GBI lays out what’s next in the Ahmaud Arbery case after 3rd arrest

GLYNN COUNTY, Ga. — The director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation says the investigation into the killing of Ahmaud Arbery is expected to be completed soon, and then handed over to the district attorney.

Vic Reynolds held a news conference Friday morning following the arrest of a third suspect in the case, William “Roddie” Bryan, 50.

Bryan was arrested Thursday and charged with felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment. He recorded the video that showed what appears to be Gregory and Travis McMichael shooting and killing Arbery while he was out jogging in February.

Reynolds said GBI agents have been working virtually non-stop since they took over the case 16 days ago.

According to warrants released in the case, authorities said that Bryan attempted to “confine and detain” Arbery using his vehicle multiple times without “legal authority.” Agents said that Bryan is being charged with felony murder because he was committing a felony when Arbery was killed.

Reynolds said they do not anticipate any more arrests, but emphasized that it will depend on the outcome of the investigation.

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“We don’t go into a situation of this nature investigating a person or persons. We go in investigating a set of facts, and once we start turning stones over, sometimes there’s one or two stones underneath there that need to be turned over,” Reynolds said.

Cobb District Attorney Joyette Holmes also spoke at the news conference, saying her office is prepared to take on this case, and has been in constant contact with the GBI in its investigation. She said she's not going to be swayed by public opinion.

“While it may be a distraction and people are talking about those things, we’re not making that our priority focus,” Holmes said.

Bryan’s attorney, Kevin Gough, maintains that his client did not commit a crime.

”From our perspective, it feels like the only thing that seems to have changed since February 23 or May 8 with respect to Roddie Bryan are the changing political winds,” Gough said.

“I can tell you that if we believed he was a witness, we wouldn’t have arrested him,” Reynolds said.

Arbery’s family attorney released a statement following news of the third arrest.

"Mr. Bryan was saying that he wasn’t involved today. On the day of the shooting, he told law enforcement officers, according to the police report, that he used his car to block Ahmaud’s path. That’s when everybody was treating Ahmaud like a criminal as opposed to a victim, so it was popular at the time,” said attorney Lee Merritt.

Bryan remains in the Glynn County Jail.

GBI holds news conference after 3rd arrest in Arbery case The GBI and prosecutors held a news conference on the Ahmaud Arbery case on May 22, 2020

GBI arrests man who recorded video of Ahmaud Arbery shooting William ?Roddie? Bryan Jr., 50, has been charged with felony murder and criminal contempt to commit false imprisonment.

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