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Melissa Atkin, a 36-year-old who lived in Smyrna, Tennessee, was found murdered in her home on December 16, 2007. At the same time, she was involved in a custody battle with her former partner, Scott Reynolds, the father of their son, Lucas. Due to the content of the dispute, the police focused the investigation on Reynolds.
A conviction followed in 2008 when the trial against Reynolds for Atkin's murder began. He was convicted of first-degree, premeditated murder and sentenced to life in prison.
The murder of Melissa Atkin was featured in Season 01, episode 05, The Devil Speaks. The episode aired on August 25, 2018.
A complete timeline of events of Melissa Atkin's murder
May 2006: Separation and custody dispute
Melissa Atkin and Scott Reylonds were in a long-term relationship and had a child, Lucas. However, the couple ended their cohabitation in May 2006 after the filing for custody. During the testimony portion of the trial, it was clear that Reynolds had failed to provide financial support to his former partner, Atkin, after their separation, as reported by Main Street Media.
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December 15, 2007: Last known contact
According to Justia Law, Melissa Atkin, age 23, was last seen by her parents, Linda and Douglas Atkin, on the evening of December 15, 2007. She was going to attend church with them the next morning, at the same church she had attended since childhood. Following the evening with her parents, she had gone to a local Walmart.
December 16, 2007: Melissa Atkin's body was discovered
Her parents first became concerned when Melissa did not show up for church or answer her phone. They went to her house on Grassland Drive and found the back door open.
Inside the house, they found Melissa lying face down on her bed. She was bound with zip ties around her hands, and she sustained 4 close-range gunshot wounds to her head. A 0.32 caliber shell casing was on the mattress, and there were no signs of forced entry.
December 17-21, 2007: Initial investigation
According to Main Street Media, police began interviewing people associated with Melissa, one of whom was Scott Reynolds. Reynolds told investigators he was at his girlfriend's house, Eve Barger, along with his son Tanner. Barger initially backed up this statement, and Reynolds became a suspect due to the custody battle and his proximity to Melissa.
December 21, 2007: Scott Reylonds confessed to his girlfriend
Five days post the murder, Eve Barger returned to the police and altered her story. She claimed Reynolds confessed to killing Melissa, telling her:
"I just killed Melissa".
Later, evidence showed that a 0.32 caliber handgun belonging to Barger’s ex-husband had gone missing from her home. Additionally, two shell casings, one matching the bullet found in Melissa’s body and the other found on her mattress, were recovered from Eve Barger’s car.
January 2008: Preliminary hearing
As reported by Main Street Media, Detective Ralph Mayercik testified that Melissa was bound and shot execution style. The prosecutors offered Barger’s changed testimony and the evidence of the bullets. The defense argued that there was no actual forensics linking Reynolds to the incident.
July 3, 2008: Trial and conviction
After a jury trial in the Rutherford County Circuit Court, Scott Reynolds was found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder. Judge Don Ash sentenced him to life in prison, eligible for parole after 51 years.
2020: Adoption of Lucas Reynolds Atkin was finalized
Lucas, son of Melissa Atkin and Scott Reynolds, was placed in the custody of Melissa's parents. However, due to legal complications surrounding parental rights, the actual adoption was delayed until 2020.
In December of 2019, Lucas turned 18 years of age and legally changed his name to Lucas Reynolds Atkin, as reported by Middle Tennessee Mysteries.
The Devil Speaks can be streamed on Prime Video.
