Gary Hilton Charged with Murder of John and Irene Bryant

on June 22, 2011 in Serial Killers by Brian Combs

Tags: Gary Hilton

A Federal grand jury in Charlotte, NC has indicted Gary Michael Hilton for the murder of John and Irene Bryant. The Bryants disappeared while hiking in Pisgah National Forest on October 21, 2007.

Irene was beaten to death and left by the Bryants’ car. Here remains were found two weeks later.

John was forced to withdraw money from an ATM and then shot in the head. The timeline of his death is uncertain, but investigators think he may have been kept alive for upwards of two weeks after his abduction. His body was found three months later in Macon County.

Bob Bryant, the couple’s son, commented:

My mother and father were murdered. Law enforcement has evidence against him, and I want to see it. I’m interested in seeing whoever did it get justice.

Bob believes that he and his siblings are ready as they can be for the trial to begin:

I have attended a criminal trial here in Austin, Texas and watched some of the testimony in the Florida trial. I think the law enforcement and prosecutors have been very professional. Yes, I wish it had gone quicker. I wish a lot of things have been different.

Holly Bryant, their daughter, said:

I’m just very glad that we are progressing in this case, and I look forward to justice being done.

Transylvania County Sheriff David Mahoney said:

I’m so glad to see that we are finally at this stage, that we can now move into the next chapter of this tragic case.

Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty.

Hilton is already on death row in Florida for a murder there. He has also been sentenced to life in prison for a murder in Georgia.

You can read the indictment here.