GBI makes two more arrests in Hannah Bender murder case
Business October 1, 2019
DAWSONVILLE, Ga – Agents with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation with assistance from Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office investigators arrested two more suspects in the murder case of Hannah Bender last night (Sept 30).
Lumpkin County Sheriff Stacy Jarrard reported just moments ago that Isaac Huff and Dylan Reid were arrested in Dawson County and are now in the Dawson County Detention Center.
Jarrard said officials with the GBI are meeting today with the District Attorney Lee Darragh to determine what charges to file against both men.
Jarrard also said he expects more arrests in the case. One more could come as soon as today.
Bender’s mother Carol Gilreath last saw her daughter on Sept. 14 and reported her missing on Sept. 19. Authorities found her body in a ravine near Parks Road in Forysth County five days later.
The primary suspect in the case is Austin Todd Stryker who is still at large. His fiancee Elizabeth Donaldson and another man, Jerry Harper, were arrested last week.
Fetch Your News will have more details as they become available.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Mother Charged With Murder in Death of Infant Son
Business, News March 20, 2017
DAHLONEGA, Ga. — More than a year after the death of her two-month old son, 19-year-old Megan Dix of Dahlonega has been arrested and charged with murder in connection his death.
The Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office responded to Ms. Dix’s residence on Winters Mountain Road for a medical issue involving her son, Jalen, on Dec. 15, 2015. Upon arrival, the child was found to be unresponsive.
The child was rushed to Northeast Georgia Medical Center and later to Scottish Rite Hospital in Atlanta where he died. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation performed an autopsy that determined the injury could not have been self-inflicted. However, it took more than a year before the results were ready to be presented to a Grand Jury.
Earlier this month, the Lumpkin County Superior Court Grand Jury returned an indictment that charged Dix with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated battery and cruelty to children in the first degree.
Dix was arrested at her home on Skyline Drive and transported to the Lumpkin County Detention Center where she is being held without bond.
Sheriff Jarrard said that Dix admitted to being with the baby at the time of the incident that claimed the child’s life.
UPDATE: No charges yet in Saturday’s shooting death in Dahlonega
News April 23, 2019
Axel Willis
DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office are investigating Saturday’s shooting death of Jason Burnett, 43, of Dahlonega.
The shooting took place at 156 Bill Anderson Road in Dahlonega, the home of Axel Willis, 23, of Lumpkin County. Willis was initially charged with possession of marijuana pending further investigation. The shooting is believed to be the result of a domestic assault at the residence.
As of Tuesday morning, Enotah Judicial Circuit District Attorney Jeff Langley had not filed charges on the shooting and Willis has been released on bond.
Lumpkin County Sheriff Stacy Jarrard said his prayers go out to the family and friends affected by this tragedy.
Fetch Your News will have more information as it becomes available.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
They got him! Murder suspect Austin Stryker arrested in Pittsburgh
News October 2, 2019
Austin Stryker
PITTSBURGH, Pa. — Austin Todd Stryker, the man accused of killing 21-year-old Hannah Bender was arrested at 1 a.m. today (Oct. 2) in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Lumpkin County Sheriff Stacy Jarrard said they received a tip about Stryker’s whereabouts and passed it along to U.S. Marshals and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. No other details of the arrest are available at this hour.
Bender’s mother Carol Gilreath last saw her daughter on Sept. 14 and reported her missing on Sept. 19. Authorities found her body in a ravine near Parks Road in Forysth County five days later.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested Stryker’s fiancee Elizabeth Brooke Donaldson in Dawson County. According to court records, she is charged with tampering with evidence. Her bond was set at $5,200.
Dawson County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Jerry Harper, 78, Friday. He is charged with concealment of a body and tampering with evidence.
Two other men — Isaac Huff, 18, and Dylan Patrick Reid, 19, were arrested Tuesday in Dawsonville. They are charged with concealing the death of another.
Stryker’s fiancee, Elizabeth Donaldson, and another man, Jerry Harper, were arrested last week.
