Additional murder charges filed in South Georgia deaths

Published 1:15 pm Friday, March 29, 2019

NASHVILLE — A man who was charged with concealing the deaths of three people reported missing in Berrien County is now charged with murder.

Keyante Greene is charged with two counts of malice murder in connection with the deaths of Wayne Hackle Jr. and Bobbie Lynn Moore in Atkinson County and one count of malice murder for the death of Mercedes Hackle in Berrien County, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Friday.

The GBI took out the murder warrants Thursday on Greene.

Greene, 25, was already charged with three counts of concealing the death of another person in the case, authorities said.

He was arrested earlier this month after the arrest of Jonathan Vann, 20, in the case, according to reports.

Vann is charged with three counts of malice murder in connection to the deaths and one count of arson in connection with a burned vehicle, the GBI reports.

Authorities found the bodies of two people in mid-March and discovered the third body March 14; all near the Berrien-Atkinson county line.

The case began with a missing persons report filed early the same week.

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Office asked the GBI to assist with the missing persons investigation following the discovery of a vehicle on fire.

At 5:30 a.m., March 12, the sheriff’s office responded to the scene of a vehicle on fire in the area off Ga. 135 at the Alapaha River near the Atkinson County line. The investigation determined the car was used by Moore, 22, according to a GBI statement.

Moore, Ronnie Wayne Hackle Jr., 27, and Mercedes Maelyn Hackle, 17, did not responded to attempts to contact them and were reported missing, according to the statement.

The GBI, Berrien County Sheriff’s Office, Atkinson County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia State Patrol and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources have worked the case.

The remains were sent to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office in Macon for autopsy and identification, authorities said.

The GBI Medical Examiner’s Office in Macon confirmed the identities of the remains as W. Hackle, Jr., B. Moore, and M. Hackle, the GBI reported Friday.

Authorities encourage anyone with information to contact the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office, (229) 686-7071, or the GBI’s Douglas Office, (912) 389-4103.