2 arrested after deputies say they found missing GA man’s truck in a ditch and took it

Investigators are still looking for a man who was last seen June 10.

On Friday, June 21, deputies with the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office received a Flock camera notification that a truck belonging to Garland Sims Warren was spotted.

Within a few minutes, a deputy found the truck parked behind the Dollar General Store at 3430 Jackson Road in Griffin.

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Crews searched Friday and Saturday for Warren.

Investigators reviewed video footage and went door to door asking residents if they had seen him and to please look for possible footage of them on their home security cameras.

Investigators watched hours of videos of vehicles that were in the area just before, during, and after Warren’s truck was spotted on the Flock camera.

They tracked down several of the vehicles and spoke with the owners.

On Saturday night, Investigators spoke with Robert Earnest Peppers, 62, and Kelly Gail Osborn, 56, at their home.

While being questioned, Peppers admitted that he drove Warren’s truck and parked it behind Dollar General.

Osborn admitted she followed Peppers and picked him up after he dropped off the truck.

The two were taken to the sheriff’s office for an interview and deputies executed a search warrant on their home.

During their interviews, Peppers said he found Warren’s truck empty in a ditch and drove it away.

Peppers told investigators where he found the truck and investigators searched that area.

Deputies executed a second search warrant on their home and recovered items that are now known to be from Warren’s truck.

“Both Peppers and Osborn are currently in custody at the Spalding County Jail and are being further questioned about their role and involvement with Mr. Warren. For now, they have been charged with theft by receiving stolen property,” Sheriff Darrell Dix said. “We are actively working this case, still gathering evidence, following up on leads, communicating with Sheriff Dean and his agency, and conducting interviews. My Investigators are working in partnership with Sheriff Dean and his Investigators. All have worked almost non-stop since the Flock alert. My Uniform Patrol Deputies have even been out on foot day and night searching and working in support of Criminal Investigators. Our focus is on finding Mr. Warren.”

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Sheriff Dix is asking the public not to help by trying to search for him themselves.

“Having people trample through these areas on foot, on ATV’s, with dogs, horses, and search areas on their own does not help, it can actually hinder our investigation and the gathering of pertinent evidence. If we need outside help we have no problem reaching out to citizens and asking for help, as we did when the tornadoes came through Spalding County. The people of Spalding County have no problem lending a hand, getting involved, working hard, and helping out when asked. As of right now please hold off and let us do our jobs without interference or having to worry about any contamination,” Dix said.

If you have any information, video footage, or leads, please call Lt. Jeff Smith or Sgt. A.J. Hammond at the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office at 770-467-4282, the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office at 478-272-1522, or the Spalding County 911 Center at 770-229-9911.

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