This case is so frustrating...for me I'm most interested in possible motives, and what was planned/unplanned, because that is enlightening to me as far as motives go, and once we have that it helps to narrow suspects. Unfortunately there are so many elements and aspects of this case that we know only limited info about, which makes it difficult to determine what was planned vs what was the result of bad luck/sloppiness. I've ended up in the bucket of an overall planned crime, with some aspects that were improvised/didn't turn out the way the killers thought or planned. Here's my running list of elements and my thoughts on planned/unplanned:
- Overall: Planned. Given this wasn't an outright robbery, and there were elements of concealment of bodies and the time of day it occurred, I believe they went there with the intention of killing one or both Dermond's.
- Killing of Russell: Definitely planned.
- Killing of Shirley: Planned, but not as 100% certain as I am on Russell.
- Shirley Being Taken By Boat: Planned. Seems like a lot of prep. Why, is the question, of course. Also - what is people's feeling on whether she was alive when she was carried or coerced onto the boat?
- Shirley's Body Being Found: Unplanned. I definitely do not think that her body resurfacing was intended, at any point. The cinder blocks, etc., all speak to that to me and I just don't think they anticipated the gases, etc., rising. It definitely happens.
- Russell Being killed/Left in Garage: I can't decide on this one. Did they intend to also dump his body and things went wrong? Or was the plan to leave him in the house? Did they not plan for things to happen in the garage? Did he run from the house out to the garage? Or from somewhere else into the garage? This may have been an inexperienced killer who thought that an elderly man would be an easy target only to have Russ fight back and causing him to abandon his/her plan and shoot Russ in a panic and then take the head either to conceal evidence or as revenge for messing up his plan.
- Russell's Beheading: Not sure. Indications lean more towards that being unplanned to conceal evidence as others have suggested and speculated above, because honestly, who other than a psycho serial killer plans to behead their victim ahead of time? Plus the use of towels suggest they didn't anticipate blood or that amount of blood.
Scenario 1: Semi-Planned "Hit" by Inexperienced Lone Killer
Some of the elements above lead me to believe that the overall murder was planned, but that this was a somewhat inexperienced killer that found themselves out of their depths when unexpected things happened. Very likely a hired killer. Perhaps they thought the Dermonds would still be asleep, maybe they got lost on the way there and had to contend with daylight, perhaps one or both of them put up more of a fight than they ever thought, and that is why some of it just doesn't make sense. In this case, I theorize that the original plan was for both of them to be dumped in the lake and never to be found. However, the problem with this theory is that it makes my proposed motives harder to fit. If inheritance was the motive, no bodies takes years to resolve, 7 years to be declared dead, etc., Other motive would be straight up revenge by someone close to the family who would have reason to conceal the bodies, but it's hard to imagine that sore of rage against these two. I do think they came in by boat so it implies some familiarity with the area.
Scenario 2: Planned Murder by Experienced Double Killers
I think if some of the elements above were planned with an eye towards creating confusion, then the killer thought that evidence would point to them. Is there any gain in having Russel's body, but not Shirley's found? I remember early on that before her body was found there was some speculation that maybe she did it and ran off. If her body was never found, would that be a theory people might believe? Hair in Russell's hands (Maybe that was staged?) But I really doubt that anyone would believe that of an elderly woman, let alone those who actually knew Shirley, so I presume.
Scenario 3: Unplanned Murder by Random Home Invaders
I can't give much credence to this, but can't dismiss it outright. Nothing (that we know of) taken, having to use a boat, weighting down a body, seems all a bridge too far for an unplanned, spontaneous murder. And without robbery, what would the motive be?
Key Questions: I Wish I Knew the Answers To:
1. Is there any financial benefit or personal benefit to a killer to Russell's body being found and not Shirley's?
2. Is SS playing word games or semantics when he says the killing did not occur in the house - is he including the garage? I also can't imagine a broad daylight outdoor killing (like in the yard!?!) or transport of the bodies in morning light.
3. What were the relationships of the Dermond's with their children like? Any favorites or black sheep? Did the Dermond children get along?
4. Any financial troubles or addiction in the background of ANY relatives, near or far?
If I got any elements wrong or others have insights please offer them, I'm not as in the details as many of you!