Please follow Fetch Your News for up to date information when it is available.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Update: Remains Found in Tosha Herron Case
News April 21, 2017
Dahlonega, GA. – Preliminary results from the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office indicate that the remains found are that of Tosha Herron.
On Thursday, April 20, 2017, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office coordinated with the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office Rapid Response Team to conduct a large scale woodlands search of the area where Tosha Herron’s wrecked vehicle was found on October 12, 2016 off of Highway 129 North in Lumpkin County, Georgia. The area is considered the Chestatee Wildlife Management Area. This search was expanded beyond the areas previously searched by law enforcement since October 2016.
During the operation, the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office Rapid Response Team located a boot that was the mate to Herron’s boot found shortly after the discovery of the accident in October.
Additionally, the Rapid Response Team located what appears to be human remains. The remains were collected by the GBI Crime Scene Specialist and will be transported to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Officer for examination and identification.
Lumpkin County Searchers Find What Appears to be Human Remains off Hwy. 129 in Chestatee WMA
News April 21, 2017
DAHLONEGA, Ga. –The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office coordinated with the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office Rapid Response Team Thursday to conduct a large scale woodlands search of the area where Tosha Herron’s wrecked vehicle was found last October 12 off of Highway 129 North in Lumpkin County.
The area is considered the Chestatee Wildlife Management Area. On Thursday, the search was expanded beyond the areas previously searched by law enforcement. During the operation, the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office Rapid Response Team located a boot that was the mate to Herron’s boot found shortly after the discovery of the accident.
Additionally, the Rapid Response Team located what appears to be human remains. The remains were collected by the GBI Crime Scene Specialist and have been transported to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Officer for examination and identification.
Murder warrant issued in connection with missing Lumpkin County woman
News September 21, 2019
LUMPKIN COUNTY, Ga. — Authorities have obtained a murder warrant on 22-year-old Austin Todd Stryker of Lumpkin County in connection with a Lumpkin County woman who is missing and now believed to be deceased.
Hannah Bender, 21, was reported missing by her mother Carol Gilreath on Sept. 14. She has not been seen since Sept. 14. Agents with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Lumpkin County Sheriff’s deputies searched an area between Lumpkin and Dawson counties Saturday. They located bloody clothing and other items believed to belong to the missing woman.
Lumpkin County Sheriff Stacy Jarrard said investigators believe the blood to be that Ms. Bender and they do not believe a person could survive that amount of blood loss.
Jarrard asked that anyone with information about Bender or Austin Todd Stryker to contact Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office Chief Investigator Marcus Sewell at 706-9746-824.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
GBI investigates officer involved shooting in Hall County
News July 8, 2019
GBI PRESS RELEASE
HALL COUNTY, Ga. — On Monday, July 8, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was requested by the Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) to investigate an officer involved shooting that resulted in the death of Hall County Sheriff’s Deputy Nicolas Dixon, age 28.
Preliminary information indicates that on Sunday, July 7, 2019, at approximately 11:09 pm, Deputy Dixon attempted to stop a stolen vehicle occupied by four males. A chase ensued and ended with the subjects fleeing on foot.
Deputy Dixon and another deputy made contact with the subject, Hector Garcia Solis, age 19, in the yard of 43 Highland Avenue Gainesville and gunfire was exchanged. Deputy Dixon was shot one time and subsequently died from the wound.
Garcia was struck multiple times and is in critical condition at the Northeast Georgia Medical Center. Another subject was detained, and two other subjects remain at large. Attempts are ongoing to identify and locate them by HCSO, Gainesville Police Department, and the GBI.
The GBI will continue its independent investigation. When the investigation is complete, it will be turned over to the Hall County District Attorney’s Office for review.
Authorities investigating apparent murder-suicide
News April 5, 2018
DAHLONEGA, Ga. — Three people are dead and two others injured in what Lumpkin County authorities believe is a murder suicide that took place at 72 Bryn Lane in Dahlonega this morning.
Lumpkin County Sheriff Stacy Jarrard said deputies responded to a “shots fired” call at approximately 8:30 a.m. Upon entering the home, they discovered two victims had been shot. While they were clearing the house, they heard three more shots downstairs where they discovered the body of a man and his wife.
