Egan Atkins: Wanted for the Murder of Nicole Williams

Anyone who sees the man pictured above is asked to immediately call 813-247-8200.

(A warrant has been issued for Egan Atkins, age 34 in the fatal stabbing of his estranged wife in Gibsonton, Florida )

Most of us who hear or read news stories about domestic or as I say "intimate partner violence" tend to think and believe in terms of a “single incident” or, a “one time only” act of violence. But that is a myth. A tragic example is that of Nicole Williams Kings, 36, of Gibsonton, Florida. She and her husband were going through a divorce. Yesterday, in the middle of the night, her estranged husband broke in the home, went into the kitchen and grabbed a butcher knife. Then he went upstairs and stabbed her to death as she slept. Her 3 teenage children were in the home, she died from multiple stab wounds.

Sadly, this is a case of continuing pattern of behavior which can include repeated harassment, stalking or surveillance of their victim, threats and intimidation, bodily harm, sexual assault, child abduction or the constant threat of it, that can escalate, as it did here, to murder.

According to news reports he was distraught over the ending of the marriage. It is no excuse to kill anyone. The horror of what these children witnessed will be with them for the remainder of their lives.

Once you are threatened, hit, stalked, questioned in a controlling way, a second chance to save your life, is no longer an option.

“If you are reading this and find yourself in a similar situation, know that there are measures you must take before announcing the end of your relationship. These safety precautions can be found in the book, "Time's Up: A Guide on How to Leave an Abusive and Stalking Relationship" by Susan Murphy Milano. Don't take things into your own hands without expert guidance.” (Mothers Are Vanishing)

I cannot stress enough, if you are in a relationship that has a history of violence, simply mustering up the courage to confront the person and say it is over, without the proper tools, can cost you your life!

One of the major reasons women stay in abusive relationships is fear. They are afraid of what will happen to them and their children if they leave. Sadly, their fears are often justified; statistics show that a woman is at the greatest risk for injury when she announces her plans or leaves an abusive relationship.

The book "Time's Up A Guide on How To Survive and Abusive and Stalking Relationship" is the prescription, if you will, that every person must obtain before they announce they are leaving. Below is an example from Chapter 4, one of many unique tools provided in the book. It is available onAmazon.com, or you can purchase via e-book or on a cd. If you have questions, the email address is: timesupforjustice@gmail.com

Before you decide that you have had enough and are ending the relationship create for yourself the "Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit" and video (shown below). Follow the steps in the Time's up Book, it just may save your life!

Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit by Susan Murphy Milano from the Book "Time's Up" from Courage Network on Vimeo.

Susan Murphy Milano is with the Institute for Relational Harm Reduction and Public Pathology Education. She is an expert on intimate partner violence and homicide crimes. For more information visit http://www.saferelationshipsmagazine.com/

Susan is the author of "Time's Up A Guide on How to Leave and Survive Abusive and Stalking Relationships," available for purchase at the Institute, Amazon.com and wherever books are sold. Susan is the host of The Susan Murphy Milano Show, "Time's Up!" on Here Women Talk http://www.herewomentalk.com/ and is a regular contributor to the nationally syndicated The Roth Show with Dr Laurie Roth. Susan is a survivor- the daughter of a police officer family intimate partner homicide by her father who murdered her mother before committing suicide.