Man charged with fatally shooting ex-girlfriend, leaving her in Lakeville parking lot

A 32-year-old man was charged Thursday with fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend and leaving her body in a Lakeville parking lot.

Atravius J. Weeks of Richfield was charged in Dakota County District Court with second-degree intentional murder in connection with the shooting either late Monday or early Tuesday.

Weeks appeared in court and remains jailed in lieu of $2 million bail. Court records do not list an attorney for him.

The criminal complaint identified the woman as Cortney G. Henry, 29, of St. Paul. Henry was shot multiple times, the complaint read.

Court records in Minnesota show that Weeks has two convictions for first-degree robbery and third-degree assault.

According to the complaint:

A woman who was not Henry called 911 about 1:15 a.m. Tuesday to say Weeks was pounding on the walls outside her apartment building in Belle Plaine, a violation of a court order for protection. She said he was outside with a gun, and she feared for her life. She added that Weeks messaged her saying he shot himself.

A trail of blood led police to the apartment's back entry, where there was evidence that Weeks had attempted to force his way inside before he fled. The complaint does not say where or when Weeks encountered Henry.

Officers reached Weeks by phone, and he agreed to return to the apartment parking lot, where he dropped a handgun and complied with commands.

Weeks allegedly told police, "I just killed my best friend." He admitted to killing Henry about an hour earlier and told police her body was in a Lake­ville day-care parking lot. Police then recovered Henry's body with nine shell casings nearby.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482