Honorary Ahmaud Arbery St, Brunswick, GA, US — Credit: Jud McCranie · CC BY-SA 4.0
On February 23, 2020, Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, was killed while jogging in the Satilla Shores neighborhood near Brunswick, in Glynn County, Georgia. Three white men — Travis McMichael, his father Gregory McMichael, and their neighbor William "Roddie" Bryan — pursued Arbery in trucks for several minutes, later telling police they suspected him of being a burglar. The McMichaels were armed; after Travis McMichael exited his truck and pointed a shotgun at Arbery, a physical struggle occurred and Travis McMichael fatally shot Arbery three times. Bryan recorded the confrontation on his cellphone. Responding Glynn County Police Department officers arrived while Arbery was still alive but made no arrests, in part due to Gregory McMichael's prior background with local law enforcement and prosecutors' offices.
No arrests were made for more than two months. The Glynn County Police Department said it was advised by the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office, and later twice by Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney George Barnhill, not to make arrests. At the request of Gregory McMichael, an attorney provided Bryan's cellphone video to a local radio station, which published it on May 5, 2020; the video subsequently went viral. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested the McMichaels on May 7 and Bryan on May 21, 2020, charging all three with felony murder and related offenses. The case was transferred multiple times among prosecutors before being handled by the Cobb County District Attorney's Office.
On June 24, 2020, a Glynn County grand jury indicted all three men on charges including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment. At the June 2020 preliminary hearing, the lead Georgia Bureau of Investigation investigator testified he did not believe the shooting was self-defense by Travis McMichael, stating instead that Arbery had acted in self-defense while being pursued.
Trial began in the Glynn County Superior Court in October 2021, with Chatham County Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley presiding after Brunswick Judicial Circuit judges recused themselves. Jury selection concluded on November 3, 2021, with a jury of twelve including only one Black member. On November 24, 2021, all three defendants were convicted of felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment; Travis McMichael was additionally convicted of malice murder. On January 7, 2022, the McMichaels were sentenced to life imprisonment without parole plus 20 years, and Bryan was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 30 years.
On February 22, 2022, a federal jury found all three men guilty of attempted kidnapping and the hate crime of interference with rights; the McMichaels were also convicted of using firearms during a crime of violence. Former Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Jackie Johnson was indicted in September 2021 on charges related to her handling of the case, though the Georgia state bar later dismissed complaints filed against her and against Barnhill. The case prompted nationwide criticism of the handling of the investigation and led Georgia to enact hate crimes legislation in June 2020 and to repeal and replace its citizen's arrest law in May 2021.
Satilla Shores, near Brunswick, Glynn County, Georgia
Case status
solved
Case timeline
2019-12-08
A Satilla Shores resident reported rifles stolen from an unlocked car.
2019-12-28
Police recorded a theft in the Satilla Shores neighborhood.
2020-01-01
Travis McMichael reported a firearm stolen from his unlocked truck.
2020-02-11
Travis McMichael called 911 to report a trespasser at a house under construction in Satilla Shores.
2020-02-23
Ahmaud Arbery was chased and fatally shot by Travis McMichael in Satilla Shores; Gregory McMichael and William Bryan also pursued him; Bryan recorded the confrontation on his cellphone.
2020-02-24
Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney George Barnhill gave the Glynn County Police Department an initial opinion that the shooting was justifiable homicide.
2020-02-27
The case was transferred from Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Jackie Johnson's office to the Waycross Judicial Circuit; George Barnhill was appointed presiding prosecutor.
2020-04-02
Barnhill wrote a memorandum to Glynn County police recommending no arrests be made.
2020-04-13
The Georgia Attorney General's Office appointed Atlantic Judicial Circuit District Attorney Tom Durden to take over the case after Barnhill's recusal.
2020-05-05
Bryan's cellphone video of the shooting was published by local radio station WGIG and went viral online.
2020-05-07
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested and charged Gregory and Travis McMichael with felony murder.
2020-05-10
Georgia Attorney General Christopher M. Carr formally requested FBI intervention in the case.
2020-05-11
The case was reassigned to the Cobb County District Attorney's Office, led by Joyette M. Holmes.
2020-05-21
William 'Roddie' Bryan was charged with felony murder and attempt to commit false imprisonment.
2020-06-04
A Glynn County Magistrate Court judge ruled there was probable cause for murder charges against all three men at a preliminary hearing.
2020-06-24
A Glynn County grand jury indicted all three defendants on nine counts including malice murder and felony murder.
2020-06
Georgia enacted hate crimes legislation in the aftermath of the case.
2021-09
Former Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Jackie Johnson was indicted for her handling of the case.
2021-10-18
Jury selection began in the state trial at Glynn County Superior Court.
2021-11-03
Jury selection concluded; twelve jurors and four alternates were seated.
2021-11-05
Opening statements began for the state and the McMichaels.
2021-11-24
All three defendants were convicted of felony murder and related charges; Travis McMichael was also convicted of malice murder.
2021-05
Georgia repealed and replaced its citizen's arrest law.
2022-01-07
The McMichaels were sentenced to life imprisonment without parole plus 20 years; Bryan was sentenced to life imprisonment with parole eligibility after 30 years.
2022-02-22
A federal jury convicted all three men of attempted kidnapping and a hate crime; the McMichaels were also convicted of using firearms during a crime of violence.
2022-02-28
It was reported that the Georgia state bar dismissed complaints filed against Jackie Johnson and George Barnhill.
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Travis James McMichael
CONVICTED
Convicted in state court of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment; also convicted in federal court of attempted kidnapping, hate crime interference with rights, and using firearms during a crime of violence.
Ahmaud Marquez Arbery
VICTIM
25-year-old Black man fatally shot while jogging in Satilla Shores, Georgia, on February 23, 2020.
Gregory Johns McMichael
CONVICTED
Convicted in state court of felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment; also convicted in federal court of attempted kidnapping, hate crime interference with rights, and using firearms during a crime of violence.
Jackie Johnson
CHARGED
Former Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney indicted in September 2021 for showing favor to Gregory McMichael and for allegedly directing that Travis McMichael not be arrested; complaints against her were later dismissed by the state bar.
William Roderick Bryan Jr.
CONVICTED
Convicted in state court of felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment; also convicted in federal court of attempted kidnapping and the hate crime of interference with rights.
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
On February 23, 2020, 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery was chased by three white men in trucks while jogging in the Satilla Shores neighborhood near Brunswick, Georgia, and was fatally shot by Travis McMichael after a struggle. No arrests were made for over two months until a video of the killing went viral, after which Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William "Roddie" Bryan were charged, tried, and convicted of murder and other crimes in state court, and later convicted of federal hate crime and attempted kidnapping charges.
Where did the murder happen?
Satilla Shores, near Brunswick, Glynn County, Georgia.
Who was convicted?
Travis James McMichael (Convicted in state court of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment; also convicted in federal court of attempted kidnapping, hate crime interference with rights, and using firearms during a crime of violence.), Gregory Johns McMichael (Convicted in state court of felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment; also convicted in federal court of attempted kidnapping, hate crime interference with rights, and using firearms during a crime of violence.), and William Roderick Bryan Jr. (Convicted in state court of felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment; also convicted in federal court of attempted kidnapping and the hate crime of interference with rights.).
