Nikki Orvin, 28, was shot twice at close range in her car on January 18, 2008, after being chased by her ex-husband, Damon Bamberg, and his mother, Sonya Bamberg. From the back seat of the pursuing car, Nikki's two small sons watched in horror as the scene unfolded. The murder was the result of intense family tensions that turned into planned violence, a sour divorce, and custody battles.Mother, May I Murder? season 2 episode 4 recounts the tale. The episode, titled Whatever Mother Wants was released on November 11, 2025, on Investigation Discovery. It is available for streaming on sites such as Max, Discovery+, Hulu, and Prime Video.Mother, May I Murder?: The troubled marriage of Nikki Orvin and rising tensionsNikki Orvin and Damon filed for divorce in 2007 (Image via Unsplash/ @ Romain Dancre)Early in the new millennium, Nikki Orvin and Damon Bamberg got married. By 2008, the couple had two sons, aged three and five, and had made Montgomery County, Georgia, their new home. Arguments and money troubles soon caused tension in their family life. According to witnesses, Damon was domineering and had physically abused Nikki Orvin and his first wife, as per the BAMBERG v. STATE (2020) case file, Supreme Court of Georgia.The marriage was further strained by Damon's mother, Sonya Bamberg, who lived with them and frequently supported her son. Citing irreconcilable differences, Nikki filed for divorce in late 2007. The court granted her primary custody of their children, and Damon was granted supervised visits. Sonya, who considered the grandchildren to be the center of her life, was particularly resentful of this choice.In one instance, Sonya declared to a family friend in front of Damon that she would "see [Nikki] dead before I let you have those boys," as cited in the court documents. At this point, Damon was there but kept quiet when Sonya asked the same friend to kill Nikki for $25,000.Adding to the strain, Damon purchased a $50,000 life insurance policy on Nikki Orvin in 2007, naming Sonya as the beneficiary, along with an extra $150,000 for accidental death, according to the case file.A calendar in their home marked January 18, 2008, the murder date, with "hell begins" and a sad face. Nikki shared her fears with family and friends, but local police viewed the threats as typical family disputes. The divorce was finalized on January 14, 2008, just four days before the fatal event.Also read: Diane Staudte case on Mother, May I Murder? season 2 - A detailed case overviewThe night of the murderDamon chased Nikki Orvin in the car and shot her (Image via Unsplash/ @ Lara Markovinovic)On the evening of January 18, 2008, Nikki Orvin dropped off her sons for Damon's planned visitation at a convenience store parking lot in Uvalda, Montgomery County. Damon and Sonya were captured on surveillance footage after they arrived in their 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle, as noted in the BAMBERG v. STATE (2020) case file.The boys were seemingly inside the Bambergs’ car. At 6:01 pm local time, Nikki departed, and two minutes later, the Bambergs did too. Damon started to follow Nikki Orvin at 80 to 90 mph as she traveled north on Highway 221 toward Jeff Davis County.Nikki called her father from her phone at approximately 6:05 pm local time, claiming that her rear window had "cracked" and that she believed gunfire had been heard. There was a thump as the call ended abruptly.Damon, armed with a stolen Hi-Point .45 ACP pistol, fired several rounds at Nikki's vehicle, breaking the rear window. She swerved and stopped near a natural gas substation, four-tenths of a mile ahead. As she tried to exit the car, Damon approached on foot and shot her twice in the head and neck at close range. She died instantly, according to the case file.A passing driver spotted the Chevelle speeding away, with two adults in front. Shell casings and bullet pieces at the scene matched the .45 caliber gun.Also read: Kevin Boyd Sr.'s heartbreaking death and family betrayal - A detailed case overviewInvestigation and evidenceNikki Orvin was shot twice (Image via Unsplash/ @ Markus Winkler)Nikki's body was found slumped in her car by a passerby around 6:30 pm local time on January 18, 2008. Her work name tag helped identify her quickly. Jeff Davis County authorities secured the site, noting signs of a deliberate attack: multiple shots from behind, followed by execution-style wounds. No signs pointed to a random act.Investigators reviewed store video and phone records to confirm the timeline. The motorist's description matched the Chevelle. Damon's brother reported his Hi-Point pistol missing from his truck days earlier. While in jail on unrelated charges, Damon confessed to inmates: to one, "Mama said it’s elimination time"; to another, details of the chase and shots, claiming Nikki Orvin assaulted him first, according to the court documents.Sonya tried to cover tracks by asking a jail trustee to hide the gun, casings, and magazines from her property and plant them to frame someone else. Police recovered matching .45 parts in a chicken pen behind her home.On February 12, 2008, a grand jury indicted Damon and Sonya on malice murder, felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, firearm possession during a crime, property damage, and child cruelty.The insurance policy and Sonya's solicitation emerged as key motives. Cell data placed the Chevelle near the scene. By mid-2008, arrests followed, with the sons placed in Nikki Orvin's family's care. The probe revealed a web of family pressure and planning, leading to solid circumstantial and direct evidence.Also read: 5 chilling details about the frozen horror of Cynthia Mudd’s murderTrial, convictions, and lasting impact View this post on Instagram Instagram PostThe trial took place from August 31 to September 3, 2009, in the Jeff Davis County Superior Court. Prosecutors presented witnesses' accounts of abuse, Sonya's threats, and confessions. The defense claimed road rage by an unknown party and challenged the evidence linking it.The jury convicted both on all major counts after short deliberation; child cruelty charges were dropped by directed verdict, as per the BAMBERG v. STATE (2020) case file.The judge merged some assault counts into murder and vacated felony murder, sentencing each to life for murder plus 30 consecutive years for other charges. Neither was eligible for parole. Appeals dragged on, with motions for new trials filed in 2009 and amended through 2018, over issues with transcripts and the admission of evidence.In 2019, they appealed to the Georgia Supreme Court, arguing that there was insufficient evidence and procedural errors. On February 28, 2020, the court unanimously upheld the verdicts, stating that the evidence met the legal standards, according to the court documents.Damon and Sonya remain in prison, their appeals exhausted.Watch Mother, May I Murder? season 2 episode 4 on Investigation Discovery.