Cobb County Jury Convicts Man in Murder-for-Hire and Armed Robbery Case

A Cobb County jury has convicted Samuel Etuk, 38, of criminal solicitation to commit murder and influencing a witness in connection to an armed robbery and a murder-for-hire plot, District Attorney Sonya F. Allen announced.

The case stemmed from a January 30, 2021 incident when Mylea King called 911 to report an armed robbery at her Cobb County apartment. King, who operated an at-home nail business, had been contacted on Instagram by a man using the alias “Darren Herring” to schedule a manicure. During the appointment, “Herring” briefly left and returned with three masked men who forced their way inside.

The intruders assaulted King, bound her with tape, and used a lamp cord and bedsheet to restrain her before stealing her laptop, debit card, passport, and firearm. Police identified two of the suspects as Michael Hansell and Samuel Etuk. King stated she had previously met Etuk through a mutual acquaintance, and investigators later recovered digital messages on Etuk’s phone coordinating the crime.

Etuk and Hansell were arrested on March 8, 2021. While in custody, Etuk solicited an inmate with Aryan Brotherhood ties to have King killed, offering $10,000 for the hit, according to police. MCS Narcotics agents uncovered the plot after the inmate reported it, leading investigators to stage an undercover operation with an agent posing as a hitman. A search of Etuk’s jail cell uncovered notes detailing the planned murder-for-hire.

During the trial, Superior Court Judge Henry R. Thompson issued directed verdicts on the armed robbery and aggravated assault charges. After 10 hours of deliberation over multiple days, the jury found Etuk guilty of criminal solicitation to commit murder and influencing a witness. Judge Thompson sentenced Etuk to 10 years in prison, to be served consecutively.

“This guilty verdict shows our commitment to holding people accountable for violent crimes,” said District Attorney Sonya F. Allen. “I’m proud of the hard work of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners in securing justice for the victim in this case.”

Co-defendant Michael Hansell pled guilty on November 13, 2023, and was sentenced to 20 years, with 15 years to be served in prison.

The Cobb County District Attorney’s Office credited the Cobb County Police Department and MCS Narcotics agents for their investigative work in the case.