It was a quiet afternoon in John Graham Homes, near Hull Avenue and Cedar Avenue in Rome, Georgia, when a heinous discovery sent shockwaves through the community: the body of 20-year-old Kaylee B. Shackelford, wrapped in blankets, was found lying outside the complex.
According to the Rome Police Department, response teams arrived around midday after a pest-control worker and property management personnel found the covered body. Witnesses had earlier reported seeing a red passenger vehicle in the area — a detail that would soon prove crucial.
By evening, that red car had been located and stopped in a neighboring county, with multiple law-enforcement agencies collaborating to intercept it. Inside were two individuals now at the center of a brutal murder investigation.
At a hearing Wednesday morning, court documents revealed a grim sequence of violence: the suspect Mystique Malachi Amaziah Taylor, 23, allegedly stabbed Shackelford in the neck and face with a knife, then struck her head with a baseball bat. The judge denied Taylor bond, noting the severity of injuries.
Also taken into custody was Rolanda Monique Edwards, 25, charged with concealing the death of another and hindering apprehension. Prosecutors say Edwards helped dispose of the body after the killing. She was released on a $5,000 bond but ordered to stay away from Taylor.
Investigators believe Shackelford and Taylor were in a relationship. Court records indicate that Taylor had recently started an online relationship with Edwards — raising troubling questions about motive and jealousy.
This isn’t the first time Taylor allegedly targeted Shackelford. Court records from November show that Taylor once tried to run her down with a car in Cobb County, grabbed her by the hair, and assaulted her elsewhere. Charges for that earlier incident included aggravated assault, battery, theft and criminal damage.
As of now, both suspects remain in custody. The investigation is ongoing — and authorities warn that additional charges could be filed as more evidence surfaces. For a community still reeling, the case serves as a stark reminder: sometimes the greatest dangers come from those closest to us.
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