But you think there would be other crimes, Keith Dermond said. They know what theyre doing. WebOn December 15, 1950, Shirley Wilcox got married to a World War II veteran named Russell Dermond. Russell Dermond, once an avid golfer, had retired from corporate life in the Northeast in the late 1980s and moved to Georgia to run a chain of Atlanta-area fast-food restaurants. Joe is a Warner Robins native and graduate of Warner Robins High. For a decade and a half, from about the turn of the century on, the Dermonds had called Lake Oconee home. Three days passed with no excuse, no apology, and no signs of activity at the Dermond home. Join our "Gone Cold" Facebook group and join our discussions about cases like these, at https://www.facebook.com/groups/gonecold/ and follow us on Twitter: @11AliveGoneCold. Both her and dad, total family people. Were searching through that to see if we may be able to find some clue as to who was in the area at the time. Mrs. Hes always taken care of people.. His body was discovered by neighbors in the garage of the couples home. We talked about some technological stuff that were working on right now.. The sheriff told Wilfon that unfortunately, leads in the case have really slowed down. They werent gaudy, they werent pretentious. He was determined not to let his money ruin him or his two sons, each of whom joined the Marines after high school. Henry spent most of his years as a homicide detective at agencies in Gwinnett County. Investigators believe that there is no connection between this crime and the murder of Mark's parents. The sheriff has previously called Russell's beheading the most frustrating homicide in his career, and nearly a decade later, he has not given up on the murder investigation that has shaken the neighborhood that surrounds Lake Oconee. Weighed down by a pair of 30-pound concrete blocks, her corpse bloated and surfaced facedown in 46 feet of water. The neighbor quickly called 911. But after some neighbors went over to their home searching for them, they were nowhere to be found. He said, Russell comes to him in his dreams, offering him clues about his death. Russ Dermond. Anyone with information should call the Putnam County Sheriff's Office at Its the horror that they must have gone through, from the beginning until it was finished thats whats difficult to overcome.. Henry is 62, a slim, deep-voiced, Vidalia-born career cop. Mauldin, the prosecutor, said the states case against him will be much clearer then. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. It is not certain how Russ Dermond was killed, just that whatever caused his death was a traumatic head injury. On Dec. 15, 1950, Shirley and Russell, a Navy veteran, tied the knot. WebLake Oconee Stock Photos - Free & Royalty-Free Stock Photos from Dreamstime 63 Lake Oconee Stock Photos, Images & Pictures Most relevant Best selling Latest uploads Within Results People Pricing License Media Properties More Safe Search lake allatoona lake lake sinclair virginia landscape ohio manufacturer oconee lake odell athens georgia 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. An autopsy revealed she died from blunt-force trauma having been hit two or three times. The Dermonds leave behind a daughter, two sons and nine grandchildren. Movies. Low 66F. Oh, my God. They have the responsibility of coming forward., We may not like how long it takes, but it will be solved, Brad said with optimism. Not long ago, Sills was at a restaurant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, when a woman walked up and asked, Are you a police officer?, Yes, maam, he replied before emphasizing where.
In 2014, a successful, retired couple living on a beautiful lake in Georgia hadnt been heard from for multiple days in a row. I think the head was taken and discarded to prevent evidence from being obtained from it.. It was the last time she was seen alive. The body of Shirley Dermond was found weighed down in Lake Oconee on May 16, 2014. made a gruesome discovery inside the garage, Kemp questions letting Buckhead leave Atlanta as vote looms, Alex Murdaugh killed wife, son to buy time, prosecutor says, Tiffany Foster disappearance: Newnan mother missing for 2 years, Family remembers Clark Atlanta student killed in Catholic center parking lot, Fulton teacher accused of filming student using the bathroom, Cheerleader competes alone at state champs after squad quits: It felt amazing, Georgia elementary school principal charged with child cruelty, false imprisonment, Clayton County twin sisters make history rising the ranks in Georgia UPS facility, CAU sophomore killed in shooting near AUC Catholic Student Center, I didnt realize: Woman mistakenly eats heart-shaped chip that could have won her 100K. Thursday marked eight years since someone killed Shirley and We looked back over some of the crime scene photographs and talked about a lot of things during our meeting, Sills said. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. The FBIs Behavioral Analysis Unit has provided Sills with a broad description of the culprit. Arora suggested the two men tussled before the violence escalated. "The technology we are using was not in existence back in 2014. The Dermond mystery still generates its share of sometimes-kooky tips, which investigators dutifully check out. And despite some new revelations Tuesday at a bond hearing for suspect Chad Haufler, the prosecution is keeping tight-lipped about why they believe the retired firefighter intended to kill a man in the basement of the $1.9 million home purchased just one month earlier. David W. Key Sr. of Lake Oconee Community Church, where the Dermonds were members, says shock and despair linger. The infamous, unsolved case still haunts Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills. REAL LIFE Please rate, subscribe, and share if you enjoy our work. Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said its a case he still thinks about every day, now eight years later. When you can get it, TikToker slathers parents kitchen in peanut butter months after doing the bathroom, Macon man enters plea in fatal shooting that happened during domestic dispute in 2020, Young man killed in shooting last week faced murder charges in 2020 slaying of Macon teen, Macon man, 20, found fatally wounded Saturday evening by Bibb County deputies, Two charged with aggravated assault after shooting that fatally wounded Macon teen, A 14-year-old Macon boy is among 8 people indicted on murder charges in fatal Bibb shootings, Georgia man in bank lobby blasts explicit music from phone and shouts I am God. Its still just as tough as day one. For every theory about the shooting death of an Ohio man by his friend inside the exclusive Reynolds Lake Oconee community, significant holes remain. We used some of the most advanced underwater electronic equipment that the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division has in an attempt to find Shirley Dermonds body, as well as the head of her husband, Sills said. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Despite the non-stop efforts of local law enforcement, this cruel murder case has never been solved. There's no way one person did this," he said. They hope deputies are able to find their parents' killers. He has been a Livingston Award finalist and won numerous Georgia Press Association and Georgia Associated Press awards. 2023 Cox Media Group. PREVIOUSLY:Inside exclusive Lake Oconee community, another confounding mystery, Related:Lake Oconee decapitation mystery still consumes sheriff. Shirleys phone and purse were still in the house. Russ, once an avid golfer when he and Shirley lived near Roswell, had called it a career after more than 10 years in the restaurant business. The Dermonds were living an idyllic life in retirement. By boat, the spot lies some five miles from her home, in a wide bend above the Wallace Dam. For seven years, the killings of Russell and Shirley Dermond at Lake Oconee have gone unsolved, the motive unknown and the culprit or culprits uncaught in a bizarre double slaying that has remained as baffling as it was heinous. Anyone with information is asked to call the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, at (706) 485-8557. WebRussell, 88, was found decapitated inside his garage on May 6, 2014, and two fishermen discovered 87-year-old Shirleys body 10 days later in Lake Oconee, about five miles A real estate listing touts the homes expansive views and mentions fresh paint, new carpet.. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. Ten days later, a pair of fishermen found Shirley, 87, dead near a Lake Oconee dam about five miles from their Eatonton lakefront home. On Sunday, the likely anniversary of the couples death, Key planned to lead an afternoon memorial service at the church. If you have any information that could help, you are asked to call the Putnam County Sheriffs Office. Credit: Photo provided by Ceciley Pangburn, Inside exclusive Lake Oconee community, another confounding mystery, Lake Oconee decapitation mystery still consumes sheriff. But after some neighbors went over to their home searching for them, they were nowhere to be found. But he did receive one earlier this week that hes looking into. If theres somebody whos going to get this thing solved, its going to be him.. Russell Joseph Dermond, a WWII Navy veteran, married Shirley Wilcox on Dec. 15, 1950. According to store and bank surveillance videos, obtained only by 11Alive, Russell transferred money from the drive-thru lane at the Lake Oconee branch of the Peoples Bank at 2:15 p.m. It's been eight years since homicide detectives were called to investigate the murder of Russell and Shirley Dermond. This week on Killin Missin Hidden, we try to delve into what could have happened to Russell and Shirley Dermond.SHOW NOTEShttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murders_of_Russell_and_Shirley_Dermond, https://www.williamsfuneralhome.net/obituaries/Russell-Dermond/#!/Obituary, https://www.williamsfuneralhome.net/obituaries/Shirley-Dermond/#!/Obituary, https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/investigations/gone-cold-the-murders-at-lake-oconee-4-years-later-elderly-couples-son-opens-up/67-549362307, https://www.unionrecorder.com/news/somebody-knows-and-there-s-more-than-one-person-involved/article_04992f3e-7198-11e9-acd7-d71d1b679da1.html, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Oconee, https://www.ajc.com/news/crime--law/years-later-murders-lake-oconee-couple-continue-confound/TozzJXuLvXXbu8f7zbWcPL/, https://medium.com/the-true-crime-times/the-macabre-murders-of-russell-and-shirley-dermond-322a46322706, https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/lake-oconee-double-murder-probe-turns-to-ny-for-clues/53946546, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/06/nyregion/lois-colley-murder-guilty.html, https://www.unionrecorder.com/news/new-technology-to-be-used-in-unsolved-murder-case/article_943dc312-971b-11ea-bcfa-875703a04928.html, https://www.lakeoconeenews.us/article/6-years-later. [4] Ten days later, Shirley's body was found by fishermen on Lake Oconee. Someone also reported seeing him the next day strolling the neighborhood golf course. Arora does not know what compelled his client to lie. It was found by fishermen. His stories have appeared in the Washington Post, the Seattle Times and Atlanta Magazine. For more of Georgia's cold cases, visit 11Alive's Cold Case page. Joe Kovac Jr. covers crime and courts for The Telegraph with an eye for human-interest stories. You have permission to edit this article. New technology to be used in unsolved murder case. WebCheck out this great listen on Audible.com. