This is what Dr. Matthew Willson, a British scientist and engineer was seeing for the first-time. He lay on his back in Atlanta with Katherine Shepard.
Astrophysicist, 31, had only been here for two days. On Sunday 16 January 2016, he was hit in his head by an arrow. The round came from a “rapid” and “reckless” volley that originated less than 200 feet away.
DailyMail.com takes you inside this room, which was to have been Willson’s home for three months. But it became the crime scene, where his body lay.
This is the first complete account that reveals the truth of the tragic death.
It was only seconds and inches that mattered in the end. It is clear in its most gruesome clarity that the bullet was a deadly weapon.
Matthew Willson (31), an astrophysicist originally from Surrey in England was just arriving in Atlanta with Katherine Shepard (right). He was hit in the head on January 16, by a single bullet.
They were sleeping in Shepard and Shepard’s Brookhaven apartment on Clairmont Rd when gunfire woke them up at 2am.
Willson was hit in the head by a round fired amid a ‘rapid’ and ‘reckless’ volley believed to have come from an apartment complex less than 200 feet away
It looks almost harmless to see the hole in the wall where the bullet entered the apartment.
From there, it exploded through the dry wall, leaving scorch marks and blowing plaster dust into the back of the next thing it hit – the headboard of the bed that stood directly in front of that wall and the window.
Willson sank to his knees and looked out of the window at his girlfriend as the bullet left the headboard. In that moment, Willson was struck.
Today, Willson’s blood is covered by a cushion that says Laugh and blanket that covers the area where it was.
Aman Kar (25 year old roommate of Shepard) placed them there in order to lessen the terror.
Shepard hadn’t returned to her room in the three years since her violent boyfriend died.
She agreed to allow DailyMail.com to inside, in an effort to emphasize the random nature of this crime. Atlanta’s Brookhaven Police Department is investigating it as homicide.
Now she was able to share new details from the night: the initial confusion in which she thought she had been killed and then the terrible realization that Willson had sustained a severe wound.
Shepard was not present in their room after her three-year-old boyfriend died. The picture shows her holding the clothes of her boyfriend in their bedroom.
DailyMail.com visited Willson’s bedroom, which was supposed to have been his haven for the following three months. But it became the crime scene.
Photographs show where evidence indicates that the bullet penetrated the bedroom wall, and the dry wall.
The bullet left scorch marks and blew plaster dust into the back of the next thing it hit – the headboard of the bed that stood directly in front of that wall and the window
They were asleep in their bed when the shooting began at 2 am. 26-year-old Shepard described holding Willson’s body in her arms while he died.
Kar and Shepard said that there were 30 or more shots fired during the evening. They both claimed they were coming from an apartment complex on Burford Highway, just behind a forest area.
Contrary to earlier reports that stated the bullet traveled up to 800ft in distance, the actual shot was only 200 feet away. This is consistent with the public statements made by police.
The bullet path appears to be pointing to an area of filthy waste ground next to the dumpsters. Gang graffiti is also evident.
The police quickly characterized the shooting as an anomaly in an area that, according to a Brookhaven PD spokesperson, doesn’t ‘typically handle a lot of gun crimes’ or has’much gang activation’.
Kar and Shepard both said that gunfire at night is not unusual.
She claimed that she called Willson in the past to inform him of the gunfire.
She said, “It has never been over here” or lasted more than a few seconds. It was quite different.
It looks almost harmless to see the hole in the wall where the bullet entered the apartment.
Willson wasn’t responsive from the time he was hit, but he survived until Tuesday. Both Shepard and Kar said the sound of gunfire at night was not uncommon
The evidence marker and measuring tape were placed alongside the bullet hole in Katherine Shepard’s bedroom interior.
“It started out as a couple of shots, then picked up speed. They emptied their clips and there was a brief pause before they resumed.
Kar said that there were two types of guns, each with two pitches.
Shepard replied, “Is Matt okay if you call the cops?” He was all smiles and said, “Yeah. This just makes it sound like they’re playing games.
“So, I noticed a pause and then another gun began up. At that point, I got up from my seat and looked out the window. I saw or heard a slight explosion under me.
I felt something hitting my leg. Matt was breathing differently, so I turned my head to see him.
“And I noticed him slumping over on the mattress. So I got up to turn on the lights. There was blood all around and he was dead.”
