Two New York men are jailed without bail in South Georgia after events early Saturday that included a 72-year-old woman being killed in her home and a stolen car that was set on fire, the Florida Times-Union reported.

“It was a rapidly unfolding event,” Ware County sheriff Randy Royal said.

Caleb John Brow, 20, of Watertown, N.Y., is facing malice murder, felony murder and other charges in connection with the death of Margaret Steverson, the newspaper reported.

Charges against Robert Lee Taplin, 25, of Adams, N.Y., include first-degree arson and theft by bringing a stolen car into the state, Royal said.

The suspects, who reportedly have criminal records in New York, may have been in Waycross for a week, according to the newspaper report. They may have left New York to avoid supervision by authorities there.

The events began shortly before 2:30 a.m., and both men were in custody just after 6 a.m., officials said.

Ware County is about 250 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.

Read more of the story here.

About the Author

Keep Reading

South Fulton City Councilwoman Helen Zenobia Willis, center, appealed to President Donald Trump to restore funding for Job Corps. She and other advocates spoke to reporters this month next to a stalled construction site for a new Job Corps center southwest of Atlanta near the intersection of Washington Road and Roosevelt Highway.  (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Featured

Bumper to bumper traffic travels northbound on the I-85 just past the I-285 overpass, also known as Spaghetti Junction, in Doraville. In late May and June of this year, several drivers have pulled out weapons and fired guns at other motorists on metro Atlanta roadways. (Jason Getz/AJC 2023)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com