GA GA - Shirley, 87, & Russell Dermond, 88, Putnam Co, 2 May 2014 - #13

[Peppery]

Sad and mysterious case. Just listened to the Citizen Detective podcast. I don't have much to add to what the participants and experts had to say, except a few comments on the weapon used in the beheading.

This house was extremely isolated and heavily wooded. It would make sense that the Dermonds would have a chainsaw or other brush and tree clearing equipment in their garage, even if they hadn't used them personally in many years, but a gardener or other handyman did.

No need for someone to bring a machete or sword to the scene.

Photo source

That’s a possibility. It seems LE has ruled out a tool like a chainsaw but maybe there was a scythe or other ground clearing tools. We’ve heard nothing was taken and that the children were familiar with their possessions, but I wonder if any of them knew or could verify those types of tools.

 

[ilovewings]

That’s a possibility. It seems LE has ruled out a tool like a chainsaw but maybe there was a scythe or other ground clearing tools. We’ve heard nothing was taken and that the children were familiar with their possessions, but I wonder if any of them knew or could verify those types of tools.

Unless someone gives the police a tip or someone confesses, I fear this is one of those cases that does not get solved.

 

[Peppery]

Unless someone gives the police a tip or someone confesses, I fear this is one of those cases that does not get solved.

Unfortunately I agree. 8 years and lots of talk with no progress that we can see. It seems like it fell off the priority list and is likely to just fade away.

 

[Valiant]

I think they don't have a suspect because they don't have a motive.
I think they don't have a motive because they don't have a suspect.
Usually the motive or suspect is somewhat clear in a murder case, but neither are here.

 

[MesquiteO21]

Good episode today on the Unsolved Mysteries podcast about the Dermonds.

One thing the Sherriff said was that the way Shirley's body was weighed down was very amateurish. I can't remember how many pounds of blocks were used but he said that whoever used them wrongly believed it would hold her down in the lake. They didn't know that the blocks wouldn't prevent her body from surfacing. But.... Russell being decapitated (and most likely shot in the head due to the gunshot residue found on his clothing) kind of seems more "professional" and doesn't scream amateur to me. So this leads me to think either 1.) two (or more) different killers or 2.) the person(s) DID in fact know the blocks wouldn't keep her down and it was actually skillful planning to appear that they were amateurs to throw the investigators off

the other thing that stood out to me is when the Sherriff commented that while they believe Russell was shot, Shirley was bludgeoned and it seemed very personal like someone had beef with her. This got me to thinking about their oldest son Mark who had been murdered in a drug deal gone bad 14 years earlier. I thought you know maybe she gave a very strong, impassioned victim impact statement at the killer's trial? you never know how long people can harbor animosity. But then their other son who was also on the podcast squashed that when he said they weren't involved in the trial and didn't even go to it.

this is such an odd case because like the Sherriff and so many of us have said, there's problems with all theories. And finding a motive has proven futile. i'm almost inclined to think it was purely a random thrill kill and/or someone high as a kite maybe hallucinating or something...i mean i honestly just don't even know. what's the drug use and scene like in that area?

 

[dotr]

Sept 19 2022 rbbm.

Could new technology help crack cold case of who killed elderly couple at Lake Oconee home?

It was a case that captivated the country -- the murders of Russel and Shirley Dermond 8 years ago -- and there’s still no apparent motive.

www.wsbtv.com

“Her body washed on top of one of the treetops, about eight inches beneath the surface (of the water),” Putnam County Sheriff Phil Sills told Greer.''

''Sills helped Greer retrace the path of the killer from the Dermond home – which has now been sold – to the middle of the scenic lake.

“We discovered the body of Russell Dermond minus (his) head in their garage and some 10 or more days later, his wife Shirley Dermond. Her body surfaced in Lake Oconee about five and a half miles away from the home. We never found Mr. Dermond’s head. She had been anchored, or at least attempted to have been anchored, to the bottom by two cement blocks,” Sills said.

How could someone get her body in a boat and dump it in the lake with no one seeing them? The sheriff hopes some technology that wasn’t available eight years ago will let them know who was in the area at the time.''

“We have done some geotracking, and we’ve gotten back that information the FBI fitted into their software program. And there’s a box I have in my office that people that were in the area at the time. I’m not saying that they were at the Dermond house, and we are presently working on that,” Sills said. “There was some intent to come back, I believe. And the reason for that is the towels to keep the blood from coming out. However, it had been three days before we knew about it.”

Crime scene investigator Sheryl McCollum is also offering to help Sills get some new DNA tests done on the items recovered.

“Have you tested the towels for the DNA of the person?” McCollum asked Sills.

