A 77-year-old grandmother was found stabbed to death in her own garage inside a gated community in an Atlanta suburb on Saturday.

Eleanor Bowles was discovered dead by her son around 5:30 p.m. — hours after Antonio Brown, 23, allegedly broke into her Buckhead home and stabbed her in a carjacking gone wrong, officials said.

Police believe Brown broke into Bowles’ garage around 11:30 a.m. and was trying to steal her 2021 Lexus RS350 when she walked in and interrupted the alleged theft.

He allegedly stabbed her multiple times and took off in her car, police said. The vehicle was tracked and recovered by police Saturday night in DeKalb County.

It’s unclear how Brown gained access to the gated neighborhood.

Bowles’ son was coming to visit his mother for the holidays when he arrived at the home on Paces West Terrace on Saturday evening and found her bloody, lifeless body in the garage. Police pronounced her dead at the scene.

“The son came home to visit his mom for the holidays…,” Atlanta Deputy Chief Charles Hampton Jr. said during a press conference. “This is not a way that a family should have to spend their holiday season, mourning and grieving a death of a loved one.”

Brown was arrested Monday and charged with murder, aggravated battery, possession of a knife, elder abuse and hijacking a motor vehicle. He was booked into Fulton County jail.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said someone recognized Brown from the photo of a person of interest publicized by officials and called police, leading to his arrest.

“The killing of Ms. Bowles is understandably rocking our community. My heart aches for these family members,” Dickens said during a press conference announcing Brown’s arrest.

He also announced the arrest of a third suspect in the murders of a 12-year-old and 15-year-old last month.

“I share our community’s outrage and heartbreak,” Dickens said of the recent tragedies. “Let me be very clear to those who want to do harm in our community, who want to perpetrate this crimes — if you pull a gun or pull out a knife in our city to hurt, harm or kill someone, you will be arrested and sent to jail.”

UPDATE:

https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/buckhead-eleanor-bowles-stabbing-suspect-bond-hearing

On the same day as the murder, police identified Brown as a suspect in a liquor store robbery that happened less than half a mile from the deadly stabbing scene.
The alleged robbery happened at a liquor store on Northside Parkway between 11:30 a.m. and noon on Dec. 10. According to the police report, Brown “is known for being a homeless male in the area and always under the influence.”

An employee said they denied Brown a bottle of Absolut Vodka, and “he grab (sic) the bottle and walked out of the location.” The employee said he looked intoxicated when he was in the store. Police saw him on security footage.

Investigators initially said someone killed Bowles between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 10. Security footage from the Paces West neighborhood showed a “person of interest” wearing all-black clothing.

Brown had his first court appearance in December. He’ll be back in court at 9 a.m. Tuesday to ask the judge to grant him a bond.