She was only in the 8th grade, but Shykia Ward-Reese was busy. She played in the band, ran track and was a cheerleader at Decatur’s Renfroe Middle School, where she was a hard-working student and loved by her classmates.
On Sunday, she became a homicide victim, stabbed to death inside her family’s apartment, allegedly by her uncle. The 14-year-old’s death left her community shocked and heartbroken.
“Shykia had a very promising future in front of her cut short by an act of senseless violence,” Gregory Wiseman, Renfroe Middle interim principal, said in a letter to parents.
Shykia and her mother’s boyfriend, Manuel De Jesus Franco, were found stabbed to death Sunday morning at the Trinity Walk Apartments, according to Decatur police. Franco was 35. Both Shykia and Franco died from multiple stab wounds, according to the DeKalb Medical Examiner’s Office.
Investigators identified the suspect as Royce Alex Stewart, 36, the brother of Shykia’s mother, Kimberly Ward. Stewart, who has an extensive criminal history, allegedly stole his sister’s Ford Mustang and left the complex after the stabbings.
On Monday the car was found abandoned. Stewart was taken into custody hours later, after he was found near a southeast DeKalb neighborhood, according to police. Police offered no information on a possible motive.
Stewart previously served twice in state prison following convictions for involuntary manslaughter and theft by taking, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections. He served from June 2004 until March 2008 and again from December 2014 until June the following year, records showed.
Grief counselors were brought into Renfroe Middle on Monday to support students and staff members, Wiseman said. The counselors were expected to remain at the school as needed during the week, he said.
Community members quickly organized a vigil and fundraiser to assist Shykia’s family. By Tuesday afternoon, a Go Fund Me page had raised more than $17,000 to help with funeral costs.
“Shykia was a joy to all who met her,” Mistie Hill, who created the fundraising page, posted online. “We are asking that you help us lay her to rest properly.”
Decatur police thanked the community for its support during the investigation, including those who called with tips during the search for Stewart.
“Over the past couple of days we have received a huge amount of support and thanks from all of our community members,” Sgt. John Bender posted in an online statement. “Cases like the one we just worked are extremely draining on us as a department.”
Tuesday evening, the Beacon Hill NAACP chapter planned to host a candlelight vigil to honor Shykia at Beacon Municipal Center courtyard in downtown Decatur. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced for Shykia, who is survived by her mother and 7-year-old sister.
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