WebLake Oconee double murder probe turns to NY for clues; Person of interest identified in murder, beheading of elderly couple; Mystery man emerges in year-old Ga. beheading To contact writer Joe Kovac Jr., call 744-4397. Support by joining KMH+ and by checking out our merch shop! It is not certain how Russ Dermond was killed, just that whatever caused his death was a traumatic head injury. I cant imagine this happening.. Though Sills declined to elaborate, he mentioned the sighting of a potential suspect outside the Dermond house at 147 Carolyn Drive. However, this eventually led nowhere, and over time the leads gradually declined in frequency. Sills narrowed the timeframe of Russells murder to somewhere between 4:30 p.m., on May 1when the mail was deliveredto 6 p.m., on May 4, when the couple failed to show up for the party. SANTA ROSA BEACH, Fla. Brad Dermond flips through albums and shuffles through a handful of photographsremembering family road trips, golfing and how much his parents loved him and his siblings and adored their grandchildren. Especially when someone was decapitated, the whereabouts of his head unknown. At what point would you just have that sinking feeling, this is it? he said. He said he also believes that when Shirley Dermonds body was tossed into the lake, the killers could easily have thrown Russell Dermonds head into the lake at the same time. Someone who likes guns and knives, Sills said, recalling some contents of the FBIs report. But after some neighbors went over to their home searching for them, they were nowhere to be found. Sills had not until earlier this year wanted it known that the blocks were what Shirley Dermonds killer had apparently used to anchor her to the lake floor. [1] When police were unable to locate Shirley inside the house, they initially suspected that she had been kidnapped. Once I knew the backgrounds of Russell and Shirley Dermond, I have always thought that this was some sort of extortion, Sills told the newspaper. Shed gone to her duplicate bridge club meeting in Eatonton the Thursday before her death. Like most days, he said, they just chatted about how their day went with each other. As of 2022, the murders remain unsolved and Russell's head has not been found. The biggest roadblock is motive. Investigators believe they were searching for multiple suspects and the motive was robbery, but nothing appears to have been taken. Clearly, there was more than a person involved, Sills said. A neighbor had invited the Dermonds to a Derby party, but they never showed up. WebThe Lake Oconee Murders (2020 Podcast Episode) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro It looks like we don't have any Cast and Crew for this title yet. WebPUTNAM COUNTY, Ga. There is new evidence in the murder of a Putnam County couple in their 80s. I always thought that, you know, maybe it was some kind of a serial killer kind of thing just because of the weird things that (the killer) did. And when the crime scene, in all likelihood, was a $769,000 lake house. Theres such a thing of Gods wrath. The couple moved to Eatonton, Ga., and built their million-dollar Reynolds Plantation's Great Waters home in a cul-de-sac, overlooking Lake Oconee. Come Wednesday, a year will have passed since that emergency call, since the frantic womans husband found the decapitated body of their 88-year-old friend, Russell J. We got the call from my brother-in law, and he was a total mess. Menu. "Obviously mom and dad at that point were in their mid-to-late 80s," Brad Dermond said. Anyone with information about this unsolved double-murder is asked to call the Putnam County Sheriffs Office at 706-485-8557. FBI evidence giving investigators new hope in Lake Oconee murder case of elderly couple Thursday marked 8-years since someone killed Shirley and Russell Dermond at their Lake Oconee home. Their front door was unlocked. A local sheriff says data provided to the FBI might help them solve the grisly double homicide of an elderly pair eight years ago. Her husband was impressed with the handmade knife Dimos had given him while visiting in June. Oh, my god.. Later that evening, before dinner, Brad spoke to his parents on the phone. EATONTON, Ga. A cold case is warming up as the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said there is new evidence in their search for whomurdered an elderly couple, then dumped one of their body's into a rural Georgia lake. A lot of what we talked about concerning technology was about what is available today that wasn't available primarily then.. One person may have made the initial assault, or something like that, but somebody had some help at some juncture., He said one plausible theory, as he put it, is that the killings involve some sort of extortion or robbery-type thing by somebody the Dermonds at least initially knew.. Submitted photo In WebIMDb is the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. He said, 'Grandpa had been murdered; grandma was missing.'