Metro Atlanta
Metro Atlanta

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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