Shepard said, “I wish that I could tell him it had just touched his head. There was lots of blood.
“But I couldn’t find the area where it was. I saw blood everywhere, and there was something possibly on his forehead. The bullet wasn’t even in my head. [at that point]or the events that took place.
The bullet shredded when it struck Willson and lodged in his head – police hope it may hold some clue as to the gun that fired it.
Kar had already entered the room at this point and Shepard and he both called 911.
Willson wasn’t responsive from the time he was struck. However, he lived to see Tuesday.
Shepard, 25 and Aman Kar (left), had just moved in to this building six months prior because it seemed safe.
Devoted: Matthew Willson and Katherine Shepard were last pictures taken after they flew to America for Katherine’s wedding.
Shepard and Dr. Willson met at Georgia State University. After six months of separation, the couple were excited to see each other again after three months.
Shepard recalls that within 10 minutes, the police were at the scene. Numerous complaints were received about nearby gunfire.
The horror was not over.
«When the cops had in [here]Shepard stated that there was another round. The cops shouted “Gunfire!” and there was even more gunfire. They threw themselves against walls to defend themselves.
Kar was able to recall one officer pulling Shepard from the window. Another officer was present and dragged Shepard from the room into the centre of the apartment.
It took approximately 20 painful minutes for the ambulance to arrive. Neither Shepard or Kar knew if they were holding it back, until officers made certain that everything was secured.
Access to the apartment can only be made via an open stairway. This could have been used as a way for paramedics to get hit with a bullet in the trees.
It was Shepard’s most surprising end to an otherwise normal day.
Willson arrived on the same day. After six months of separation, the couple was looking forward to spending three months with each other.
The row of Apartments at Villas De Las Colinas 3 Apartments located on Buford Hwy is shown above. It could have been the possible source for the shot that struck Katherine Shepard’s Apartment.
A patch of filthy waste ground near dumpsters is covered in graffiti from gang members at Villas De Las Colinas 3 Apartments located on Buford Hwy. This could be another source for the stray bullets.
Willson and her had just awoken at 10:15am. To get pasta and other food, they had to walk to Kroger.
Willson had been suffering from caffeine withdrawal since he and Shepard decided to eliminate it altogether.
The couple took a rest that afternoon, and she then made pasta.
Willson was a big Liverpool FC fan. He had planned to see a match with Kar that day.
He never did get to do that, or to fully unpack his belongings; the books he had been given for Christmas and was looking forward to reading, the two-family size packs of British brand Walkers, Cheese & Onion chips, that he had brought to give to a fellow Brit and former Georgia State University colleague.
Willson earned his doctorate at Georgia State University where he was also introduced to Shepard.
Shepard today is not planning for Willson’s three-month stay, but instead she sees a future with him.
Kate Easingwood (28), his sister flew to Sweden from her Swedish home last week to be at her brother’s bed in hospital. Shepard is now her supporter in this time of grief.
Willson was an organ donor. Shepard finds some comfort knowing that the wishes of Willson, whom she remembers as “smart” and “wonderful,” were fulfilled in his passing.
Shepard had just moved in with Kar to the Park on Clairmont compound six months earlier because it seemed safe, she and Kar told DailyMail.com
The Villas De Las Colinas 3 Apartments are located near the Park on Clairmont Apartments.
He will be cremated in America and Shepard, his representative in Chertsey (Surrey), will bring him home.
Kar, Shepard and their roommate Kar were not able to live in the apartments that had been the site of the terror.
Kar recalls how he was able to clean up the bloodied bed after the police left the area. For Shepard’s safety, he put it all in trash bags and tried to wipe out any evidence.
However, both of them are traumatized and cannot forget what happened.
Shepard and Kar moved in to this apartment six months ago. They chose it because they felt that the area was safe. Their two-bedroom apartment cost $1,390 to $2,045 per month.
Shepard originally hails from California but now plans to visit her family in California. Shepard will be taking a break from her studies, but she’ll continue them remotely as soon as she is able.
Kar is also taking a vacation and will be returning to India with his family for a time.
Police are appealing to anyone who might have witnessed or heard any information that would help them find Willson’s gunman.
Shepard stated that none of it ‘feels real’. She replied, “Because we’ve been long distance so many times it just feels like him’s home.”
“It doesn’t feel like that he’s gone. He just doesn’t feel here. I will send him a message today to say, “Hey. I miss you.’