Bartow County

Georgia man sold fentanyl to woman before dismembering her body, hiding it in landfill

BARTOW COUNTY, Ga. — A Cartersville man was convicted Friday of selling drugs to a a West Virginia woman whose body was found dismembered in a Bartow County landfill two years ago.

Terrick Robinson, 35, was found guilty of several felonies after he sold Courtney Nicole Dubois drugs laced with fentanyl in August 2018 and attempted to hide her overdose, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia said in a news release. Dubois’ remains were discovered in a Cartersville recycling plant.

Dubois, 20, had been reported missing from Fairmont, West Virginia, before her body’s discovery, AJC.com previously reported. Bartow deputies found her body in numerous pieces in individual bags.

Soon after, a sketch of the woman was released in hopes of identifying her. GBI agents were able to identify her remains using dental records and her distinctive tattoos.

Since her remains were identified, authorities have made four arrests in connection with her death, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Two other defendants — William Gregory Chappell, 33, and Joel Jimenez, 37, both of Cartersville — previously pleaded guilty.

Chappell pleaded guilty to counts of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime in February 2019. Jimenez pleaded guilty to a count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute controlled substances in October.

They are still awaiting sentencing and face up to 20 years in prison.

Both men, along with Robinson, were part of a drug trafficking operation that ran to West Virginia from Georgia, the release said. Robinson was accused of distributing more than 4½ kilograms of meth (about 10 pounds) in addition to the other drugs between May and September 2018.

Prosecutors also said he took her body to Georgia, where he dismembered and disposed of the remains in the landfill, the release said. After a nine-day trial, Robinson was convicted of the following eight charges:

  • conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances;
  • • distribution of meth;
  • • possession with the intent to distribute meth;
  • • possession with the intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride;
  • • possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl;
  • • use of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime;
  • • use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime;
  • • distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury or death.

His sentencing has not been scheduled, but he faces up to life in prison in addition to tens of millions of dollars worth of fines.

The fourth defendant, Seddrick Damond Banks, 27, of Cartersville, is set to go to trial March 23, the release said.

He is accused of participating in the drug distribution operation in addition to being an accessory after the fact to Dubois’ death.