It was just a little over a year ago that Erica Atkins held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at her Henry County bookstore and welcomed customers inside.
Birdsong Books came to her as a vision from God that she decided to act upon, her friend LaShanda Green said.
Several flowers have been displayed outside that bookstore since Sunday evening in memory of the adored owner whose body was found that afternoon.
“(Her killing) is not something I ever thought about being possible, especially with someone as loved as Erica,” Green told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Wednesday.
Around 3 a.m. Sunday, Atkins was reported missing from her Locust Grove home by a family friend after she failed to answer the phone, police Chief Derrick Austin said. Ten hours later, Austin said his department received a call from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office stating that a body had surfaced in Cedar Creek and it fit the description of the 40-year-old woman.
She was found by a fisherman in the wildlife management area about 50 miles from her home.
Atkins’ employee and ex-boyfriend, 38-year-old Romero Johnson of Covington, was arrested and charged with kidnapping and murder. Austin said surveillance footage captured by a neighbor tied Johnson to Atkins’ disappearance and eventual death.
The victim and Johnson worked together at a pop-up bookshop Saturday and police confirmed they were together that evening.
“The investigation leads us to believe that she died that night,” Austin said. “The time we don’t know. We’re kind of waiting on the autopsy. But probably the early morning hours of Sunday, March 5, at her residence.”
Credit: Henry County Sheriff's Office
Credit: Henry County Sheriff's Office
Green said she remembers getting a call Sunday morning from her mother, who lived next door to Atkins, and feeling completely numb when she heard her friend was missing. Green, who is a Realtor, met Atkins in 2020 and helped her move to her home in Locust Grove. They had maintained a friendship due to Atkins’ uplifting energy, Green said.
Since their friendship flourished, Green had attended Atkins’ grand opening ceremony Nov. 12, 2021, and spoke to her almost every month. The last time they saw each other was Feb. 15 and they later spoke over the phone Feb. 20 after Atkins’ bookstore was named “2022 Microbusiness of the Year” by the Henry County Chamber of Commerce. She was “enthused and humbly grateful” about the award, Green said.
Atkins was the mother of a 21-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old son. She had a cheerful and encouraging demeanor, Green said. Atkins’ killing shocked her.
Green met Johnson in 2021 at the bookstore, but only knew him in passing.
“How can any individual go to this extent to hurt someone and not think for a moment about her kids, her, how she was really moving up and working in the community? And not just think about (Atkins and her family), but even yourself. You put yourself in a position where your life has changed forever,” Green said.
Green said she has given Atkins’ family space to mourn and is not sure if the bookstore will remain open, but she hopes her friend’s legacy will remain alive. During the opening ceremony, Atkins said she wanted to impact Henry County and surrounding communities through her store. It was also run by Atkins’ aunt and a church friend.
That vision was shattered the moment her life was taken away, Green said, adding that Atkins wanted to inspire children and adults to spend more time with books.
Credit: LaShanda Green
Credit: LaShanda Green
But what hurts the most, Green said, is that Atkins’ children will have to continue growing up without their mother. She said she is outraged that someone took that away from them.
“It’s just horrible and selfish. A moment of whatever you had going on that made you do that changed a lot of people’s lives,” Green said.
A vigil is planned for Saturday at the bookstore at 6 p.m.
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