A special agent investigating the murder of Ahmaud Arbery revealed details of the aftermath of the fatal shooting. Travis McMichael called Arbery a “fu**ing ni**er” after shooting and killing him, Richard Dial, of Georgia’s Bureau of Investigation, revealed during a preliminary hearing in a Brunswick court on Thursday (June 4).
Dial testified that Travis used the n-word on at least two other occasions. “One particular one that comes to mind was he made the statement that he loved his job because he’s out on a boat and there aren’t any n-words anywhere,” Dial said per NBC News.
Travis, 34, and his father, Gregory McMichaels, 54, attended Thursday’s hearing via video phone from jail. William “Roddie” Bryan, the third man arrested for Arbery’s murder, did not attend the hearing, where a judge ruled that there was enough evidence to for a trial. Bryan reportedly told police about Travis using the n-word after killing Arbery, which the McMichaels deny. The use of a racial slur won’t affect the case since Georgia has no hate crime laws.
The McMichaels are charged with felony murder and aggravated assault, for killing 25-year-old Arbery while he was out for a run in February. According to Dial, Bryan admitted to trying to block Arbery with his truck before hitting him with the vehicle. “The victim was chased, hunted down and and ultimately executed at the hands of these men,” Cobb County Chief Assistant D.A. Jesse Evans said in court.
Bryan, the McMichaels’ neighbor who recorded Arbery’s murder on his cell phone, faces felony murder, criminal contempt, and false imprisonment. All three men were arrested last month.
Grizzly footage of the deadly incident was played in court. In Bryan’s leaked cell phone recording, the men are seen surrounding Arbery, who attempts to wrestle a gun away from Travis while fighting for his life despite being shot in the chest. Travis admitted to firing three times, hitting Arbery in the middle of his chest, as well as the upper left chest area near his armpit, and in the wrist.