MARTA police arrested John Elijah Matthews, 25, on Saturday following the fatal stabbing of Margaret Swan, 66, aboard a Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority train at the Oakland City Station. Chief Scott Kreher said officers apprehended Matthews around noon shortly after the suspect stepped off the rail car.
First responders attempted to resuscitate Swan at the scene, but she died from her injuries. Matthews faces a murder charge for what authorities described as an unprovoked attack on a commuter. He has not yet entered a plea.
MARTA Police Chief Scott Kreher said video recorded inside the train captured the incident. “There’s no evidence at this time to suggest they knew each other — this was merely a random act of violence,” Kreher said.
Kreher told reporters that Swan was stabbed up to 20 times during the assault. The attack occurred while the train was in service, and transit police responded to the station where the suspect exited the rail car.
Matthews waived his initial bond hearing, which had been set for Monday morning. A defense attorney listed in the court documents did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.