“All of that was sent to the Georgia Crime Lab. We asked for that. I hope that was done,” Sills said.''

 

[Valiant]

When I heard the lead-in to this story on WSB last night, I was expecting more.
It's really the same "new technology" story from back in May.

 

[MsMarti]

I wonder since they apparently had money and were into horseracing, if it was someone they were acquainted with in the horseracing circle. This looks to me like someone was angry with them, so maybe money was the motive not necessarily robbery. Just a thought.

 

[dotr]

I wonder since they apparently had money and were into horseracing, if it was someone they were acquainted with in the horseracing circle. This looks to me like someone was angry with them, so maybe money was the motive not necessarily robbery. Just a thought.

A horseracing connection always seemed like a possible connection for me too.
Could not help but wonder if the perps were acting out some perverse "Godfather" type scene switching a horse's head for a human one? complete speculation, imo, fwiw

The Horse Head | The Anniversary You Can’t Refuse: 40 Things You Didn’t Know About The Godfather | TIME.com

On March 15, 1972, The Godfather hit movie screens. In the four decades since, it has become acknowledged as one of the greatest movies of all time. TIME has compiled the most interesting stories, anecdotes and tidbits from the film's production

entertainment.time.com

''It could be said of so many movie moments, but describing the horse-head scene as one of the most iconic in American film history is no exaggeration. It was already famous from the book — only in Mario Puzo’s novel, the horse’s head was on the bedpost when Jack Woltz wakes up.''

GONE COLD | A lake with no leads: Who killed the Dermonds?

In 2014, a Putnam County elderly couple was murdered, beheaded and dumped into a lake. Their case remains unsolved and has stumped the sheriff who has never had a cold case in his files... until now.

www.11alive.com

''Russell, 88, was found decapitated inside his garage on May 6, 2014. Two fishermen discovered his wife, 87-year-old Shirley’s body 10 days later in the lake near a dam, nearly five miles from their lakefront home in Eatonton, Ga.''

GONE COLD | A lake with no leads: Who killed the Dermonds?

In 2014, a Putnam County elderly couple was murdered, beheaded and dumped into a lake. Their case remains unsolved and has stumped the sheriff who has never had a cold case in his files... until now.

www.11alive.com

Author: Jessica Noll May 6, 2019
''On Saturday, May 3, 2014, just before 6:30 p.m., California Chrome crosses the finish line in the muddy, rain-soaked 140th “Run for the Roses” in Louisville, Ky.
However, the Dermonds are no-shows to their local Kentucky Derby party.''

May 3, 2018
''Russell Dermond was found beheaded; his wife's body was found 10 days later. The case remains unsolved: https://on.11alive.com/2riuzFB''

 

[Kittybunny]

It's so sad that this case has gone ice cold, and sadder still that their children don't seem to care at all.

 

[AliceInPain]

It's so sad that this case has gone ice cold, and sadder still that their children don't seem to care at all.

Something very specific I remember LE saying back when this happened and this is not exact, but that Shirley was not meant to have ever been found.
I've thought their murders were directed at one of their kids in some way ever since, and I think someone knows more than they've been saying. imo.

 

[fred&edna]

Sept 19 2022 rbbm.

Could new technology help crack cold case of who killed elderly couple at Lake Oconee home?

It was a case that captivated the country -- the murders of Russel and Shirley Dermond 8 years ago -- and there’s still no apparent motive.

www.wsbtv.com

“Her body washed on top of one of the treetops, about eight inches beneath the surface (of the water),” Putnam County Sheriff Phil Sills told Greer.''

''Sills helped Greer retrace the path of the killer from the Dermond home – which has now been sold – to the middle of the scenic lake.

“We discovered the body of Russell Dermond minus (his) head in their garage and some 10 or more days later, his wife Shirley Dermond. Her body surfaced in Lake Oconee about five and a half miles away from the home. We never found Mr. Dermond’s head. She had been anchored, or at least attempted to have been anchored, to the bottom by two cement blocks,” Sills said.

How could someone get her body in a boat and dump it in the lake with no one seeing them? The sheriff hopes some technology that wasn’t available eight years ago will let them know who was in the area at the time.''

“We have done some geotracking, and we’ve gotten back that information the FBI fitted into their software program. And there’s a box I have in my office that people that were in the area at the time. I’m not saying that they were at the Dermond house, and we are presently working on that,” Sills said. “There was some intent to come back, I believe. And the reason for that is the towels to keep the blood from coming out. However, it had been three days before we knew about it.”

Crime scene investigator Sheryl McCollum is also offering to help Sills get some new DNA tests done on the items recovered.

“Have you tested the towels for the DNA of the person?” McCollum asked Sills.

