Crime & Public Safety
Crime & Public Safety

14-year-old Decatur girl was stabbed by uncle, police say

Royce Stewart is wanted in the deaths of 14-year-old Shykia Ward and another person, Decatur police said. (Credit: Channel 2 Action News)
Royce Stewart is wanted in the deaths of 14-year-old Shykia Ward and another person, Decatur police said. (Credit: Channel 2 Action News)
By
March 27, 2018

The man accused of stabbing to death a 14-year-old in her Decatur apartment was the girl’s uncle, police said Tuesday.

Shykia Ward-Reese, who attended Renfroe Middle School, and her mother’s boyfriend, Manuel De Jesus Franco, were both killed Sunday morning, according to police. Franco was 35.

On Monday, investigators located the suspect, Royce Alex Stewart, and the car he allegedly stole from the Trinity Walk apartments after the stabbings. He was found in southeast DeKalb County.

The shooting happened early Tuesday morning.

Stewart and the slain teenager’s mother are siblings, police said Tuesday.

Investigators have not released details about a possible motive.

Read more on this story on myajc.com.

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