The man accused of fatally stabbing his pregnant girlfriend in the apartment they shared in Bedford was extradited to North Texas Wednesday.
Bedford police transported Robert Atlas, 26, back to North Texas Wednesday night following his arrest Tuesday in Shreveport, La.
Atlas is charged with capital murder for the death of his pregnant girlfriend, 27-year-old Tracy Anderson, and the murder of their unborn child. Anderson, who was 8 months pregnant according to family members, was found stabbed to death Sunday in the Bedford apartment she and Atlas shared.
An arrest warrant affidavit from the Bedford Police Department stated that Atlas is believed to have forced his way through the apartment's locked front door before stabbing Anderson to death.
In the affidavit, police detailed the multiple stab wounds inflicted upon both Anderson and her unborn child. Police said the bathroom door had been ripped off its hinges and that blood was visible on the furniture, on walls and in the bathroom.
Police said it appeared Anderson attempted to crawl to her mobile phone after being attacked and that a large, silver serrated knife was found on the living room floor.
During their investigation, detectives learned from friends and family that the couple had been dating about a year and that they had been stressed over the pregnancy. Atlas' sister, Felicia Atlas, told police Anderson assaulted her brother in February, that he wanted out of the relationship and was living in the apartment to help take care of Anderson and their unborn child.
In a phone conversation with NBC 5 on Wednesday, Felicia Atlas said her brother was a stand-up guy who did anything for the mother of his unborn child. She said the couple's relationship was violent, but that she believed whatever happened in the apartment was an act of self-defense.
Detectives also learned that on the evening on March 21, Atlas and a friend, named in the affidavit as Tyriece Tolliver, went to a bar. According to Tolliver's account, Anderson showed up at the bar at about 1 a.m. and confronted Atlas. He said he didn't hear what they were talking about but said Anderson appeared angry. At about 2 a.m. Atlas drove Tolliver home. He said Atlas was to pick him up later in the day to go to the library, but that he hasn't heard from him since.
In the affidavit, police said that Atlas "has told friends in the past that if Tracy were to lock him out of their apartment one more time, Robert intended to kick the door in." Detectives at the apartment noted that both the deadbolt and inner deadbolt appeared to be locked before the door was forced open.
Bedford police told NBC 5 they had four officers in Shreveport Wednesday morning handling the Atlas case. Two of those four are crime scene investigators who are processing evidence that may have been in Atlas' car while the other two are homicide detectives who were to transport Atlas back to Texas.
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Police said Atlas was arrested in January 2011 on a charge of Assault Family Violence — Impeding Airway. Atlas is currently being held on $250,000 bond.
NBC 5's Ray Villeda contributed to this report.
