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Left: Nicholas Michael Mimms (Cherokee County Sheriff”s Office). Right: Eduardo “Eddie” Gilberto Figueroa (Scott Huskins Funeral Home).
A Georgia man, aged 37, faces decades behind bars following his conviction for the fatal shooting of his wife’s former fiancé during an intended supervised child visitation. This tragic event has culminated in a significant sentence, shedding light on a deeply unsettling scenario.
Nicholas Michael Mimms has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 31-year-old Eduardo “Eddie” Gilberto Figueroa. This decision follows Mimms’ conviction in February on counts of felony murder, aggravated assault, and firearms possession. However, the jury did acquit him of malice murder, as outlined by the Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office.
The case reveals that Mimms’ wife shared a child with Figueroa, who had recently secured parental rights. On the day of the incident, Mimms was meant to oversee Figueroa’s inaugural court-sanctioned visitation with his child. The circumstances surrounding this encounter were starkly contrasting.
Figueroa arrived with the intent to connect, bringing a stuffed toy, diapers, and snacks for his child. In a chilling contrast, Mimms was prepared with body armor and a firearm. Assistant District Attorney Megan S. Hertel, who led the prosecution, highlighted this disparity in a poignant statement.
“These were two men with very different plans about how this day should go,” Hertel remarked. “Eduardo Figueroa arrived with love, excitement, and gifts for the son he was going to meet for the very first time. The defendant brought a bulletproof vest and a loaded gun. This was a tragedy, and it should never have happened.”
Figueroa’s family members spoke about the excitement he had for meeting his son for the first time.
“The heartbreak this family has endured is unimaginable. On a day that should have been filled with smiles and laughter, a young father was senselessly gunned down,” said District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway. “This sentence ensures the defendant is held accountable for taking a father from his child and forever altering the lives of those left behind.”
As Law&Crime previously reported, cops responded around noon on Aug. 7, 2021, to the home on Mohawk Trail in the Acworth area of Cherokee County. When they arrived, they found Figueroa dead outside the home on a deck with multiple gunshot wounds.
Mimms claimed self-defense, saying Figueroa was “dangerous” and had “threatened him,” prosecutors say. But Figueroa did not have a gun and posed no threat to Mimms, prosecutors said. The convicted murderer was “waiting outside of the home for Figueroa to arrive,” per prosecutors.
The child and mother were not present. Once Figueroa saw the child was not there, he began to walk away, but the defendant “called him back to talk.” That’s when Mimms shot Figueroa four times in the side, back and arm.
Jurors convicted Mimms after about eight hours of deliberation following the three-week trial.
According to his obituary, Figueroa was a U.S. Army veteran and was attending Kennesaw State University, where he was a student in the Computer Science and Engineering Department with hopes of becoming a video game developer.
“I felt fortunate to be the mother of such a kind, beautiful human being and amazing father,” his mother wrote. “His laughter was contagious, and he was funny, smart, and a great friend. I will miss everything about him — our calls, the I love you’s, and everything in between.”