Heres a list of the homicides in Macon in 2023. Autopsies revealed that the Dermonds, whod been married for 68 years, died of head wounds, but exactly how or what they were killed with is unknown. The Dermonds went on to move into Great Waters Reynolds at Lake Oconee, a gated community located about twelve miles northeast of Eatonton. Their murders would be Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sill's only cold case in his 48-year law enforcement career. 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. Nor any suspects. [2], Russell was last seen alive on May 1, 2014, as he was running errands in Eatonton. In May, 2014 an elderly couple, Russell and Shirley Dermond, were murdered at their home in a gated community on Lake Oconee in central Georgia. Last May, some of Sills news conferences about the Dermond killings were aired live on Atlanta news channels. Murder or self-defense? Her body was found floating by fishermen on May 16. 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. A lot of what we talked about concerning technology was about what is available today that wasn't available primarily then.. It is possible that whatever the killer sought, if anything, was something the Dermonds didnt have. I try to keep an open mind. Key recalls the Dermonds being in church the weekend before they died, and how so much time has passed since. Clearly, there was more than a person involved, Sills said. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. According to the National Institutes of Health, 80 percent of people stricken with the disease suffer from visual hallucinations that are typically realistic and detailed. Sometimes, they can be frightening or dangerous, states the NIH, citing, as an example, a person attempting to fight a perceived intruder. Sills said he believes he knows the answer. The guard shack lies a shade under two miles from the Dermond house. There was no evidence of a struggle or forced entry and the couples home left little clues as to what happened. And thats the information were looking for.. The city had a record-high 70 homicides in 2022. They also were not sure if the killers somehow got in through the gate or found their way to the home by boat. Unless somebody comes forward and gives them a clue, what else do they have to go on? He was decapitated after he died, likely on May 3 or the day before. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Before that, he spent most of his working years as an executive for a New York-area clock company. Heres a look at new, renovated stores and restaurants, Burger King brings back fan-favorite sandwich but not for long. Hauflers attorney, Manny Arora, has been equally circumspect, floating possible explanations for the fatal shooting of 51-year-old Marc Dimos but not yet settling on a fixed defense. WebOn May 16, two fishermen on Lake Oconee found her body near a dam, nearly five miles away from the house. But he was also realistic. Its just my opinion that it would just be impossible for one person. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Theyll say, They never came up with nothing on that murder, did they? Ill say, Well, youre looking at they. The neighbors who made the 911 call did so on the Dermonds cordless phone. So the neighbors, a few days later, went to check on them. If Russell Dermond was shot in the head like we believe was the case, there is likely a bullet inside and if that weapon that was used to kill him was used to commit another crime and that case got solved, then the bullet from that weapon could be used to match it back to the killing of Russell Dermond, Sills said. WebBy Joe Kovac Jr. Despite the non-stop efforts of local law enforcement, this cruel murder case has never been solved. I know damn well that Im the man responsible for this. Such insight -- helpful as it may be down the road -- does little to narrow the field of suspects. After not hearing from the Dermonds for a few days, the friends went to the lakefront Dermond house that is nestled in a wooded cove on Carolyn Drive to check on the pair. Russell, 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 from their lakefront home. I try to keep the blinders off, because I dont want to get tunnel vision on any one person or any one theory. And they aint give up yet.. "The technology we are using was not in existence back in 2014. (Provided), Brad Dermond looks at years' worth of memories with his parents, Shirley and Russell Dermond. She was on the phone, gasping, breathless in the 11 seconds it took someone to answer and say, Putnam County 911., Yes, uh, I have an emergency, the woman, 68, said. Subscribers and Viewers! The towels belonged to the Dermonds and, yes, there was other evidence found at the scene, but I cant go into any of that evidence, Sills said. They had a huge retirement house overlooking a beautiful lake in Georgia. The Dermonds had said theyd attend but never showed. Joe is a Warner Robins native and graduate of Warner Robins High. The unsolved double murder on Lake Oconee is one of the most unusual and horrifying in Georgia crime annals. Marc Dimos will be laid to rest Thursday in Ohio. WebGREENE COUNTY, Ga. A man accused of killing his friend at a Lake Oconee mansion walked out of jail Monday evening, released on a technicality. The youngest of four, 55-year-old Dermond, says his parents were very private people and that they would hate that he is talking about them at all. Though Sills declined to elaborate, he mentioned the sighting of a potential suspect outside the Dermond house at 147 Carolyn Drive. The body of Shirley, 87, was found in Lake Oconee, tied to concrete blocks. Investigators said a professional would know that would not 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.. The Dermond mystery still generates its share of sometimes-kooky tips, which investigators dutifully check out. 