Local residents and members of the press gathered on the steps of the Henry County Sheriff's office this morning as Sheriff Robert Cook gave the first official statement concerning the arrest of a suspected serial killer just outside Stockbridge, Ga. Coming two days after the bloody disappearance of Bonnie Hand, and one day after her mutilated body was found in the basement of Alexander Holt, a local resident, Sheriff Cook's description of the scene left many shaken and unsettled.

"Yesterday," said Cook, "we arrested Alexander David Holt, 67, at his residence on charges of murder and kidnapping. Units responded to a call from a neighbor who had found an animal carcass matching the description of a dog belonging to Bonnie Hand, who was reported missing by her family the day before. Uniformed officers, including myself, entered the residence and were attacked by Mr. Holt when we attempted to look around. After subduing him, we entered the basement area where we found what at first appeared to be the remains of several human bodies. Closer investigation... determined that the remains were actually of one person, Bonnie Hand. She had been dismembered and... dispersed throughout the basement. She also appears to have been... partially consumed. We also found clothing and other personal items belonging to the four young women missing from the city of Macon. Those would be Angela Stilton, age 16... Saretta Lewis, age 21... Jamie Anderson, age 24... and Henrietta Bolsom, age 39. We also found several containers of mace which matched the residue the Macon police found at the scene of the kidnappings there. We have not yet found any remains other than those of Bonnie Hand, but investigators are still on the scene. We believe Mr. Holt killed Bonnie Hand at her home Thursday night, then brought her body back to his residence were he dismembered and attempted to consume it. Mr. Holt remains in custody at this time, but, due to Mr. Holt's age, we believe that he may- and I stress the word 'may' - have had an accomplice. The extreme violence of the mutilations, and the size and weight of his last victim lend credence to that theory... However, there were no signs of anyone else in the house, and interviews with neighbors confirmed that Holt lived alone. We are still investigating at this time, and hope to have more information later today."

During a short question and answer session, Cook admitted that police have no idea what Holt's motive was for the killing.

"No, we don't know what motivated him to do something like this. Obviously he is a disturbed, sick man. He hasn't spoken or communicated in any way since we removed him from the residence, so at this time we are unable to make an exact determination of his mental condition. We do have doctors and specialists that are... looking at him right now."

Another reporter asked Cook to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the frantic call to police early yesterday morning.

"Well, as I said we found evidence linking Holt to the four disappearances in Macon. The first of those girls was kidnapped on May 1st of this year, so we think the real story goes least that far back... perhaps even further. We think that Alexander Holt drove to Macon on four separate occasions to kidnap those women and bring them here to Henry County. What happened then, we don't know, but judging from the condition of Bonnie Hand, they were probably mutilated and... cannibalized shortly after their deaths. Bonnie Hand was abducted late in the evening of August 4th. She was taken by force, resulting in the large amounts of her blood found at the scene. She was a large woman and may have put up some kind of resistance that the others didn't, I don't know. Holt... and any accomplice he may have had... returned to the Holt residence with the body. The next morning, a neighbor found some blood and the remains of Bonnie Hand's dog on edge the Holt property. She called the police, and the rest is already in the papers."

Reporters continued to question authorities about the possibility of an accomplice, but no further information was given.

"Right now, we simply don't know... there may or may not be [an accomplice]. But if there is an another killer still at large we will know very soon and all efforts will be made to apprehend him or her."

Confident words from a sheriff who has already been proven wrong once. Just two days ago, Cook denied any connection between the disappearance of Bonnie Hand and the Macon kidnappings. Residents of Henry County believed him then, but now the neighbors of Alexander Holt are less confident.

"I... I just can't believe it," said Anna Binsley, who lived near the Holt residence. "I mean, there was a killer just two houses down from me and no one ever knew. With this and all the rest that's happened in the city lately... I don't think I can sleep at night any more. I don't feel safe at all."

"He was a sick man," added her husband, Eric Binsley. "Why did he have to come here, of all places? And now they're saying there may be another one on the loose? Or they don't know? Come on now, either there is or there isn't. They have to know more than 'maybe.'"

When asked about his concerns for his family, Mr. Binsley replied: "We don't know whether to leave or stay. We honestly don't."

Now, as day draws to a close, horrified Henry County residents are still consumed with two overwhelming questions:

"Why did it happen?" and "Is it over?"