An elderly grandmother was stabbed to death on an Atlanta train over the weekend in an unprovoked, daytime attack, authorities said.
Arrest warrants indicate that the 66-year-old victim was stabbed 18 to 20 times while aboard a MARTA train Saturday, WXIA-TV reported.
‘There was nothing she wouldn’t do for her family because her family is her everything.’
John Elijah Matthews, the 25-year-old suspect, first cut the throat of victim Margaret Swan just seconds after he walked next to where she was seated on the train nearing the Oakland City MARTA station, WXIA said, citing arrest warrants. Oakland City is an Atlanta neighborhood.
Video from inside the train indicates that the two never communicated, the station said, citing warrants.
Video showed Swan sitting alone aboard the train at 11:21 a.m., WXIA said, adding that just before 11:25 a.m. Matthews is seen walking to the side of the train where Swan was sitting.
Just 19 seconds later, Matthews “is seen walking up to [Swan] and standing just to her right,” the station said, adding that several seconds later he took out a knife, opened it, and cut the victim in the throat.
Warrants say Swan was screaming and trying to get up from her seat as Matthews held her and stabbed her, WXIA reported.
Matthews was then seen on video “throwing [Swan] to the floor and standing near her until the train arrived at the Oakland City Station” less than two minutes later, WXIA added.
Warrants indicate that when the train arrived at Oakland City, Matthews exited the train with the knife still in hand as officers rushed to the scene, the station reported.
Warrants add that officers tried unsuccessful lifesaving measures on Swan, WXIA reported.
The station noted in a news video that Matthews was arrested “almost immediately” after the attack and that he waived his Monday hearing.
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Matthews does not have an address or phone number, the station said, citing warrants, and he “did not want to continue speaking with detectives” at the College Park MARTA Police Precinct.
WXIA said searches of metro Atlanta court and jail records did not immediately indicate clearly whether Matthews has a prior criminal history in the area.
The station added that Matthews is charged with murder in Saturday’s killing.
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“My mom was the rock of her family,” Swan’s daughter, Shanae Sams, told WXIA. “There was nothing she wouldn’t do for her family because her family is her everything.”
Sams added to the station that her mother’s killer “didn’t just take away a mom, but my children’s grandmother was taken away.”
Swan had five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, WXIA reported, adding that her daughter said she used the train frequently.
A MARTA spokesperson told the station that “this appears to be a senseless act of violence, and our thoughts are with the victim’s loved ones and those who witnessed this horrific incident.”
The agency added to WXIA that “we understand the concern and fear incidents like this can cause for those who ride and work on the MARTA system. MARTA Police are actively investigating and remain committed to the safety and security of our riders and employees.”
The station’s news video added that with the FIFA World Cup soccer matches coming to Atlanta this month, concern for safety aboard MARTA trains has increased.
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