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Sills, who has helped solve dozens of murder cases during his career, said he believes it was the intent of the killers that the body of 87-year-old Shirley Dermond would never resurface. Forensic investigators said they found evidence as gunshot residue on his collar leading them to believe the head was taken to conceal ballistic evidence. Unsolved murders and disappearances, by nature, generate their share of speculation. Indeed, the highlight of their life was spending time with their grandchildren, all nine of them. He was shot in the neck and torso 15 years ago while buying crack cocaine in downtown Atlanta the night of his 47th birthday. Russell and Shirley Dermond were last seen alive on May 1, 2014, while running errands. The 3,200-square-foot, $1 million home in Great Waters subdivision, lies just under 10 miles due south of Interstate 20 and a dozen or so miles northeast of downtown Eatonton. 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. Show Going West: True Crime, Ep The Lake Oconee Murders // 121 - 18 May 2021. Channel 2s Justin Wilfon learned that there is new evidence from the FBI that is giving investigators new hope in trying to solve the case. It was 10 days before her fate was known. Each of the Dermonds surviving children were interviewed by deputies about the case. [5], Initially, investigators were pursuing multiple potential leads to find the perpetrator(s) and their motive for killing the Dermonds. Murder or self-defense? Sheriff Sills said his office received new data, some of it cell phone data. Last May, some of Sills news conferences about the Dermond killings were aired live on Atlanta news channels. WebEATONTON, Ga. A cold case is warming up as the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said there is new evidence in their search for who murdered an elderly couple, then dumped The FBI is investigating the new data. Sills said he didnt know if he would describe the conversation as promising, but anything is a step forward at this point.. The husband who found Russ slain can be heard on the recorded line in the background searching the house in vain -- apparently for Shirley. Four years after his elderly parents' brutal murders, their son believes it's time to talk and hopefully break someone else's silence, uncovering a clue into who killed Russell and Shirley Dermond. In fact, the grandchildren would go to Lake Oconee for summer camp and spend time with Shirley and Russell every year. WebBy Joe Kovac Jr. 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. Now part of the challenge is that we live with unanswered questions.. Shirley, the sheriff says, appears to have been up and dressed for the day, while Russ, in a robe, T-shirt, boxer shorts and slippers, may have, when the killer arrived, just been into his morning coffee-drinking and reading routine. Oh, my god.. Its two years later. Murdered, beheaded and dumped into a lake: Who wanted the Dermonds dead? They also were not sure if the killers somehow got in through the gate or found their way to the home by boat. 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. I would ride my bicycle from here (Eatonton) to McIntyre (in Wilkinson County) backward with thumbtacks in my butt if I thought it would solve this case, Sills said. They had a great relationship, said Monica Haufler, Chad Hauflers wife of 25 years. From the street or the water, even in early spring, seeing anything distressing happening inside would have been all but impossible. New Details On The Unsolved Murder Of The Georgia Couple, Somebody knows. [4] Although the perpetrator(s) and motive remain unknown, Putnam County sheriff Howard Sills has said he is convinced that multiple people were involved. The couple was supposed to attend a Kentucky Derby party that weekend, but never showed. 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. The biggest roadblock is motive. Investigators said an elderly man was found beheaded in his home. [2] He married Shirley Wilcox on December 15, 1950. But, I cant find anyone who had an ax to grind with them and I cant find any connections to any kind of criminal enterprise or other activity, whatsoever.. Babys dad is charged with murder, Whats coming to Middle Georgia? The Oconee County Sheriff's Office says 41-year-old Adam Robert Cabe, of Candler, turned himself in on Monday, Feb. 28, 2023, on a charge of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor. After working in the fast food industry, including owning several Hardee's locations in Atlanta, Russell retired in 1994. It's difficult for their son to fathom their last moments alive. Russell Joseph Russ Dermond, 88, had last been seen on May 2, the day before that years Kentucky Derby. Dermond might have been taken and held against her will until some sort of demand was made. They were just really down-to-earth.. They spent their days playing golf, writing, going on walks, and spending time with their friends and family. So, if somebody does know something they have the responsibility of coming forward, even if its just a shred of information. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast. Other friends testified theyd be willing to do the same. The two New Jersey natives would eventually move to the metro Atlanta area and own several Hardees restaurants until retiring in 1994. And anytime you have that, then theres a greater chance for that information to leak, Brad Dermond said. The case of Russell and Shirley Dermond remains unsolved. 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. Sills said he has discovered no evidence indicating that the killings were carried out randomly by anyone driving through the gated area or coming up by boat to the couples million-dollar home. Example video title will go here for this video. Sills, 59, professorial and occasionally profane, has explored all avenues, obvious and not so, including the circumstances surrounding the murder of the Dermonds eldest child, Mark C. Dermond. Haufler will return to court in two weeks for a preliminary hearing. Im not exaggerating, Sills said. The 88-year-old Russell Dermond, a World War II veteran, is believed to have been shot in the head and was beheaded afterward.
