Relative arrested in death of Rwandan immigrant, 13
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Posted 8:13AM on Saturday, March 16, 2002
DECATUR - Police have arrested the brother-in-law of a 13-year-old immigrant from Rwanda who was found strangled in the apartment she shared with her mother. <br>
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The mother of Jessica Serwili found her when she returned home from work shortly after 1:30 a.m. Friday, DeKalb County police spokeswoman Lt. Pam Kunz said. <br>
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Sirman Guhungu, 38, of Decatur was arrested based on physical evidence and interviews with the victim's family and acquaintances of Guhungu, who is married to the girl's older sister, Kunz said. <br>
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``We're not releasing the motive at this time,'' she said, adding that the suspect would appear in DeKalb Magistrate Court sometime this weekend. <br>
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Kunz said the mother, identified by neighbors as Coptolaine Serwili, had misplaced her door keys. She went to a convenience store after repeated knocks at the apartment went unanswered and sought help from a sheriff's deputy who was working as a security guard. <br>
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He forced the door open, Kunz said.