BRUNSWICK, Ga. - Nearly four months after a coastal Georgia couple and their adult grandson were found shot to death inside their home, police arrested a 22-year-old man on murder charges.

Roger Owens was charged with three counts of malice murder when he was arrested Tuesday at a convenience store in the port city of Brunswick, about 70 miles (112 kilometres) south of Savannah.

Owens is charged with the summer slayings of 64-year-old Carson Holliman Sr., his 63-year-old wife, Vondell Holliman, and their grandson, Christopher Holliman, 24. Police found the three family members dead from gunshot wounds after their pastor called police June 18 when the Hollimans didn't show up for Sunday church services.

"Both the Hollimans and their grandson were very involved in the church there," said Richard Dial assistant agent in charge of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's office in nearby Kingsland. "Their absence at a church event without contacting someone, it raised concerns that something might be wrong."

Dial declined Wednesday to say how police connected Owens to the slayings months later. He also would not say whether Owens knew the victims or discuss a possible motive for the slayings, citing the active investigation.

Dial said the suspect has family who live "in the vicinity" of the victims' home and "he has stayed with those family members in the past." He declined to be more specific.

A next-door neighbour of the Hollimans said that a relative of Owens lives right across the street. Reginald Beckham told WJXT-TV that he saw Owens in the neighbourhood Monday and Owens said he was running from police.

"He came and had a few words with me and he was nervous," Beckham said. "He was saying he was on the run for probation violation, but it wasn't making any sense."

Police arrested Owens the following day. It was not immediately known Wednesday if he had an attorney.

The GBI and Brunswick police had offered a $15,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the triple slaying. Dial said nobody had come forward to claim the reward.

News from © The Associated Press, 2017