Daughter and abusive boyfriend planned Clayton mom's killing, officials say

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By Christian Boone

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The man accused of killing a Jonesboro grandmother was previously arrested for beating up the woman's daughter -- his alleged accomplice in Alena Marble's slaying.

Clayton County Police Department Latoris Grovner, 20, was charged with murder.

Clayton County Police Department Kajul Harvey, 21, daughter of victim Alena Marble, was charged with murder.

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Marble's body was found Saturday around noon in a car parked not far from her Mount Zion Road townhouse. A resident at the Woods of Southlake apartments noticed blood dripping from the trunk and alerted maintenance worker Miguel Hernandez, who called police.

Latoris Grovner, 20, and the victim's daughter, 21-year-old Kajul Harvey, were arrested Sunday and charged with murder, aggravated assault and tampering with evidence. Clayton County police say Grovner confessed to beating Marble in her home Friday night, wrapping her in a blanket and putting her in the trunk while she was still alive.

Mary Smith, a neighbor of Marble's, said her friend feared her daughter and Grovner.

"[Marble and Harvey] fought a lot," said Smith, 48. Other neighbors, who declined to be identified, confirmed the mother and daughter who shared the Jonesboro townhouse had a combative relationship. Grovner, meanwhile, was "very violent," Marble told Smith, once breaking Harvey's arm.

Grovner was sentenced to four years probation on the July 2009 battery charge. Court documents reveal he was arrested for violating a temporary protective order to stay away from Harvey in March 2010.

Despite their stormy history, the two reunited after his release. Soon after, it was alleged during the pair's first court hearing Monday morning, Grovner hatched the plan to kill Marble. Clayton police spokeswoman Tina Daniel said Sunday that Harvey was "involved in the entire incident" but declined to elaborate.

Marble, sensing her life was in danger, "wanted to go home to Texas," Smith said. The physically slight 59-year-old, who suffered from heart trouble, according to her friend, moved to metro Atlanta from San Antonio in 2003.

Smith described Marble as "not approachable" but "friendly once you got to know her." She helped raise Harvey's two young children and also cared for an adult daughter who is learning disabled.

Marble's grandchildren were home Friday night but it's unclear whether they witnessed the fatal beating. Saturday afternoon, as police descended upon the murder scene, Smith said she overheard the oldest, a 4-year-old girl, ask, "Where's my grandmother?"

"She's a smart girl," Smith said. "You could tell she knew something was wrong."

An autopsy was performed to determine whether Marble died from injuries sustained in the beating or from being left in the car trunk overnight. The AJC is awaiting word from Clayton police on the results.

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