🚨 A 66-year-old grandmother was sitting alone on an Atlanta MARTA train looking at her phone when police say a stranger walked up, pulled out a knife, SLASHED HER THROAT and st*bbed her nearly 20 more times in a completely unprovoked attack.
Margaret Swan was riding a northbound train from Lakewood toward Oakland City on May 30 when surveillance video captured John Elijah Matthews, 25, approaching her near the train door.
Investigators say there was no argument, confrontation or interaction between them beforehand.
Within roughly 30 seconds of walking up to Swan, police say Matthews pulled a folding knife from his pocket, cut her throat and repeatedly st*bbed her in the chest and neck as she screamed and tried to get away.
Other passengers fled the train car and called for help.
Police say Matthews eventually threw Swan to the floor and stood over her until the train reached Oakland City Station. He then stepped off the train and sat down on the platform.
MARTA officers arrested him there moments later. Investigators say he had a blo*dy knife and blo*d on his clothing.
First responders rushed onto the train and tried to save Swan, but she was pronounced de*d at the scene.
MARTA Police Chief Scott Kreher described the k*lling as a random act of violence.
Matthews now faces a state m*rder charge as well as a federal charge of committing an act of violence causing death on a mass transportation system. Federal prosecutors say that charge carries the possibility of life in prison or the de*th penalty.
Swan was a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who regularly used MARTA.
She was simply riding the train when police say a stranger targeted her without warning.
#Atlanta #MARTA