The month-long manhunt for a murder suspect came to a close when Jermaine Atkins, 36, of Westfield, was apprehended in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Springfield Police, allied with a slew of law enforcement agencies, announced the arrest of Atkins, wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of Nicorie Adams, 30. The Springfield Police Department detailed the developments in a press release earlier today.
According to the release, the United States Marshals Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force, with assistance from Horry County Police , the Horry County Sheriff’s Office, and Myrtle Beach Police, executed a Fugitive from Justice Warrant yesterday, marking an end to the intensive search that began after the January tragedy.
The shooting in question occurred on January 31, following a ShotSpotter activation that led Springfield officers to the 0-100 block of Rochelle Street, where they found scenes of the crime on adjacent Braddock Street. A car with two victims arrived at Baystate with gunshot wounds, the adult male being Adams, who later died due to his injuries. Captain Trent Duda directed a thorough investigation that subsequently identified Atkins as the prime suspect.
After piecing together the chain of events that led to the deadly encounter, Springfield's Homicide Detectives secured a warrant on February 16 for Atkins' arrest. A collaborative effort by local police units and national task forces eventually zeroed in on Atkins' hiding spot in Myrtle Beach, where he was finally captured.
Atkins is now facing a judicial reckoning as he will be subjected to the rendition process before facing murder charges in Springfield District Court. While Atkins faces his day in court, the weight of the investigation continues unabated, jointly run by Springfield's Homicide Unit and the Hampden District Attorney's Murder Unit.
