A Decatur man is facing a federal charge after prosecutors say he fatally stabbed a 66-year-old woman aboard a Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority train in what authorities describe as an unprovoked attack.
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John Elijah Matthews, 25, has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with committing an act of violence causing death on a mass transportation system in connection with the killing of Margaret Swan on May 30.
According to federal prosecutors, Swan was riding a northbound MARTA train from Lakewood Station to Oakland City Station around 11:25 a.m. when Matthews allegedly attacked her with a folding knife.
Investigators say surveillance video from inside the train shows Matthews standing near Swan, who was seated by the train door and looking at her phone. Authorities allege Matthews pulled a folding knife from his pocket and stabbed Swan approximately 20 times in the chest and neck as she attempted to defend herself.
Passengers on the train ran and called for help. At least one witness told investigators Swan had no interaction with Matthews before the attack.
After the train arrived at Oakland City Station, MARTA police officers arrested Matthews at the scene. Authorities say he was found with a bloody folding knife consistent with the weapon seen on surveillance video and had blood on his clothing.
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First responders attempted lifesaving measures, but Swan was pronounced dead at the scene.
Federal officials described Swan as a beloved great-grandmother whose death has deeply impacted her family and the community.
“Margaret Swan was a beloved great-grandmother who was brutally killed in an unprovoked act of senseless violence,” U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said in a statement. “Atlantans and the many people who will soon visit for the FIFA World Cup deserve to travel free from fear of a violent attack.”
Channel 2 Action News spoke with Swan’s loved ones, who say she was a former Atlanta Public Schools employee.
“Her life was stolen for no reason,” her daughter, Shanae Sams, told Channel 2’s Courtney Francisco. “My mom was on her way home from leaving from my sister’s house.”
“You stabbed her 20 times. You slit her throat. What was the reason? No reason,” said Sams-Swan’s granddaughter, Laquita Wooten. “Nothing will bring her back. I don’t think he got remorse, honestly. He doesn’t care.”
FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham called Swan “an innocent woman simply trying to get to her destination.”
“My hope is these charges will bring justice for her and her family,” Graham said. “Using Atlanta’s train system should be safe and free of violence.”
Matthews remains in the Fulton County Jail and is expected to appear in federal court at a later date.
If convicted, he faces a possible sentence of life imprisonment or the death penalty. Federal officials said the Attorney General of the United States will ultimately determine whether prosecutors seek the death penalty.
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