Photo: GoFundMe
A suspect has been arrested in connection with Saturday’s fatal stabbing of a 77-year-old grandmother in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood, according to Atlanta police and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.
“Atlanta is a group project,” Dickens added. “When something like this happens, the entire village is impacted and the entire village is called to support. The killing of Ms. Bowles is understandably rocking our community.”
“My heart is aching for [her] family members,” he continued. “[Bowles'] son was just with her at Thanksgiving. She was keeping his two cats and he was returning to see her and to see them. Her life was cut short during that process.”
Antonio Brown.Fulton County Sheriff’s Office
Brown now faces charges of murder, aggravated battery, hijacking a motor vehicle in the first degree, possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of a felony and abuse, neglect or exploitation of a disabled or elderly person.
Bowles' son Michael found her dead inside her home on Dec. 10 when he arrived to visit for the upcoming holidays.
After arriving on the scene, “Officers located a 77-year-old female victim inside the residence who was not alert, conscious, or breathing and had sustained multiple lacerations,” Atlanta police said in a previous statement.
At an earlier press conference, Homicide Commander Lt. Germain Dearlove said the suspect allegedly stabbed Bowles “multiple times” when she interrupted him trying to steal her car. After the attack, Brown allegedly took the car and drove it around the city. The vehicle was later located in Dekalb County.
“This is not the way a family should have to spend their holiday season, mourning and grieving the death of a loved one,” Deputy Police Chief Charles Hampton saidat the press conference.
Lt. Dearlove also said, “The motive appears to be a crime interrupted, a robbery. Ms. Bowles was in possession of a 2021 Lexus and we believe the individual attempted to steal the vehicle. Ms. Bowles may have encountered him [while he was trying to take the car], and she was killed.”
Brown was allegedly seen on a neighbor’s surveillance camera, but his identity was unknown until Monday night.
Person of interest.Atlanta Police Dept
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
Bowles' family and friends havelaunched a GoFundMeto raise money for the Atlanta Humane Society, described as an organization she “loved.”
“Many of you know and loved Ellen,” the GoFundMe says. “She was a kind, precious, funny, loving mother, grandmother, and friend … It is with heartbreaking sadness that we grieve her loss from this world entirely too soon … It is unbelievable that crimes like this continue to happen in Atlanta, and it must stop.”
Bowles' son Michaeldescribed his motheras “the North Star in [his] world,” telling11Alive, “She was a beautiful soul, and she taught me how to approach the world with empathy.”
It’s unclear whether Brown has entered a plea or retained an attorney to comment on his behalf.
source: people.com
