Robert Michael Atkins passed away at the very young age of 21. His father also passed away too soon when Robert was just a baby.

Robert grew up very involved with his church and even served as an acolyte since he was 5. Despite the loss of his father early in life, Robert grew into a gifted student who loved art and football. Robert’s mother said he was “everything you wanted in a kid.”

At the time of his death, he worked at an overnight security job. Usually, he would call his mother after work. But on the morning of Thursday, October 20, 2016, she didn’t receive a call from him, so she grew worried. Later that day, she would hear the devastating news from his girlfriend that he had been shot and pushed out of a moving vehicle.

Around 11:30 am, authorities responded to a call in the Lower 9th Ward about an unresponsive man lying in the middle of Florida street, between Lamanche and Charbonnet streets. There they found Robert with several gunshot wounds, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Police would later learn that Robert had been abducted close to where his body was found by someone in a dark compact car. Witnesses described how the vehicle was driving erratically and also saw when he was pushed out of that moving vehicle.

Investigators are still looking for possible suspects and motives, and no arrests have been made. This case is still open.