A Florida teenager faces decades in prison after pleading guilty to a murder committed when he was 12 years old, according to court records.
Christopher Atkins, 14, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to first-degree murder, robbery with a firearm, and evidence tampering in the 2023 death of 16-year-old Layla Silvernail. According to Orlando ABC affiliate WFTV, Atkins faces 40 years to life in prison but may be eligible for parole after 25 years.
Atkins and two of his friends, Robert Robinson, then 17, and Tahj Brewton, then 16, were also charged with the murders of Michael Hodo Jr., 17, and Camille Quarles, 16. While Atkins was only charged with Silvernail’s murder, Robinson and Brewton face charges in all three. They are scheduled to go on trial in July. As part of his plea agreement, Atkins is required to testify against them.
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As previously reported by Law&Crime, Robinson is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, three counts of robbery with a firearm, and one count of tampering with evidence in a criminal proceeding.
Brewton is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count each of robbery with a firearm, robbery-carjacking with a firearm or weapon, grand theft of a motor vehicle, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, tampering with evidence in a criminal proceeding, and tampering with an electronic monitoring device.
Authorities previously stated that the victims were found either shot or dying throughout Ocklawaha, an unincorporated community in central Florida. Silvernail, who had been shot in the head, was found unconscious near a dumpster on March 30, 2023 and died in the hospital. The following morning, March 31, Hodo was discovered dead on the side of the road, also shot in the back of the head. On April 1, 2023, Quarles was found in the trunk of Silvernail’s vehicle.
“Quarles was shot twice and murdered while in the trunk of the vehicle,” prosecutors stated in an arrest affidavit.
Responding to rumors, Marion County Sheriff Billy stated at a press conference that Silvernail “was there of her own free will” that fateful night, citing interviews and phone records. He also stated that the suspects were engaged in burglaries and robberies, which they referred to as a “lick.” The sheriff stated that there was “nothing specific to say it was any rivalry” that led to the murders, but added that each of the suspects is affiliated with a gang.
“Basically, simple terms: There is no honor among thieves,” the sheriff said. “And at some point, these three individuals turned on our three victims and murdered them—two of them right there,” the sheriff said, pointing to Robert Robinson’s and Christopher Atkins’ mug shots on the screen. “They fled the scene, but left a lot of evidence in their wake.”
Southeastern Fastpitch recently remembered Silvernail as a “team player and an amazing athlete.”
“She enjoyed the game of softball, was an excellent pitcher, and could play any position her team required. She encouraged all of her teammates! “She was taken from us too soon and will be greatly missed,” a GoFundMe page stated.