As a Pulliam Fellowship recipient in 1991, Joe worked for the Indianapolis News. "What we need more than anything is for someone to call us and tell us who is responsible for this savagery," he said Friday. The Dermonds went on to move into Great Waters Reynolds at Lake Oconee, a gated community located about twelve miles northeast of Eatonton. Dimos also confided in his new friend about his poor health. [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. But a possible lead unearthed in recent months by Putnam County sheriffs investigators working in conjunction with the FBI has detectives somewhat optimistic about a chance to finally zero in on a suspect. To contact writer Joe Kovac Jr., call 744-4397. Arora does not know what compelled his client to lie. [2], Russell was last seen alive on May 1, 2014, as he was running errands in Eatonton. The decapitated body of Russell Dermond (age 88) was found on May 6, 2014, in the garage of the house he owned on Lake Oconee. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. [1], Russell Joseph Dermond, a native of Hackensack, New Jersey, served in the United States Navy during World War II. Shirleys phone and purse were still in the house. They dont even know how he was murdered, because we dont have his head, a frustrated Brad said about his fathers brutal death. Their front door was unlocked. The biggest roadblock is motive. There have, since early in the probe, been developments or findings not shared publicly that, in the event of an arrest, could prove useful in convicting the killer or killers. 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. 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. FBI evidence giving investigators new hope in Lake Oconee murder case of elderly couple. A look at the Dermond's home on Lake Oconee in May 2014. After several years in the fast food industry, in which Russell owned several Hardees restaurants in Atlanta, he retired in 1994. 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.. He has reached out to the FBI to help comb through that evidence. [4] Although the perpetrator(s) and motive remain unknown, Putnam County sheriff Howard Sills has said he is convinced that multiple people were involved. We got the call from my brother-in law, and he was a total mess. He became the face of an unsolved crime that fascinated viewers and newspaper readers across the region. Both were active members of the Oconee Community Church. [3] The neighbor found the door unlocked and entered the house. Deputies believed she might have been abducted and were extremely concerned for her safety. The Dermonds leave behind a daughter, two sons and nine grandchildren. Menu. Submitted photo In 2014, Russell and Shirley Dermond were the victims of a brutal Lake Oconee murder that shocked the country. Russell Dermonds head has never been found. The decapitated body of Russell Dermond (age And when the crime scene, in all likelihood, was a $769,000 lake house. "It's been eight years, I'm sorry," he said. The body of Shirley Dermond was found weighed down in Lake Oconee on May 16, 2014. Brad Dermond, center, with his parents at his wedding. "I don't want to create the impression that I have acquired some silver bullet, but this is yet another tool we are using to find out who perpetrated these heinous crimes.". From the street or the water, even in early spring, seeing anything distressing happening inside would have been all but impossible. 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. I try to keep the blinders off, because I dont want to get tunnel vision on any one person or any one theory. If you have a tip or story idea, email her at jnoll@11Alive.com or call, text at (404) 664-3634. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. But the thing is, a lot of the times serial killers are very hard to catch. Im not making excuses for the work Ive done. Haufler will return to court in two weeks for a preliminary hearing. Might the slayings be the work of burglars the Dermonds walked in on? Each of the Dermonds surviving children were interviewed by deputies about the case. Search continues for person who decapitated elderly man at Lake Oconee home Richard Elliot reports. Russell and Shirley Dermond were last seen alive on May 1, 2014, while running errands. 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 A look at the Dermond's home on Lake Oconee in May 2014. And, hes left at a loss all over againperplexed, because his parents, he said, had no dark side or secrets that would have resulted in their murders. But, he is convinced more than one person was involved. The unsolved double murder on Lake Oconee is one of the most unusual and horrifying in Georgia crime annals. But upon checking the house again days later, neighbors found one of them brutally slain in the garage, and the When Russells body was found in the couples garage, his finger had a severe wound, Sills said. Three days passed with no excuse, no apology, and no signs of activity at the Dermond home. 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. His stories have appeared in the Washington Post, the Seattle Times and Atlanta Magazine. In May 2014, Shirley and Russell Dermond were killed. WebThe unsolved murders of Shirley and Russell Dermond remain an ongoing and active investigation. Mauldin, the prosecutor, said the states case against him will be much clearer then. 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.. s 3,200-square-foot-home. The Dermonds were expected to attend a party for the 2014 Kentucky Derby the following weekend with their neighbors, who grew concerned when the couple did not show up. REAL LIFE Their favorite time was to spend time with the family and grandkids, Brad said about his parents, who were both only children, themselves. Russell was a thoughtful businessman, disciplinarian and Brads favorite golfing partner, according to their son. Her husband was impressed with the handmade knife Dimos had given him while visiting in June. The FBI is investigating the new data. Shed gone to her duplicate bridge club meeting in Eatonton the Thursday before her death. Channel 2 investigative They had a huge retirement house overlooking a beautiful lake in Georgia. He has passed up vacations, worked weekends and spent countless hours late at night trying to unearth a thread that leads to a suspect. 