. Weighed down by a pair of 30-pound concrete blocks, her corpse bloated and surfaced facedown in 46 feet of water. FBI evidence giving investigators new hope in Lake Oconee murder case of elderly couple. Such insight -- helpful as it may be down the road -- does little to narrow the field of suspects. Another neighborhood woman described the circumstances of the case as horrible., Were sad, said the woman, 74. (Jessica Noll / WXIA), Brad Dermond cherishes photos, like above, with his mom, Shirley Dermond. He has reached out to the FBI to help comb through that evidence. WebThe Lake Oconee Murders (Podcast Episode 2020) photos, including production stills, premiere photos and other event photos, publicity photos, behind-the-scenes, and more. The FBI is investigating the new data. This story was originally published May 2, 2015, 8:37 PM. She even emailed Sills hundreds of pages of notes supporting her claim, which Sills debunked. The neighbors who alerted the authorities about Russ death live about a mile from the Dermond place. [In] that stage in life, you prepare for that call at any time, but not that type of call, Brad said in his Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., home this week. For a decade and a half, from about the turn of the century on, the Dermonds had called Lake Oconee home. Others figure the Dermonds fell prey to a cult. All rights reserved, Privacy Policy|Online Content Agreement, Man, 88, Beheaded, His Wife Missing From Home in Gated Georgia Community, Body confirmed to be Shirley Dermond; officials searching lake for husbands head, Phone records released in Dermond slayings on Lake Oconee, Son of slain couple in grisly Putnam case: Mystery just eats at you, New details as mystery reigns in year-old Dermond lake murders, Relentless: Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills chases a killer, Son of slain Dermond couple says Lake Oconee mystery haunts us, Vicious enemy may have killed Dermonds; Lake Oconee murders now 3 years cold. Channel 2 investigative His wife, Shirley, was beaten to death and her body taken six miles away by boat to one of the deepest portions of Lake Oconee. Russell Joseph Dermond, a WWII Navy veteran, married Shirley Wilcox on Dec. 15, 1950. But you think there would be other crimes, Keith Dermond said. He ran a chain of metro-Atlanta Hardees eateries. Because gunshot residue was found on Russell's collar,[5] Sills believes he was decapitated after having been shot in the head in an attempt to prevent police from finding the bullet,[6] and that the perpetrator(s) went to the Dermonds' home intending to obtain money, despite the fact that nothing in the home was stolen.[5]. They never showed up. Almost eight years after Russell Dermond was found dead, the Putnam County sheriff said there's new evidence to consider. According to their obituaries, Russell loved golf, reading, walking, and enjoyed spending time with his family and friends while Shirley loved crossword puzzles, gardening and playing bridge. Thursday marked eight years since someone killed Shirley and Russell Dermond at their Lake Oconee home. There was terror in her voice the morning the murder mystery came to light. "That person with that little sliver of knowledge would come forward at this point lives -- (that would be) very much appreciated with our family," their son said. A look at the Dermond's home on Lake Oconee in May 2014. WebThe murders of Russell and Shirley Dermond are believed to have occurred four days before authorities ever knew that the unthinkable had happened. He told Wilfon that hes cautiously optimistic about new evidence in the case cellphone data provided by the FBI. Investigators do not believe the two incidents are connected. Now part of the challenge is that we live with unanswered questions.. The Dermonds went on to move into Great Waters Reynolds at Lake Oconee, a gated community located about twelve miles northeast of Eatonton. Aside from Sills, Henry knows more about the Dermond case than anyone. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Cloudy. The FBI was called in. Sheriff Sills said his office received new data, some of it cell phone data. That data was downloaded into a program the FBI has and they are assisting us in analyzing the data now. This all came to a sudden end in May 2014 when a neighbor discovered Russell dead and Shirley missing. Its security cameras had been knocked out by a storm in the weeks before the killings and were of no use to the authorities. But, he is convinced more than one person was involved. Thursday marked eight years since someone killed Shirley and There's no way one person did this," he said. The FBI, who has assisted the Putnam County Sheriffs Office in the investigation, launched an intensified search, placing Shirley Dermonds photo on digital billboards throughout the area, but received no information. Russell, 88, was found beheaded in the couples garage. At this point, maybes are about all the sheriff and his investigators have when it comes to potential culprits. The case of Russell and Shirley Dermond remains unsolved. The headless body of 88-year-old Russell Dermond was on the floor surrounded by towels. WebThe unsolved murders of Shirley and Russell Dermond remain an ongoing and active investigation. GONE COLD | A lake with no leads: Who killed the Dermonds. In the 12 months that followed, no reasons or explanations have emerged. 