A well-known bookshop owner in the Atlanta area was found dead in a creek, and one of her coworkers, a former boyfriend, has been accused of kidnapping and murdering her.

The body of Erica Atkins, a 42-year-old mother of two who ran Birdsong Books in Henry County, was found in Putnam County by a fisherman, according to a report from the Henry County Sheriff’s Office to local media outlet 11Alive on March 6.

Atkins was found a distance from the bookstore. She was reported missing on Sunday. Her body was allegedly dumped in Putnam County after she was murdered in Henry County, according to the police.

Romero Johnson, a 38-year-old employee of her business, was listed as a person of interest. He was detained and initially charged with kidnapping Atkins. However, after her body was found, he was charged with her murder.

Johnson allegedly dragged Atkins from her garage while covering her body with a sheet, according to a police affidavit. He can be seen transferring her body into his car in a surveillance video.

Johnson’s car’s trunk contained traces of blood. The car had just recently been washed and vacuumed, according to the police. In the driveway where the body was dragged, an earring belonging to Atkins was found. 

Atkins and Johnson were said to have had a relationship in the past, before she ended it, according to the father of her youngest child.

According to a friend, Atkins was a well-liked “pillar” of the community and was recently recognized as the local Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year.