Police believe an elderly Good Hope couple, allegedly murdered by their 46-year-old grandson, were killed over the weekend. The bodies of Betty and Charles Bryant were found in their home at 2600 Nunnally Shoals Road on Tuesday evening when Walton County Sheriff’s Deputies were asked to perform a welfare check. Their grandson, Andrew Jeremy Bryant, 46, has been arrested and charged with two counts of felony murder, two counts of malice murder and two counts of aggravated assault in the death of his grandparents.
“They had not been heard from since Saturday and we believe that is when they were killed,” Walton County Sheriff Joe Chapman said. “Their son had come to check on them on Tuesday and didn’t see them. He did speak to the grandson (his nephew) who was in the basement, but he felt that something wasn’t right. That’s when he called us and asked us to meet him at the house.”
Chapman said the bodies were discovered when the son let deputies into the home. Andrew Bryant was not there at the time, but was picked up not long after following a traffic stop that began in Greene County and ended in Taliaferro County.
“Somebody had called in to Greene County reporting what they believed was a drunk driver and the authorities attempted a traffic stop. He was eventually stopped in Taliaferro County,” Chapman said, adding that at that time authorities were not aware that he was wanted in connection with a homicide. “I was standing out in the dark in front of the road wondering how we were going to find him when I was told that the Greene County Authorities had called in and were wanting to verify the address.”
Bryant had been living in the basement of his grandparents home while going through a divorce. WCSO Maj. Damien Mercer said that based on Andrew Bryants statements when he was interviewed, he was charged in the death of his grandparents.
“It is likely more charges will be filed by the Grand Jury,” Mercer said. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is assisting in the investigation. At this time, a cause of death has not been officially released by authorities. Alcovy Circuit Court District Attorney Layla Zon said Bryant has already had his first appearance in court.
In the meantime, condolences are pouring in from friends and family members over the death of the couple who, by all accounts, were treasured members of the Good Hope and Harmony Church community. At this time, funeral arrangements have not been announced.