One of the men charged in the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery reportedly had ties to the victim years before the deadly incident.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney George Barnhill confirmed former Georgia police officer Gregory McMichael was involved "with the previous prosecution" of Arbery. The DA reportedly revealed this information in a letter recusing himself from the case. Barnhill claimed he had learned his son—a prosecutor in the Brunswick DA's office—investigated Arbery along with Gregory McMichael, who was working as an investigator with the Brunswick DA's office. The AJC reports Barnhill sent his recusal letter "three to four weeks" after learning about his son and Gregory McMichael's ties to Arbery.