A 78-year-old man who had been considered a person of interest in a Lumpkin County woman's murder has now been charged in the case.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a tweet Thursday night the agency had taken warrants for Jerry Harper for concealment of a dead body and tampering with evidence related to the murder of Hannah Bender, 21.
Bender's body was found in a pasture in Forsyth County Wednesday afternoon. Officials continue to wait on autopsy results to determine her exact cause of death. Bender was reported missing earlier in the month by her mother, who told authorities she last heard from her daughter on Sept. 14.
Harper is believed to be with Austin Stryker, 22, the primary suspect in the murder. The pair were last seen in Clay County, West Virginia, according to the GBI. They are thought to be driving a 2000 Ford Explorer; the tag number on the vehicle is PZH4402.
The U.S. Marshal's Office said a $5,000 reward is on the table for anyone who has information that leads to Stryker or Harper.
