Lakeville man charged with murdering ex-girlfriend days after they broke up

Jun. 25—A Lakeville man killed an ex-girlfriend and then tried to get into another woman's apartment complex before he was arrested early Tuesday, according to murder charges filed Thursday in Dakota County District Court.

Atravius Joseph Weeks, 32, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Cortney Henry, 29. He made his first court appearance Thursday and is being held in the Dakota County jail in lieu of $2 million bail.

Police found Henry's body around 2:40 a.m. Tuesday in the New Horizon Academy parking lot near 203rd Street and Icefall Trail in Lakeville. She had been shot seven times in the leg, stomach and neck, according to the criminal complaint.

Police first got involved around 1:15 a.m., 30 miles away in Belle Plaine, where another ex-girlfriend called 911 because Weeks was pounding on the walls outside her apartment building. The caller said Weeks had a gun and she believed she would die if Weeks was able to gain entry. During the 911 call, she said she received a message indicating Weeks had shot himself.

Responding officers found Weeks' silver Audi in the building's parking lot. They found blood in the car and a 9mm casing on the front passenger seat.

Officers spoke to Weeks by phone and he agreed to return to the parking lot. Investigators found him a block away with injuries to his forehead. Weeks was carrying a Glock 9mm handgun but was arrested without incident, police said.

Officers were treating Weeks's wound and waiting for medics to arrive when he said, "I just killed my best friend," according to the complaint.

Weeks told officers he had shot Henry about an hour earlier outside the Lakeville day care.

The woman who called 911 said Weeks told her on June 16 that he and Henry had broken up.

Weeks was treated at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis for a self-inflicted gunshot wound and then taken into custody.

Court records show Weeks has a history of trespassing, aggravated robbery, driving while intoxicated and threats of violence.

Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena in a news release encouraged Dakota County victims of domestic abuse to contact 360 Communities for help at 952-985-5300 or 360communities.org.