Day 1: Neighborhood Double Murder | Matthew Lanz Trial [NO BREAKS EDITION]

Day 1 of the Matthew Lanz double murder bench trial begins with opening statements, emotional family testimony, and detailed crime scene evidence as prosecutors lay out a chilling timeline of the night Justin and Amber Hicks were killed. This special “no breaks” edition removes all recesses, pauses, and sidebars for a continuous, uninterrupted viewing experience.

Trial Timestamps:
00:00:00 GA v. Matthew Lanz — Day 1 Begins
00:01:40 State’s Opening Statement — Prosecutor Jared Horowitz
00:31:57 Defense Opening Statement - Jimmy Berry
00:33:17 Testimony — Timothy Hicks (Victim’s Father)
01:15:21 Testimony — Ofc. Matthew Brown (First Responding Officer)
01:41:53 Testimony — Sgt. Mark Gasque (Crime Scene Supervisor)
03:25:27 Testimony — Cobb County Police Detective (Search of Lanz Home)
04:00:42 Testimony — Dr. Zuhha Ashraf (Medical Examiner)

About the Case:
Matthew Lanz is charged with murdering Justin and Amber Hicks inside their Cobb County home on November 17, 2021. Prosecutors say Lanz broke in through a shattered sunroom window, shot the couple multiple times, and left their 2-year-old son alone in the home overnight. The child was later found covered in blood, cold, and clutching his father’s glasses.

Two days later, Lanz was arrested after allegedly breaking into another home and stabbing a police officer. His case was delayed for years due to mental competency concerns, but following a recent evaluation, he has been ruled competent to stand trial. Lanz opted for a bench trial, meaning the judge will decide the verdict.

Day 1 in Court:
• State’s Opening Statement — Jared Horowitz Prosecutors walked the court through a precise timeline: The Hicks family bought their home on September 5, 2021. 73 days later, both parents were murdered inside it. Surveillance video shows Lanz returning to his parents’ home — which shares a property line with the victims — at 7:09 p.m. Between 9:31–9:55 p.m., he is seen repeatedly walking the Hicks’ property. At 10:10 p.m., he leaves. Lanz’s phone was in airplane mode from 10:16 p.m.–12:43 a.m.
• Ballistics matched 9mm casings at the scene to Lanz’s ZEV OZ pistol, which his father found in his possession the next afternoon.
• The State described the next morning’s discovery: the Hicks’ toddler was found covered in blood, wet, cold, in a heavily soiled diaper, and trying to cuddle with his deceased parents. Prosecutors also noted Lanz’s violent arrest two days later, where he allegedly stabbed a responding officer.
• Testimony — Timothy Hicks (Victim’s Father): Timothy testified that he and his wife rushed to the home after Amber failed to show up for work. Seeing the broken window, he immediately knew something was wrong. The court heard the 911 call.
• Testimony — Ofc. Matthew Brown (First Responding Officer): Officer Brown said he arrived at 9:43 a.m. and found: Glass scattered near the broken sunroom entry point. A barking dog. The toddler peering out from behind a corner. Amber deceased on the couch. Justin on the floor with a toy resting on his leg. Jacob, the child, was covered in blood, unresponsive, and wearing a heavily soiled diaper. All doors were locked — only the smashed window showed forced entry.
• Testimony — Sgt. Mark Gasque (Crime Scene Supervisor): Sgt. Gasque detailed the extensive processing of the home: Amber found on the couch; Justin on the floor. Shell casings near a trampoline and dog bed. Fresh friction marks and baseboard damage. Justin’s phone placed on a baby gate. Toys moved into the living room where bodies were found. Christmas tree lit in the playroom, near the broken window. The crime scene was processed until after midnight.
• Testimony — Cobb County Detective: A search warrant was executed at the Lanz family home. Parents Scott and Theresa were cooperative. Scott admitted he took a gun from Matthew and placed it in his jacket. Police recovered the ZEV OZ 9mm pistol. A gun safe held additional firearms, knives, and a suppressor. No SIG Sauer 9mm ammunition was found at the home
• Testimony — Dr. Zuhha Ashraf (Medical Examiner): Dr. Ashraf reviewed the autopsies: Justin Hicks had gunshot wounds to the head, upper arm, and abdomen. The head wound was immediately fatal. Amber Hicks had gunshot wounds to the face/cheek (lethal), forearm, and thigh. Large abdominal abrasion. A forearm wound likely occurred first. The lethal shot damaged the carotid artery and spinal cord. A total of five to six gunshot wounds were identified across both victims.

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