Arrest made in 16-year-old girl's murder

JEFFERSON, Ga. — A 34-year-old man is now accused of killing his 16-year-old girlfriend and her unborn child.

Jackson County deputies have charged Jonathan Michael Smith with the murder of Cheyanne Hair.  Emergency crews were called to their home on Winder Highway in Jefferson Wednesday night.  They rushed Hair to Athens Regional Hospital, but she later died.  An autopsy at the state crime lab revealed Hair had been murdered, though agents cannot comment yet on how they believe she died.  They did confirm Hair was pregnant.

"Cheyanne was pregnant," said the GBI's Mike Ayers. "Not very far along, but under Georgia law, the death at the hands of another person, of an unborn child regardless of their stage of development constitutes the crime of feticide."

Ayers said the two moved to Jefferson from Spalding County about six months ago and have lived in the Winder Highway home.  He could not say if Hair's unborn child belonged to Smith.  Smith has been in the Jackson County Jail since Wednesday on unrelated charges.

Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum credited collaborative police work between her office, the GBI, the Jefferson Police, the County Coroner's office and the District Attorney.

"This will rock our community," said Sheriff Mangum.  "it will rock our community because this is a child.  She was 16.  This will devastate the community. I've been here my whole life.  It's a sad day for us."

WSBTV