Manhunt for murder suspects ends in Rabun County

A North Georgia man and his mother are behind bars charged with murdering her ex-boyfriend. Brandon and Nancy Hogan were picked up by law enforcement in Rabun County following a manhunt. She was arrested Wednesday evening, he was taken into custody some thirteen hours later. The Rabun County Sheriff’s Office issued a community alert announcing Brandon Hogan’s arrest just before 1 a.m. Thursday.

The Hogans are charged in connection with the murder of 67-year old Edward Brown Praytor of Marshall. Praytor was found dead in his driveway on Tuesday. Authorities say he died of blunt force trauma.

In an interview with WLOS-TV news, Madison County Sheriff Buddy Harwood described it as “a very violent assault.” He says Praytor was stabbed and a cinder block was used to “strike the victim multiple times.” Nancy Hogan and Praytor reportedly had a long history of domestic disputes.

In addition to the murder charge, Brandon Hogan is wanted in Habersham for failure to appear in court on felony child molestation charges. The Habersham County Sheriff’s Office lists his last known address as 117 B Sierra Vista Apartments in Cornelia.

The search for the Hogans sparked a social media frenzy of shares, tips and comments. The Rabun County Sheriff’s Office expressed its appreciation “to all for your cooperation during the manhunt.”