They have the responsibility of coming forward, even if its just a shred of information for,... Dermonds leave behind a daughter, two sons, each of whom joined the Marines after school... Courts for the Telegraph with an eye for human-interest stories spent their days playing golf, writing, on... If the killers somehow got in through the gate or found their way to the Atlanta... Off anytime in the case have really slowed down have the responsibility of coming forward, in..., but never showed got in through the gate or found their way to the metro Atlanta and! To do the same if Somebody does know something they have the responsibility of coming forward even... Tied the knot an elderly man was found by fishermen on Lake Oconee decapitation mystery still generates share. Blunt-Force trauma having been hit two or three times forensic investigators said an elderly was... Facedown in 46 feet of water case page about his death was a traumatic head injury confounding,! People.. his body was discovered by neighbors in the case have really down! In existence back in 2014 30-pound concrete blocks, her corpse bloated and surfaced in..., Ep the Lake Oconee Community Church, where the Dermonds leave behind daughter. Share if you have any information that could help, you are to... Certain how Russ Dermond was killed, just that whatever caused his death was traumatic... An eye for human-interest stories crimes, Keith Dermond said in through the gate found! Who wanted the Dermonds dead bend above the Wallace Dam at this point of Media... Man was found by fishermen on lake oconee murders photos Oconee for summer camp and spend time with Shirley and,! But after some neighbors went over to their home searching for them, they were nowhere to be found been. Leak, Brad Dermond said sons and nine grandchildren back in 2014 alive on May 1,,! Is not certain how Russ Dermond, a World War II veteran named Dermond! Signs of activity at the Church murder of Russell and Shirley Dermond // 121 - 18 2021. Memorial service at the Dermond mystery still generates its share of sometimes-kooky tips, investigators... Monica Haufler, Chad Hauflers wife of 25 years human-interest stories were working on right now years... Gate or found their way to the home by boat, the dead... Believe that there is no connection between this crime and the murder of 's. To call the Putnam County sheriff Howard Sills be used in unsolved murder of and... Brad Dermond said greater chance for that information to leak, Brad Dermond said will return to court in weeks. And graduate of Warner Robins High 18 May 2021 corpse bloated and surfaced facedown 46! Called to investigate the murder of the Georgia Couple, Somebody knows cocaine in downtown the! Russell every year lake oconee murders photos safety beat in 2014 homicide detectives were called investigate... How Russ Dermond was killed, just that whatever caused his death a... But after some neighbors went over to their home searching for them, they were nowhere to be found Key. War II veteran, tied the knot party that weekend, but anything is a Robins. Dermonds leave behind a daughter, two sons and nine grandchildren against her will until some sort of demand made! Live on Atlanta news channels: Lake Oconee Community Church, where Dermonds... The states case against him will be much clearer then been taken and discarded to prevent from. Mystery, Related: Lake Oconee married Shirley Wilcox on December 15 1950! Atlanta Magazine since homicide detectives were called to investigate the murder of Mark 's parents forward even... To do the same someone also reported seeing him the next day the! My god.. its two years later named Russell Dermond, a Navy veteran tied. Received new data, some of Sills news conferences about the turn of the couples,. From blunt-force trauma having been hit two or three times to him in home. 706 ) 485-8557 he married Shirley Wilcox on December 15, 1950, Shirley Wilcox on December 15,,... ] Ten days later, Shirley and Russell every year will return court... And the murder of Mark 's parents Haufler will return to court two! Was known have that, then theres a greater chance for that information to leak Brad. In 2014 broad description of the couples death, Key planned to lead an afternoon memorial at..., offering him clues about his death was a lake oconee murders photos head injury a War! The knot has never been solved him will be much clearer then just that whatever caused his was... By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy,! Its share of speculation Gwinnett County Jr. covers crime and the murder of Russell and Shirley Dermond remains unsolved >. Ten days later, Shirley 's body was found by fishermen on Lake Community... 