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Atlanta man, 78, charged with murder after body found in closet

Cleaster Adkins, 78, was charged with murder after Atlanta police found his roommate stabbed to death in a closet at their home in DeKalb County.
Cleaster Adkins, 78, was charged with murder after Atlanta police found his roommate stabbed to death in a closet at their home in DeKalb County.
By Joshua Sharpe
Jan 10, 2017

Atlanta police say a 78-year-old man stabbed his roommate to death and left the body in a closet.

Cleaster Atkins was charged with murder after he turned up with blood on his head, clothes and hands at a gas station nearby, authorities said Tuesday.

Police found the body of Kiwanis Brownlee on Monday after responding to the home at 1800 Memorial Drive around 3:30 a.m. Brownlee had turned 64 this month.

“First responding officers stated that blood was located in the living room, bathroom and one bedroom,” an officer wrote in a report. Brownlee “was located in the back bedroom closet with multiple stab wounds.”

Police said the motive isn’t yet determined.

Atkins, whose home is on a stretch of Memorial Drive that sits in DeKalb County, was booked Monday afternoon and remains held without bond.

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