Episode 308 - Blood Brothers - The Murder of Justin and Amber Hicks

In the fall of 2021, a young couple in Cobb County, Georgia thought they’d found their dream home. An upscale subdivision. A quiet street. A perfect place to raise their two year old son.
What they could not have known was that the house came with an unspoken history. A neighbor who had already crossed the line. A fear that had driven the previous owners to leave. And a threat that did not disappear when the “For Sale” sign went up.
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Research & Writing:
Ryan Deininger
Sources:
Life without parole handed down to man convicted of murder of Acworth couple (cobbcountycourier.com/2025/11/life-without-par…)
The Terror of the Lanz Brothers (medium.com/crimebeat/the-terror-of-the-lanz-br…)
Lanz brothers had history of crime at Acworth home before couple's murder, records show (11alive.com/article/news/crime/acworths-couple…)
Man charged in murders after arrested for stabbing officer (apnews.com/article/arrests-georgia-atlanta-55c…)
Before Austin Lanz killed a Pentagon police officer, he was investigated for menacing neighbors (washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/pentago…)
Behavioral Threat Assessment of Austin William Lanz (counterterrorismgroup.com/post/behavioral-thre…)Competency hearing held for man accused of killing firefighter and wife (yahoo.com/news/articles/competency-hearing-hel…)Shooter sentenced for killing metro Atlanta firefighter, his wife (wsbtv.com/news/local/cobb-county/shooter-being…)
Warrant (superiorcourtclerk.cobbcounty.gov/WebCaseManag…)11/19/2025 Transcript (superiorcourtclerk.cobbcounty.gov/WebCaseManag…)
Before Austin Lanz killed a Pentagon officer, he was accused of targeting the couple next door (washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/pentago…)
Couple killed in Acworth home loved each other for most of their lives (11alive.com/article/news/crime/couple-killed-a…)
Community to support Acworth toddler after parents are killed (11alive.com/article/news/local/acworth/couple-…)Fundraiser launched for son of Acworth couple killed in their home (11alive.com/article/news/local/justin-amber-hi…)
Department honors Cherokee County firefighter and his wife who were murdered (fox5atlanta.com/news/honoring-cherokee-co-fire…)
Justin and Amber Hicks lived a life full of love, generosity, and kindness… (facebook.com/kaitlynrossjournalist/posts/justi…)
Man killed couple, left toddler in home who 'tried to cuddle" and 'play' with parents: DA (lawandcrime.com/crime/man-executed-couple-left…)
Defendant Interrogation (youtube.com/watch?v=_BD-vMsJ9tM&list=PLMD8…)Defendant Interrogation Part 2 (youtube.com/watch?v=nIhACpv1e4g&list=PLMD8…)Scott & Theresa Interrogation (youtube.com/watch?v=DHvfL3tIDDY)Court TV Trial Recap (courttv.com/news/ga-v-matthew-lanz-stranger-ho…)Man sentenced to life in slayings of Cherokee firefighter, wife (ajc.com/news/2025/11/man-convicted-of-murderin…)University of Georgia student found guilty of murdering couple inside their home (courthousenews.com/university-of-georgia-stude…)Trial of man accused of killing his neighbors in Cobb County wraps first day (atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/11/17/stream-live-tr…)
Accused killer’s parents tell police their son was seeing a psychiatrist, had ‘demonic side’ (atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/11/18/accused-killer…)