5 years later, murders of Lake Oconee couple continue to confound On May 6, 2014, the body of Russell Dermond, 88, was found inside the garage of the couple? Russ, who would have turned 89 last June, was seen at the Publix grocery store near his house the Thursday of Shirleys bridge outing. [4] Although the perpetrator(s) and motive remain unknown, Putnam County sheriff Howard Sills has said he is convinced that multiple people were involved. A real estate listing touts the homes expansive views and mentions fresh paint, new carpet.. The Rev. I think the only chance we have at this point (is) that he trips himself up., This week, while Sheriff Sills declined to elaborate on what clue he may have in hand, he said the material was something I am actively working on.. Besides the headless body sprawled in the garage between the Dermonds Lexus SUV and their Lincoln Town Car, little in the home was amiss. Russell, 88, was found decapitated inside of his garage on May 6, 2014. The elderly couple, who lived in the affluent gated community of Great Waters at Reynolds Lake Oconee in Putnam County, was brutally slain sometime over the weekend of the Kentucky Derby in May 2014. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. He told Wilfon that even eight years later, the family remains optimistic the case will get solved. (Jessica Noll / WXIA), Held up by push pins, the Dermonds' unsolved murder poster is faded, but remains on the Putnam County Sheriff's bulletin board as soon as you walk inside. Im not making excuses for the work Ive done. PUTNAM COUNTY, Ga. There is new evidence in the murder of a Putnam County couple in their 80s. I dont want to create an impression that I have acquired some silver bullet, but this is yet another tool we are using trying to find out who perpetrated these heinous crimes. But theres no way for us to search all of Lake Oconee to try to find the missing head. Each also voluntarily took polygraph tests and passed. They went on to have four children and nine grandchildren. Haufler and Dimos were, by all accounts, close friends, even though they just met last fall, on a hunting trip. Federal Bureau of Investigation agents are assisting by analyzing the new evidence, the sheriff said. He was decapitated after he died, likely on May 3 or the day before. Unless somebody comes forward and gives them a clue, what else do they have to go on? Example video title will go here for this video. Stolen concrete truck leads to 60-mile chase along I-20, Former Wilco jail administrator indicted by grand jury, Employee helps makes cables used in his own rob, Owners passion for fashion fuels Js Fashion & More, CHILDRE, Phillip Ernest "Erny" Sep 16, 1961 - Jan 29, 2023, Authorities investigating attempted hijacking in Putnam County, 'BE A LIGHT': Annual fundraiser honors life of dedicated nurse by paying it forward, Trojan baseball looking for another long season, Winner comes forward to claim $1.35B Mega Millions jackpot, Shoplifting case leads to womans arrest on drug charge. Jessica Noll is a multimedia journalist, who focuses on in-depth, investigative crime/justice reports for 11Alive's digital platforms. Sills issued a statement saying investigators are using new technology to analyze phones: "Just last week I received some data, primarily cell phone data, that we have been waiting on for some time. Some have suggested professional hit men as the culprits. He became the face of an unsolved crime that fascinated viewers and newspaper readers across the region. The 88-year-old Russell Dermond, a World War II veteran, is believed to have been shot in the head and was beheaded afterward. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. The notion of such an atrocity in an exclusive, golf course-ringed neighborhood struck at peoples deepest fears: If it happened there, is anywhere safe? Leads have, at times, looked promising. Its still just as tough as day one. Low 66F. Seconds later, at his wifes side, she asked, Did you find both of them?. It is not certain how Russ Dermond was on the floor surrounded by towels never showed up II. 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