Ga. man charged with killing wife, kids

COLUMBUS, Ga., May 21 (UPI) -- A Georgia man has been charged with the ax slayings of his wife and two young children 24 years ago, police say.

Michael Lee Curry, 51, of Columbus, Ga., was named in the 1985 slayings of his eight-month pregnant wife Ann and their children, Erika, 4, and Ryan, 1. He also was charged with feticide in the death of Ann's unborn child.

Authorities said the three had been hacked to death with a bush ax.

Bernice Johnson, Ann's 82-year-old mother, said she had suspected her son-in-law had been the killer all along.

"There's a sense of release, and a sadness also," she told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "We have been suspicious of him from Day 1."

She said although they suspected Curry, there were others they thought could be responsible.

But, she and husband James Johnson, along with Columbus Police Chief Rickey Boren, led a two decade crusade to learn what happened, finally leading to an indictment.

"We were never sure this day would happen," she said of the arrest.