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Neighbor Convicted in Acworth Double Murder; Toddler Found Upstairs Covered in Blood

What happened: Matthew Scott Lanz was convicted in a bench trial for the Nov. 17, 2021, murders of Justin and Amber Hicks in Acworth, Georgia.

Key details: Their 2-year-old son was found upstairs alive but covered in blood and trying to wake his parents. Lanz reportedly told investigators he saw "demonic lights," and his late brother previously had ties to the property.

Outcome: Lanz was found guilty on multiple counts, including malice and felony murder, and received three life sentences plus 32 years to run consecutively.

05:22 AM, 12/01/2025Society
Neighbor Convicted in Acworth Double Murder; Toddler Found Upstairs Covered in Blood

A judge has convicted Matthew Scott Lanz in the November 17, 2021, shootings that left Justin and Amber Hicks dead inside their home in Acworth, Georgia. The couple’s 2-year-old son was found upstairs alive but covered in blood, apparently attempting to wake his parents.

Justin’s father discovered the couple after Amber missed work and the two did not respond to messages. Investigators say Lanz entered the house through a rear door and shot both victims. Police bodycam footage and scene reports describe the child cuddling his parents and trying to get their attention; he was otherwise unharmed.

During the investigation and at trial, prosecutors said Lanz told police he had seen "demonic lights" inside the home. They also noted that Lanz’s late brother, Austin, had a prior history involving the same property; Austin died by suicide months earlier after fatally stabbing a police officer in Washington, D.C.

Defense counsel argued Lanz was not directly tied to trace evidence found at the scene, but the judge in a bench trial found him guilty on all counts.

Lanz was convicted of two counts of malice murder, four counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, one count of child cruelty, one count of tampering with evidence, and other related charges. The judge sentenced him to three life terms—two without the possibility of parole—plus an additional 32 years, to be served consecutively.

The case drew attention both for the brutality of the killings and the fact that the couple’s young child was alone in the home at the time. Authorities continue to emphasize the tragedy for the family and the community as the legal process concludes.

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