Jarrard said the incident stemmed from a domestic incident in Florida.
“It appears something happened in Florida that caused the wife to flee to her sister’s home here in Dahlonega in an attempt to hide,” Jarrard said. “Unfortunately, the suspect found them.”
Jarrard said a 16-year-old girl was shot and transported to an Atlanta-area hospital. “Her injuries appear to be survivable,” he said. A 13-year-old and a 2-year-old were also injured but their injuries are not considered to be life threatening.
Jarrard said the Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been called in to take the lead in the investigation, aided by the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office.
Jarrard said it is unknown how the suspect traveled to Dahlonega and that authorities are on the lookout for a gold- or champagne-colored Ford Explorer SUV, driven by a white female wearing aviator-style sunglasses.”
Authorities have not released the victims’ identities.
GBI Assessment of Fentanyl Spill
State & National June 30, 2017
Decatur, GA – On Thursday, June 29, 2017, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) conducted an assessment of the fentanyl spill. This assessment has determined that evidence containing a powder of fine furanyl fentanyl leaked through untaped corners and seams of a cardboard box. The furanyl fentanyl came from powder residue within the box. The Crime Lab has modified lab procedures related to repackaging and return of drug evidence to ensure that this situation does not recur. These procedures include enhanced sealing and new containment protocols. Return of drug evidence has resumed.
6/28/17 – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Crime Lab is currently reviewing internal procedures for packaging drug evidence. This follows information received from the Duluth Police Department that evidence containing a fentanyl related drug spilled out of a package that was returned to the agency today. Additionally, the crime lab will be conducting a thorough review of this incident with the goal of establishing what caused the spill. A temporary hold has been placed on the release of all drug evidence during the review. An update will be provided following the full assessment.
Convoy of Care – South Georgia Tornado Relief
Featured, News February 7, 2017
Georgia Bureau of Investigation
News Release
Contact: Natalie Ammons
For Immediate Release
February 6, 2017
Convoy of Care – South Georgia Tornado Relief
Atlanta, Georgia – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is once again partnering with state law enforcement agencies, Channel 2 WSB-TV, the Georgia Motor Trucking Association, the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA) and Caring for Others, Inc., to help raise funds for South Georgia residents who survived the historic tornado outbreak last month.
“The communities in South Georgia need money to be able to fund specific needs of each individual resident, whether it’s to cut down trees or to restore homes,” said Tim McVay, WSB-TV Vice President and General Manager. “That’s why we are urging our viewers to make cash donations now.”
The Convoy of Care will take a load of supplies to South Georgia on Sunday, February 12th. Mt Zion Baptist Church in Albany will be accepting the donations and distributing supplies on site. Volunteers from Caring for Others and the law firm Stewart, Seay and Felton will load up the tractor trailer truck donated by Holland, Inc. which was part of the first Convoy of Care that saw five tractor trailer trucks go to flood ravaged Baton Rouge, Louisiana in August last year.
Law enforcement organizations including the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association, along with state agencies; Georgia State Board of Pardons & Paroles, Georgia State Patrol, and Georgia Bureau of Investigation, have pledged to use their network to raise the awareness of the Convoy of Care online fundraising effort.
“We’re all One Georgia, and we want to continue to demonstrate how law enforcement serves the very communities we are sworn to protect,” said Clarence
Cox, National Vice President of NOBLE.
Funds being collected through Caring for Others will be disbursed directly to Long Term Recovery Committees being established in the Berrien, Cook, Crisp, Dougherty, Thomas, Turner, Wilcox, and Worth counties in coordination with GEMA, Caring for Others is accepting online cash donations at http://caring4others.org – click on “South Georgia Disaster Relief” at the top of the page or checks may be mailed to Caring for Others, Inc., 3537 Browns Mill Road, SE, Atlanta, Georgia 30354. Please indicate that you are donating to South Georgia Tornado Relief.
“The men and women of the GBI are honored to partner with Channel 2 WSB and our law enforcement counterparts n raising money for the tornado victims in South Georgia. This money is desperately needed so that they can begin to rebuild their lives,” said GBI Director Vernon Keenan.
