Two more people have been arrested in connection with the death of a Lumpkin County woman, including the man accused of killing her.
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Austin Todd Stryker is in police custody in Pennsylvania after turning himself in on a warrant accusing him in the murder of Hannah Bender, according to the GBI. Two hours after the agency announced Stryker’s arrest, officials in Lumpkin County said they’ve charged Bailey Williams, 21, with felony tampering with evidence in the case, Channel 2 Action News reported.
Stryker and Williams are the fifth and sixth people arrested in Bender’s death.
Bender, 21, disappeared nearly a week before her body was found last Wednesday in a shallow grave off Parks Road near Ga. 306 in Forsyth County, AJC.com previously reported. A report from a tipster led investigators to the ravine where her body was discovered.
Lumpkin Sheriff Stacy Jarrard said there were crime scenes associated with the case in Lumpkin, Dawson and Forsyth counties. He believes the murder was committed in his county.
Carol Gilreath, Bender’s mother, said the last time she heard from her daughter was in a Sept. 14 text message. She reported her daughter missing five days later, with investigators finding bloody clothing shortly after.
Police encountered Stryker about 11:45 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of Maple Terrace and Virginia Avenue in Pittsburgh, police spokesman Chris Togneri told WPXI-TV. Stryker was sitting outside and said he was wanted on murder charges in Georgia.
Pittsburgh police took him into custody and confirmed he was wanted on multiple warrants, Togneri said. Stryker was then taken to the Allegheny County Jail.
“Efforts to return him to Georgia are in progress,” the GBI said just before 8 a.m. in a tweet.
Four people were previously arrested in connection with Bender’s death.
Dylan Patrick Reid, 19, and Isaac Huff, 18, both of Dawsonville, were arrested by the GBI on Monday, the agency said. Both suspects face a count of concealing the death of another, while Reid faces an additional charge of tampering with evidence.
RELATED: 2 more arrests made in Lumpkin County woman's death; murder suspect still on run
Stryker's fiancee, 21-year-old Elizabeth Brooke Donaldson, was previously arrested on a count of tampering with evidence.
MORE: Man sought in disappearance of 21-year-old woman in Lumpkin County
Last Thursday, 78-year-old Jerry Kyle Harper was taken into custody in Dawson County after being previously wanted on charges of concealing a dead body and tampering with evidence.
RELATED: 78-year-old man accused of hiding Lumpkin County woman's body arrested
We’re working to learn more.
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