NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. — A man accused of killing two women in less than two hours has been sentenced in one of the victim’s cases.
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In February, Arrief McKenzie pleaded guilty to murder in connection to the death of his estranged wife, Niki (Banks) McKenzie which happened on March 3, 2020.
On Monday, a Newton County court sentenced him to life without parole plus 20 years.
In 2019, Arrief McKenzie pleaded guilty to family violence battery against his wife, Niki. As part of the conditions of his sentence, he was to have no contact with Niki McKenzie. During this time, Arrief McKenzie began to see another woman, Jillian Myles-Walters.
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Court documents revealed that Arrief McKenzie went to his wife’s Newton County home. Officials said Niki McKenzie opened the garage door while preparing to leave the house to go to work.
The Newton County District Attorney’s Office said the suspect attacked his wife with a knife, stabbing her 21 times. She later died from her injuries.
An hour before the deadly stabbing of Niki McKenzie, in an arrest warrant, Gwinnett police told a judge that Arrief McKenzie had stabbed his girlfriend, Jillian Myers Walters, multiple times with a “large knife.”
He then drove to Niki McKenzie’s home, more than 30 miles away.
Authorities said McKenzie was captured when Dunwoody police pulled him over after he almost hit another car on Interstate 285. The DA said the murder weapon was found in his vehicle.
Arrief McKenzie still faces charges in Gwinnett County in connection to the death of Walters.
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“I first want to thank Niki’s family for their everlasting support of their loved one. She raised amazing children who will push forward and do great things. While this conclusion will not undo what happened, the sentence will provide some level of justice for the family. But it also sends a strong message to our community that crimes like this will lead to the most severe consequences. I also want to thank the hard work of multiple agencies working together to bring justice to Niki’s family,” Newton County District Attorney Randy McGinley said.
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