CALHOUN — Jerry William Jones was indicted Thursday for a quadruple murder and triple kidnapping in the Ranger community earlier this year.

A Gordon County grand jury returned the 22-count indictment after hearing evidence of the slayings of four members of the Blaylock family and the kidnapping of three young girls on Jan. 7.

The indictments charge Jones, 32, with malice murder in the deaths of Tom and Nola Blaylock, their daughter, Georgia Mae Bradley, and his own 10-month-old daughter, Jerri Georgia Jones.

A decision on pursuing the death penalty will be made before Jones’ arraignment, according to a statement from Cherokee Judicial Circuit District Attorney Joe Campbell. No arraignment date has been set.

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Jones also faces charges of kidnapping in the abduction of the three surviving daughters of Melissa Peeler, Brittany Phelps, Brandy Jones and Tami Hope Peeler.

The indictments also allege criminal violations of interstate interference with custody, first- and second-degree cruelty to children, motor vehicle theft, burglary, concealing a death and various firearms violations.

The January murders shocked the rural Gordon County community and set off a massive manhunt after Jones allegedly abducted the three girls, who ranged in age from 3 to 10.

The search ended late on the evening of Jan. 8 when Jones wrecked a sport utility vehicle in East Ridge, Tenn., before shooting himself in the face.

Gordon County Sheriff’s Office deputies served Jones with 11 criminal warrants on Jan. 21, including four murder and three kidnapping charges, one charge of cruelty to children and one of theft by taking.

Jones has been held in the Augusta State Medical Prison since his arrest