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? He has reached out to the FBI to help comb through that evidence. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Russ, who would have turned 89 last June, was seen at the Publix grocery store near his house the Thursday of Shirleys bridge outing. They werent gaudy, they werent pretentious. Sheriff Howard Sills, who is personally spearheading the probe, earlier this week declined to publicly divulge what evidentiary avenue was being pursued, but told The Telegraph that the effort could prove promising. Police discovered Russells headless body in the garage in between the couples two cars. Together, they had three sons and a daughterand eventually, they would dote on nine grandchildren too. Over a week later, Shirley's body was discovered floating in Lake Oconee, her body having been weighted down with concrete blocks. (Jessica Noll / WXIA), Brad Dermond cherishes photos, like above, with his mom, Shirley Dermond. By boat, the spot lies some five miles from her home, in a wide bend above the Wallace Dam. We met and talked about three hours today about this case, Sills told The Union-Recorder earlier this week. I think about this (case) every day no matter where I am. The two were both New Jersey natives, who relocated to Georgia in the 1980s so that Russell could manage a chain of Hardee restaurants in the Atlanta metropolitan area. They had a great relationship, said Monica Haufler, Chad Hauflers wife of 25 years. 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.. [5], Initially, investigators were pursuing multiple potential leads to find the perpetrator(s) and their motive for killing the Dermonds. In the years since, the Putnam County Sheriffs Office would re-interview several times hoping something new would emerge. Russell Joseph Dermond, a WWII Navy veteran, married Shirley Wilcox on Dec. 15, 1950. [1][3] In 2000, their oldest son Mark was murdered in Atlanta while attempting to purchase crack cocaine. But the memories are bittersweet, because that is all that remains. Among this self-described band of brothers, there is no doubt about Hauflers innocence. But after some neighbors went over to their home searching for them, they were nowhere to be found. The two-story Dermond home, a four-bedroom, four-bath, 3,500-square-footer in a wooded cul-de-sac overlooking a cove, is now on the market. Investigators said a professional would know that would not work. In recent months, the eldest of the Dermonds surviving three children, Keith Dermond, who lives in Florida, recalled how his parents moved to the lake in the late 1990s to get away from the hustle and bustle of Atlanta., They made some great friends and loved when family visited, Keith Dermond, 56, said in February, adding that he hadnt heard from the sheriff or anyone in months.. She described two bloodlettings Dimos was bludgeoned, sustaining multiple lacerations to his face, before Haufler, 45, allegedly shot his friend in the face. Married nearly 64 years, the couple did everything togetherincluding taking their last breaths. After several years in the fast food industry, in which Russell owned several Hardees restaurants in Atlanta, he retired in 1994. Thursday marked eight years since someone killed Shirley and Russell Dermond at their Lake Oconee home. The case remains as much a mystery today and is it did when the crimes first happened. Greene County deputies spotted Haufler, gun in hand, walking away from his home on Jones Bluff Court when they responded to the emergency call. Murdered, beheaded and dumped into a lake: Who wanted the Dermonds dead? 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. His message, he said, would touch on coming to grips with something that should not have happened., Thats what makes it even a stranger story. After growing concerned, a neighbor checked in on the Dermonds on Tuesday, May 6. Oh, my God. Dimos also confided in his new friend about his poor health. Sills said they re-examined aspects of the case, as well as timelines to see whether some of the technology in place today might help going forward with the investigation. Russell Dermond, 88, was found beheaded in the garage at his home on Lake Oconee on May 6, 2014. Follow her on Twitter @JNJournalist and like her on Facebook to keep up with her latest work. For more of Georgia's cold cases, visit 11Alive's Cold Case page. These days, he relies on the FBI, Sills and the public to come forward and shed light on who did this to his family. He said, Russell comes to him in his dreams, offering him clues about his death. On Friday, Sills said he recently received long-awaited cell phone data. Brad Dermond, center, with his parents at his wedding. Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said its a case he still thinks about every day, now eight years later. 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. Aside from Sills, Henry knows more about the Dermond case than anyone. Ive obtained some of it and I have reason to believe that when I obtain the rest of the data and sort it out that it may well lead me to a suspect or suspects in this case, Sills said. Looking at all the couples, they would have been the last you would have picked out, Key said. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. However, this eventually led nowhere, and over time the leads gradually declined in frequency. Mauldin, the prosecutor, said the states case against him will be much clearer then. Police: UGA football staffer drunk, racing at 104 mph before fatal crash, Police: Stetson Bennett hid behind brick wall prior to arrest, UGA star Jalen Carter present at scene of fatal crash, Long before season, Georgia Tech president found football performance worrisome, Kemp, Rivian double down on $5B Georgia factory despite challenges, Georgia Power customers bills could jump again soon. 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. 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.. 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]. Oldest son Chad is now a sheriffs deputy in Florida. 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. On May 6, 2014, neighbors of Russell and Shirley Dermond, an elderly couple who lived for 15 years inside the Reynolds Great Waters gated community, home to some of the countys wealthiest citizens, called 911 to report a gruesome discovery. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. They were lovely people from all I know. Sills talked with agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Thursday about the case and how technology that wasnt yet developed six years ago might be useful to authorities in solving the case. Shirleys phone and purse were still in the house. You have no clue as to what youre looking for. Potential evidence was gathered. It was 10 days before her fate was known. Sills believes that Dermond was decapitated after he was murdered in an attempt to hide evidence, such as a gunshot wound and bullet. WebView history The murders of Russell and Shirley Dermond occurred in early May 2014 in Putnam County, Georgia, United States. Unsolved murders in Putnam County, Georgia, "Decapitation mystery: Russell Dermond was World War II vet, golfer", "The murders at Lake Oconee: 4 years later, elderly couple's son opens up", "5 years later, murders of Lake Oconee couple continue to confound", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murders_of_Russell_and_Shirley_Dermond&oldid=1140583082, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 20 February 2023, at 19:22. Credit: Photo provided by Ceciley Pangburn, Inside exclusive Lake Oconee community, another confounding mystery, Lake Oconee decapitation mystery still consumes sheriff. WebIn 2014, a successful, retired couple living on a beautiful lake in Georgia hadnt been heard from for multiple days in a row. Seems like every free minute Ive got, my mind is rehashing stuff, trying to think of things we may have missed or overlooked, Henry said. It may have shattered any kind of false security that weve had, Key, 52, said last week. Indeed, the highlight of their life was spending time with their grandchildren, all nine of them. Arora suggested the two men tussled before the violence escalated. Thursday marked eight years since someone killed Shirley and 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 They could have come by boat., As for the number of assailants involved, Sills said, If one person did this, he spent the weekend. Both were active members of the Oconee Community Church. Get personalized The Dermonds would move to the Great Waters Reynolds subdivision, a gated community located about twelve miles northeast of Eatonton and some 70 miles southwest of Atlanta. Sills has chased down leads across the country, but still nothing to solve the case. As the year progressed, the trail leading to those responsible grew cold. Cloudy. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. It was wooded and very private. Mrs. 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. 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. 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 Their killer, a stranger whod abducted them at a park south of Atlanta, was sentenced to life without parole. He told Wilfon that even eight years later, the family remains optimistic the case will get solved. What played out over the next month would leave more questions than answers in their usually sleepy neighborhood. The Putnam County Sheriff's Office is combing over new cell phone data connected to an 8-year-old murder mystery. Were very, very sad. Down a sloped yard from the slain couples house, at the waters edge, there is a lighted dock. That data was downloaded into a program the FBI has and they are assisting us in analyzing the data now. The 88-year-old Russell Dermond, a World War II veteran, is believed to have been shot in the head and was beheaded afterward. How their killer or killers arrived is anyones guess. We feel that theres a very strong likelihood that it was done by more than one person. He has passed up vacations, worked weekends and spent countless hours late at night trying to unearth a thread that leads to a suspect. We got the call from my brother-in law, and he was a total mess. Progress, gradual as it may be, has been made. Anyone with information about this unsolved double-murder is asked to call the Putnam County Sheriffs Office at 706-485-8557. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. But guesses abound about what befell the Dermonds: Why Russ was left lying in his homes two-car garage with his head cut off; why his wife, Shirley, 87, was beaten to death, her corpse sunk in Lake Oconee, only to surface a week and a half later. 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. Haufler and Dimos were, by all accounts, close friends, even though they just met last fall, on a hunting trip. Leads have, at times, looked promising. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. [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. 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