Fiancé arrested after body of missing teen found in DeKalb County woods

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The body of a 19-year-old woman who was missing for seven days was found Tuesday night in a wooded area of DeKalb County.

Te'a Choates appeared to be strangled to death, DeKalb County police confirmed to AJC.com. Her mother, Ebony King, took to social media on Monday to ask for help to find the teen after she disappeared from the Lithonia area on Aug. 6.

In a widely-shared Facebook post, Choates said the last person to see her daughter was Choates' fiancé, Aldeyshaun Locklear. The 18-year-old was arrested Wednesday on charges of felony murder, aggravated assault related to strangulation and concealing a death.

Locklear is being held in the DeKalb County Jail without bond.

The DeKalb County Medical Examiner's office has not yet determined Choates' cause of death.

Channel 2 Action News spoke to her mother and stepfather about her life.

"She was really excited, and we were moving and she wanted to stay here and she wanted a family and from everything in the world she just wanted a family," said Choates' mother, Ebony King.

Choates's death comes days after authorities issued a call for victims of domestic violence to seek help. The county was promoting its resources for victims after a recent case of alleged abuse ended in death.

Police have accused Otis Walker, 27, of shooting and killing his 27-year-old girlfriend, Aleka Simmons, before opening fire on officers at his Stonecrest home earlier this month. A police officer was wounded in the exchange.

Simmons' death was the eighth homicide related to domestic violence in DeKalb County this year, according DeKalb County police assistant Chief Antonio Catlin.

In a statement, interim police Chief Joseph Lumpkin said victims are not alone, and there is a way out of abusive relationships. Police have dedicated a special victims unit to address domestic violence, he said.

Other local agencies are available to help victims, including the Women's Resource Center, International Women's House, Men Stopping Violence, Tapestri and Victim Information and Notification Everyday.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution contributed to this report.

Cox Media Group