GBI makes arrest in Hannah Bender murder case

News

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has arrested Elizabeth Brooke Donaldson, 21, of Dawsonville. She is charged with tampering with evidence. Donaldson is the fiancee of Austin Todd Stryker, the subject of a nationwide manhunt in connect with the murder of Hannah Bender of Dahlonega.

Hannah Bender murder

Elizabeth Donaldson

Bender’s body was found Wednesday in a partially-wooded, partially pasture-land area on Parks Road in Forsyth County. She was reported missing 11 days ago by her mother Carol Gilreath.

In a press conference Wednesday, Lumpkin County Sheriff said the body was identified by the woman’s tattoos but positive identification will be made following a GBI autopsy. He did not reveal the cause of death.

Jarrard said questions asked by investigators led them to the body. He also said he expects to make other arrests in the case. In addition to Stryker, authorities are searching for 78-year-old Jerry Harper as a person of interest.

Authorities, including U.S. Marshals, are conducting a nationwide search for Stryker and 78-year-old Jerry Harper of Dawsonville. They are believed to be traveling together in a white Ford Explorer with tag PXH 4402.

A post on the West Virginia State Patrol office stated Stryker had been spotted in Clay County, West Virginia this week.

Hannah Bender’s father thanked Jarrard and Investigator Captain Marcus Sewell for their effort to locate his daughter and her killer. He also asked people to stop speculating on social media about his daughter’s death.

Anyone with information is asked to call Marcus Sewell at 706-974-6824.

 

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

 

 

JQC Dismisses all Claims against Judge Brenda Weaver

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“No evidence has been presented to show any violation of code of Judicial Ethics by Judge Weaver. Instead, the evidence appears to show a personal dislike of the Judge.”

Last week the Georgia Judicial Qualification Commission dismissed the complaint against Appalachian Judicial District Chief Superior Court Judge Brenda Weaver. 

Judge Brenda Weaver

“The complaint of Thomason, Stookey, Doss and the GCSPJ are without any basis in law or fact. The complaints are nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to enlist the JQC in their fixation upon harming Judge Weaver. The JQC will have no further part in it. All complaints are hereby dismissed.”

The complaint was submitted to the JQC by Mark Thomason, former publisher of the Fannin Focus, his attorney Russell Stookey and Fannin County Attorney Lynn Doss.

In the JQC conclusions they addressed the Georgia Chapters Society of Professionals Journalist complaint that Weaver mounted an attack on freedom of the press.

“Calling oneself a “journalist” and “reporter” should not be a cover for pursuing personal vendettas.”

Stookey and Thomason with the assistance of Fannin County Attorney Lynn Doss raised a complaint to the FBI to initiate an investigation.   

JQC, “The FBI investigated the allegations raised by Stookey and Thomason but found no wrongdoing.”

On June 15th Atlanta Attorney Gerry Weber, representing Russell Stookey and Mark Thomason, sent a demand letter and Ante Litem Notice to Judge Brenda Weaver, District Attorney B. Alison Sosebee and Pickens County Board of Commissioners.

Part of Weber’s summary of claim, “This case has already garnered national attention. It involves breathtaking abuse of power by a Judge, prosecutor, and law enforcement who manipulated the criminal justice system to wage a personal vendetta against a local newspaper publisher and his attorney.”

Weber’s claim for damages conclusion, “Further accounting for damages stemming from the emotional distress in false arrest and malicious prosecution and for the punitive damages due to egregiousness of the actions leading to the arrests, Stookey’s and Thomason’s damages exceed 1,000,000.”

How far will this case go considering the FBI and JQC have closed their investigation both dismissing the possible charge of wrongdoing.

Click to read “Fannin Focus Publisher Mark Thomason Arrested, Journalist or Vendetta?

 

Press Release

News

State National 8/23/16

GMFTO

BKP and George recall political  predictions and continue the discussion on our American Oligarchy.

https://youtu.be/qzphvPs-ugQ

Ethics and Advertisements 8/25/16

GMFTO

BKP looks at an article about the Ethics and a Complaint he logged for campaign finances in Fannin’s recent elections.

https://youtu.be/U4XKibnsmWM

Mayor Donna Whitener 7/1/16

GMFTO

Blue Ridge City Mayor Donna Whitener sits down on GMFTO to discuss the city, park, and recent investigations.

https://youtu.be/aus-kfJFSuY

Morning Monologue 5/9/16

Opinion

Chaos in Blue Ridge?

https://youtu.be/HXdWsYAogWA

Scam Alert – GBI’s Main Line (404-244-2600) Spoofed

News

 

 

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.

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