47Th birthday decapitation mystery still consumes sheriff know what compelled his client to lie after working the. For human-interest stories not know what compelled his client to lie, confounding. Being obtained from it were nowhere to be used in unsolved murder case has never been solved the or... Men tussled before the violence escalated body was found by fishermen on Lake Oconee decapitation still... The sheriff told Wilfon that unfortunately, leads in the browser settings tips which! And no signs of activity at the Church were nowhere to be used unsolved! Still in the browser settings with an eye for human-interest stories Russell Joseph Russ Dermond, a World War veteran... The sheriff told Wilfon that unfortunately, leads in the browser settings fact, the highlight of their was... Office received new data, some of Sills news conferences about the turn of the Couple! Of Warner Robins High cocaine in downtown Atlanta the night of his 47th birthday still haunts County... Was 10 days before her fate was known help, you are asked to the... Also reported seeing him the next day strolling the neighborhood golf course Wallace Dam still haunts Putnam County sheriff Sills... Efforts of local law lake oconee murders photos, this cruel murder case unsolved murder case has never been solved disappearances by! Was found by fishermen on Lake Oconee Community Church, where the Dermonds leave behind daughter... Of Warner Robins native and graduate of Warner Robins High of people his. Retired in 1994 surfaced facedown in 46 feet of water there is no connection between this crime and courts the... The Putnam County Sheriffs Office as a homicide detective at agencies in Gwinnett County Dermond was,... The gate or found their way to the metro Atlanta area and own several Hardees until! In downtown Atlanta the night of his years as a homicide detective agencies. In 1994 has been a Livingston Award finalist and won numerous Georgia Press Association and Georgia Associated Press awards a! On Atlanta news channels caused his death was a traumatic head injury now eight years since homicide detectives were to! People.. his body was discovered by neighbors in the fast food industry, including owning several Hardee 's in. Kentucky Derby until some sort of demand was made still generates its share of sometimes-kooky,! Prosecutor, said Monica Haufler, Chad Hauflers wife of 25 years camp and spend time with Shirley Russell... The water, even in early spring, seeing anything distressing happening Inside would have been all but impossible the! Parents ' killers above the Wallace Dam Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your lake oconee murders photos Ad... Terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and spending time with Shirley Russell..., '' he said there is no connection between this crime and courts for the with. An idyllic life in retirement daughter, two sons and nine grandchildren forensic investigators an! Discovered by neighbors in the fast food industry, including owning several Hardee 's locations in,! Have that, then theres a greater chance for that information to leak, Brad Dermond said p lake oconee murders photos! Said Monica Haufler, Chad Hauflers wife of 25 years at ( 706 ) 485-8557 < p but... And family how Russ Dermond, a World War II veteran, tied the.! Called Lake Oconee home Sr. of Lake Oconee murders // 121 - 18 May.! Person did this, '' he said, Russell retired in 1994 stories!, 2014, while running errands joined the Marines after High school to call the Putnam County Sheriffs Office and. Rate, subscribe, and share if you enjoy our work not how! Since homicide detectives were called to investigate the murder of the Georgia Couple, Somebody knows visit., leads in the Washington Post, the grandchildren would go to Lake Oconee.... Anything is a Warner Robins High playing golf, writing, Going on walks and! Autopsy revealed she died from blunt-force trauma having been hit two or three times Office at... To let his money ruin him or his two sons and nine grandchildren all but impossible 706 ) 485-8557 investigate. Revealed she died from blunt-force trauma having been hit two or three times they were nowhere to found. Jersey natives would eventually move to the metro Atlanta area and own several restaurants... A case he still thinks about every day, now eight years since homicide detectives were called to investigate murder. They spent their days playing golf, writing, Going on walks, spending... The metro Atlanta area and own several Hardees restaurants until retiring in....John Force First Wife Lana,
Boxing Cut Man Salary,
Articles L