Seventeen Georgians were killed by tornadoes that blew through South Georgia in January and caused more than $100 million worth of damage. State Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens says much of the damage was to structures and properties that were uninsured.
Arrests Pending After Search of Dahlonega Shell Food Mart
News May 20, 2016
DAHLONEGA, Ga. — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the Shell Food Mart on North Grove Street in Dahlonega Thursday in conjunction with alleged violations of the state’s commercial gambling laws.
Agents collected evidence related to crimes of commercial gambling and seized monetary assets gained from the illegal use of gaming machines.The location is currently licensed to operate Coin Operated Amusement Machines. However, during the course of a lengthy investigation, agents discovered customers were receiving cash payouts for winning credits. In Georgia, credits may only be redeemed for lottery tickets and/or store merchandise.
Multiple arrests are pending.
Commercial Gambling Search Warrants across Georgia
Featured, News October 28, 2015
Commercial Gambling Search Warrants across Georgia
Macon, GA. – On Wednesday, October 28, 2015, the GBI’s Commercial Gambling Unit, along with local law enforcement agencies across the State, and in cooperation with the Georgia Lottery Corporation and the Georgia Department of Revenue executed sixteen (16) search warrants in Troup, Houston, Bibb, Chatham, Terrell, and Henry Counties for violations of Georgia’s commercial gambling laws.
Search warrants were served at fifteen (15) convenience stores and one (1) residence. While searching the locations, agents collected evidence related to crimes of commercial gambling and seized monetary assets gained from the illegal use of gaming machines.
All of the locations are currently licensed to operate Coin Operated Amusement Machines under the master license of Sudama Resorts, Inc. However, during the course of the investigation, agents discovered customers were receiving cash payouts for winning credits. In Georgia, credits may only be redeemed for lottery tickets and/or store merchandise.
Search warrants were executed at the following business locations:
- 6230 Zebulon Road, Macon
- 1477 Pio Nono Road, Macon
- 2017 Millerfield Road, Macon
- 2545 New Clinton Road, Macon
- 415 S. Greenwood Street, LaGrange
- 426 S. Greenwood Street, LaGrange
- 1312 Hamilton Road, LaGrange
- 801 D Whiteville Street, LaGrange
- 1602 W. Bay Street, Savannah
- 2203 Skidaway Road, Savannah
- 9137 Whitebluff Road, Savannah
- 1210 E. Derenne Ave., Savannah
- 508 Watson Blvd., Warner Robins
- 516 Feagin Mill Road, Warner Robins
- 8125 Albany Highway, Sasser
Sudama Resorts, Inc. is the master license holder for all of the stores where illegal cash payouts were received and search warrants were executed. Undercover operations revealed cash payouts were taking place at over 25% of locations statewide where Sudama Resorts, Inc. is contracted to place COAM machines.
Multiple arrests are pending.
In total, more than 75 Agents, Investigators and Police Officers launched the raids in a simultaneous and coordinated fashion.
Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney David Cooke is coordinating a press conference planned for later today. Please contact the Office of the District Attorney at 478-746-9441 for additional information.
Scam Alert – GBI’s Main Line (404-244-2600) Spoofed
News October 27, 2015
Decatur, GA – Please be advised that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s main line (404-244-2600) has been compromised as a result of telephone spoofing. This is a scam that the GBI has been dealing with for approximately one month. When a telephone number is spoofed, the Caller ID of the caller will appear to be coming from a valid number. In the cases specifically related to the GBI, the individual being called will see telephone number 404-244-2600.
In many of the phone calls, the caller has called home phones and cell phones stating that they are with the GBI collecting a debt with the IRS or collecting a debt for college and that there would be a warrant out for their arrest if they didn’t pay the fine.
The GBI does not contact individuals for debt collection. If you get a call from anyone claiming to represent the GBI in this manner, you are urged not to conduct any business over the phone if you did not initiate the call. Additionally, do not give credit card information out to someone who has called you.
The GBI is currently investigating this matter.