee the country.
Federal authorities caught Adams in Laredo, Texas, just one day after the arrest warrant was issued. He was found trying to cross into Mexico using a fake name and without a passport, according to prosecutors.
Testimony Reveals Pattern of Abuse
During the trial, Atif’s twin sister testified that just 10 days before the murders, she had found the gun used in the shooting and taken a photo of it. Her mother later told her the weapon belonged to Adams.
“Jurors also heard testimony about how Adams had a controlling nature and was abusive toward Lindsay,” prosecutors said.
They were also shown a photo of an injury to Lindsay’s arm, inflicted by Adams in a previous domestic dispute.
The case painted a picture of escalating abuse, control, and ultimately, premeditated violence that tore apart a family.
Verdict: Life Without Parole
Adams was convicted of two counts of murder and two counts of aggravated assault. The judge imposed a sentence of life without parole, bringing a grim but definitive conclusion to the trial.
“The verdict and sentence are fitting for a defendant who violently took the life of a mother and son and stole from them,” said District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson. “We mourn with the victims’ family and hope that the outcome of the trial gives them some closure and justice.”
The young boy, now without his mother and older brother, was rescued from the home and is in the care of surviving family members.
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