KEY POINTS

  • Greg McMichael, his son Travis, 34, and William “Roddie” Bryan were indicted for the Feb. 23 killing
  • The three chased Arbery and corralled him with their trucks
  • The chase began after Arbery was spotted leaving a house still under construction in their subdivision

A Georgia grand jury on Wednesday indicted three men arrested in the shooting death of Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery on murder charges, Cobb County District Attorney Joyette Holmes announced.

Greg McMichael, 64, his son Travis, 34, and William “Roddie” Bryan, 50 – all white -- were charged with murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment in Arbery’s Feb. 23 slaying in Brunswick.

The three men cornered Arbery after spotting him inside a home under construction. No charges were filed initially, but an investigation heated up after cellphone video of the incident surfaced online.

“This is another positive step, another great step for finding justice for Ahmaud, for finding justice for this family, and the community beyond,” Holmes said in announcing the indictments outside the Glynn County courthouse.

“The family was ecstatic to hear that it had happened this morning.”

Greg McMichael initially told police he spotted Arbery running in his neighborhood and thought he matched the description of a burglary suspect. He and his son used their truck to follow the 25-year-old man. Bryan joined the chase and videoed the interaction.

“There's more to this than has been revealed to the grand jury and we expect to plead not guilty to these charges and present the rest of the evidence in court,” said Bob Rubin, one of the attorneys representing Travis McMichael.

Bryan attorney Kevin Gough said his client committed no crime and has cooperated with investigators.

Special prosecutor Jesse Evans told a preliminary hearing June 4 Arbery was “chased, hunted down and ultimately executed.” Investigators said Arbery was trapped between the trucks driven by Greg McMichael and Bryan and killed by a shotgun blast to the chest after a brief struggle with Travis McMichael.

The incident was one of a series of white-on-Black killings that captured public attention. The Minneapolis death of George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer touched off nationwide protests demanding social justice and police reform.

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