The silence in the Acworth, Georgia home was broken not by laughter, but by gunfire on a November night in 2021. Justin and Amber Hicks, a young couple building a life, were brutally murdered while their two-year-old son slept peacefully upstairs, unaware of the horror unfolding below.
The unimaginable scene was discovered when Justin’s father, growing concerned after Amber failed to show up for work and unanswered texts piled up, went to check on the family. What he found shattered his world – a scene of unspeakable violence and a tiny child lost in a nightmare.
Police bodycam footage revealed the heartbreaking reality: the toddler, covered in blood, was found cuddling with his parents, attempting to rouse them, to play with them, oblivious to the finality of their silence. He had wandered the house for twelve agonizing hours, his diaper unchanged, a small, innocent figure surrounded by tragedy.
Their neighbor, Matthew Scott Lanz, was swiftly identified as the perpetrator. He had entered the Hicks’ home through the back door and committed the senseless act, remaining unaware of the child sleeping just above. The motive, initially shrouded in mystery, began to unravel a disturbing picture of delusion and despair.
Lanz’s history of mental illness came to light during legal proceedings, with a court hearing confirming a diagnosis of schizophrenia. He had reportedly spoken of “demonic lights” seen in the Hicks’ home, and alluded to his deceased brother’s troubled feelings about the property’s previous owners.
Just days after the Hicks’ murders, Lanz committed another violent act, breaking into a Sandy Springs residence and severely stabbing a police officer in the neck before being shot himself. This further cemented the danger he posed and the gravity of his crimes.
After numerous delays due to questions about his competency, Lanz faced a bench trial where he was found guilty on all counts. The charges included two counts of murder, four counts of felony murder, aggravated assault, child cruelty, and tampering with evidence – a comprehensive indictment of his horrific actions.
The sentence delivered was a stark reflection of the devastation he caused: three life sentences, two without the possibility of parole, and an additional 32 years to be served consecutively. A lifetime behind bars, a small measure of justice for a family stolen too soon.
The image of that little boy, covered in blood and seeking comfort from parents who could no longer respond, remains a haunting reminder of the senseless tragedy and the enduring impact of violence on the most innocent among us.
