Compelling testimony about the final minutes of the life of Ahmaud Arbery came to light during a preliminary hearing held today at the Brunswick Courthouse for the three suspects allegedly involved in his murder.
During his opening statement, Cobb County Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Jesse Evans said Arbery “was chased, hunted down an ultimately executed, we believe the evidence will show based on what’s about to be presented to the court.”

Evans asked Georgia Bureau of Investigation Assistant Special Agent in Charge Richard Dial, the lead investigator in the Arbery investigation, to recount the details of the morning of Feb. 23, the day Arbery was killed while jogging through the Satilla Shores neighborhood in Brunswick.

Dial testified Arbery was hit prior to the shooting by the pickup truck Bryan used to chase him down.  Dial said his investigators found white fibers on the truck matching an article of clothing Arbery wore that day and a dent on the front of the truck.

Dial also testified suspect William Bryan heard suspect Travis McMichael call Arbery a racial slur moments after shooting him.

Gregory and Travis McMichael watched the testimony via video. Both are still at the Glynn County Jail. Bryan did not attend the hearing via video, choosing instead to let his attorney Kevin Gough represent him in person in the courtroom.

The afternoon session is currently on a brief recess. Dial will undergo cross-examination from the three attorneys representing each client. The Courier will update the story as quickly as possible.