“All of that was sent to the Georgia Crime Lab. We asked for that. I hope that was done,” Sills said.''

I was reading this linked article for a second time, and a couple of things standout to me.

1) "There was some intent to come back"

The only reason for the killers to return to the home would be to take/steal items. Could there be another reason I may be missing?

2) “Have you tested the towels for the DNA of the person?” McCollum asked Sills.

“All of that was sent to the Georgia Crime Lab. We asked for that. I hope that was done,” Sills said.''

One would assume (that by the date of the article) Sills would definitely KNOW if the testing has or has not been done. Was he being snide with his answer?

Imo... it seems no one (family nor investigators - despite Sills' words) has really pushed to get answers. It's very strange.

 

[deugirtni]

I was reading this linked article for a second time, and a couple of things standout to me.

1) "There was some intent to come back"

The only reason for the killers to return to the home would be to take/steal items. Could there be another reason I may be missing?

Very confusing. He thinks the killers intended to come back to fetch the towels, but yet even though they had three days in which to do so, they did not? Does he mean they intended to come back and replace the towels with fresh ones? I wonder where Mr. Sills gets his ideas? Seems like an incomplete sentence - the reason is the towels to keep the blood from coming out???? Has the man lost his shirt? imo.

“There was some intent to come back, I believe. And the reason for that is the towels to keep the blood from coming out. However, it had been three days before we knew about it.”

Could new technology help crack cold case of who killed elderly couple at Lake Oconee home?

It was a case that captivated the country -- the murders of Russel and Shirley Dermond 8 years ago -- and there’s still no apparent motive.

www.wsbtv.com

 

[deugirtni]

2) “Have you tested the towels for the DNA of the person?” McCollum asked Sills.

“All of that was sent to the Georgia Crime Lab. We asked for that. I hope that was done,” Sills said.''

One would assume (that by the date of the article) Sills would definitely KNOW if the testing has or has not been done. Was he being snide with his answer?

Imo... it seems no one (family nor investigators - despite Sills' words) has really pushed to get answers. It's very strange.

So...... he didn't bother following up on that, even after what, EIGHT YEARS? Wow??!! What if they never ended up getting tested, even though 'he asked for that'?? What if they have a DNA hit and all this time, for eight years, they had something from the crimescene against which to test DNA samples from other criminals, but he didn't bother checking?? What if there was a clerical error and someone forgot to forward him a lab report? The man really needs to retire, imo.

 

[fred&edna]

So...... he didn't bother following up on that, even after what, EIGHT YEARS? Wow??!! What if they never ended up getting tested, even though 'he asked for that'?? What if they have a DNA hit and all this time, for eight years, they had something from the crimescene against which to test DNA samples from other criminals, but he didn't bother checking?? What if there was a clerical error and someone forgot to forward him a lab report? The man really needs to retire, imo.

ITA. And, I wonder if May 2023 will bring another (usual Sills) report claiming he's wondering if new technology might help.

 

[AliceInPain]

Very confusing. He thinks the killers intended to come back to fetch the towels, but yet even though they had three days in which to do so, they did not? Does he mean they intended to come back and replace the towels with fresh ones? I wonder where Mr. Sills gets his ideas? Seems like an incomplete sentence - the reason is the towels to keep the blood from coming out???? Has the man lost his shirt? imo.

sbm I think he lost his shirt a long time ago, and he's the main reason this is still a cold case.
He wants to solve it on his own and he wants to do it 1950s style.
Interviews and a phone call is all it will take

 

[deugirtni]

sbm I think he lost his shirt a long time ago, and he's the main reason this is still a cold case.
He wants to solve it on his own and he wants to do it 1950s style.
Interviews and a phone call is all it will take

Have to REALLY wonder, IF he would hand the case over to someone else/another entity, would it get further ahead? Instead, he keeps lovin the interviews/publicity and sitting by his phone waiting for it to ring right into his lap with that tip/confession. smh

 

[deugirtni]

Same article:

How could someone get her body in a boat and dump it in the lake with no one seeing them?

Um..... under cover of darkness?? Or... 'in plain sight' while people go about their usual daylight activities? I don't think it was magic??

 

[realanastasia]

Sad to see this case languishing in the hands of the local law enforcement officers who don’t seem to want to ask for help. 8 years is a long time to wait for justice.

 

[fred&edna]

Have to REALLY wonder, IF he would hand the case over to someone else/another entity, would it get further ahead? Instead, he keeps lovin the interviews/publicity and sitting by his phone waiting for it to ring right into his lap with that tip/confession. smh

'Seems to me that since no one in the family has been pushing for justice then no one (not even Sills) cares if justice is ever served. Makes me wonder... why? Is it simply laziness or ??