Who were the suspects in Nikki Silas and Brittany Rojas' double murders? Details explored ahead of New York Homicide

On December 19, 1992, at around nine in the morning, friends and coworkers Nikki Silas and Brittany Rojas were found strangled in their apartment. DNA evidence at the scene of the crime and phone records of the pair led the police to later arrest the suspects Kevin Ladson and Antoine Atterbury, who were sentenced to 40 years and 21 years in prison, respectively.

The ten-year difference between the suspects' sentences was because Kevin Ladson had not only perpetrated the killings, he had also s*xully assaulted Nikki Silas. Antoine Atterbury, however, was convicted of robbery and for not reporting Ladson's crimes to the police.

The upcoming episode of New York Homicide, titled "Shattered Dreams," will revisit the horrific case and will provide further insight into the events that led up to the eventual murders of both Nikki Silas and Brittany Rojas. The official synopsis of the episode, as per IMDb, reads:

"Two young women come to New York with big city dreams, but a chance encounter triggers a sequence of events that shatters those dreams forever; detectives must piece together a series of puzzling clues to bring the killers to justice."

The episode premieres on July 29, 2023, at 10 pm ET, exclusively on Oxygen.

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Kevin Ladson continues to serve his sentence in Nikki Silas and Brittany Rojas' murders

Nikki Silas (Image via Oxygen)

According to the New York Daily News, Brittany Rojas' body was discovered in a bathtub with a ligature strung around her neck. The lead investigators on the case also observed that the toilet had been moved from its normal position and sink items had been spilled on the floor. They, therefore, concluded that there had been a "major struggle" in the flooded bathroom.

Nikki Silas' body, however, had been found on a bed just down the hall. She had also been strangled, and there was evidence to suggest that she'd also been s*xually assaulted due to the DNA evidence sample that had been taken from her during the post-mortem of her body.

This DNA evidence would later prove to be extremely helpful in the case as the police were able to track down murderer Kevin Ladson through it. In addition, both Rojas and Silas' phone records pointed toward the fact that Ladson had been present at their apartment the night of their murders. Even though Kevin Ladson denied his involvement in the crime, his lies were soon exposed, when a resident at the apartment confirmed seeing him at the apartment the night the murder was committed.

It wasn't long before Ladson confessed to the murder and assault charges and revealed Antoine Atterbury's involvement in the crime. Upon further investigation and interrogation of the suspects, the police got to know that both Ladson and Atterbury had met Nikki Silas and Brittany Rojas on the night of their murder under the pretense of hosting a double date. However, when the women rejected the pair's s*xual advances, it was then that Ladson decided to murder them.

According to the New York Daily News, the police were never able to convict Atterbury of the murder since they did not have enough evidence. Instead, Atterbury was convicted of robbery from Silas and Rojas' apartment and for not reporting their murders to the police, therefore shielding Ladson.

Kevin Ladson was later sentenced to 40 years in prison by the jury. He continues to serve his sentence and will be eligible for parole in the year 2033. Antoine Atterbury, however, was convicted of 21 years in prison. He is reported to have passed away in 2003 due to complications from diabetes.

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New York Homicide's new episode "Shattered Dreams" premieres on July 29, 2023, at 10 pm ET, exclusively on Oxygen.