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. WebOn May 16, two fishermen on Lake Oconee found her body near a dam, nearly five miles away from the house. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. They were lovely people from all I know. But what led the two men to fight in the first place? Progress, gradual as it may be, has been made. There were no intruders, and after initially telling investigators he didnt know Dimos, Haufler eventually came clean. And since that demand could not be satisfied, both she and her husband were killed. The FBI was called in. Its security cameras had been knocked out by a storm in the weeks before the killings and were of no use to the authorities. Murder or self-defense? After working in the fast food industry, including owning several Hardee's locations in Atlanta, Russell retired in 1994. And thats the information were looking for.. This story was originally published May 2, 2015, 8:37 PM. "The technology we are using was not in existence back in 2014," Sills said in a statement. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. So the neighbors, a few days later, went to check on them. Heres a list of the homicides in Macon in 2023. Somebodys out there and theyre living in Hell. 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. They spent their days playing golf, writing, going on walks, and spending time with their friends and family. For a decade and a half, from about the turn of the century on, the Dermonds had called Lake Oconee home. But when the worst happens in the seemingly best of places, folks cannot help but wonder why or how. Before that, he spent most of his working years as an executive for a New York-area clock company. Weighed down by a pair of 30-pound concrete blocks, her corpse bloated and surfaced facedown in 46 feet of water. WebChad Haufler, 45, is charged with murder after a shooting inside a home on Lake Oconee. Russ Dermond. Other friends testified theyd be willing to do the same. WebA few days ago, Howard Sills, Putnam Countys plain-spoken, sometimes-philosophical sheriff, rose from bed at 5:38 a.m., bedeviled yet again by crimes as confounding and And now, thats my gut feeling, and do I have any evidence to support that no. For the first time, Channel 2 Action News spoke with the Dermonds son, Brad. As the year progressed, the trail leading to those responsible grew cold. Timeline | Multiple rounds of strong to severe storms possible, Woman convicted in husband's murder after stabbing him with butcher knife, Douglas County prosecutors say, Douglas County jury convicts woman in husband's stabbing death, Forecast | Shower and storms increase to finish the week. Oldest son Chad is now a sheriffs deputy in Florida. What played out over the next month would leave more questions than answers in their usually sleepy neighborhood. Thursday marked 8-years since someone killed Shirley and Russell Dermond at their Lake Oconee home. Jessica Noll is a multimedia journalist, who focuses on in-depth, investigative crime/justice reports for 11Alive's digital platforms. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Perhaps, Sills says, but the usual things a burglar might steal -- televisions, jewelry, electronics -- were apparently not taken. Despite that, Im confident in our case, he said. Almost eight years after Russell Dermond was found dead, the Putnam County sheriff said there's new evidence to consider. 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. 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. Dermond might have been taken and held against her will until some sort of demand was made. 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. We looked back over some of the crime scene photographs and talked about a lot of things during our meeting, Sills said. Investigators said they believe the towels were put down around the decapitated body to keep the blood from seeping out under the garage door. It was the last time she was seen alive. Investigators believe they were searching for multiple suspects and the motive was robbery, but nothing appears to have been taken. It was also believed the head was not taken as a trophy. 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. Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said its a case he still thinks about every day, now eight years later. Over a week later, Shirley's body was discovered floating in Lake Oconee, her body having been weighted down with concrete blocks. 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? Hundreds of people were interviewed but investigators came up short. They went on to have four children and nine grandchildren. Henry also had a hand in the 1997 murder-for-hire probe that sent Kelly Gissendaner to death row for arranging the stabbing death of her husband. Sills has chased down leads across the country, but still nothing to solve the case. WebThe Lake Oconee Murders (Podcast Episode 2020) photos, including production stills, premiere photos and other event photos, publicity photos, behind-the-scenes, and more. Another neighborhood woman described the circumstances of the case as horrible., Were sad, said the woman, 74. Especially when someone was decapitated, the whereabouts of his head unknown. 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 case remains as much a mystery today and is it did when the crimes first happened. Later that evening, before dinner, Brad spoke to his parents on the phone. Sills believes that Dermond was decapitated after he was murdered in an attempt to hide evidence, such as a gunshot wound and bullet. 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. As of 2022, the murders remain unsolved and Russell's head has not been found. Some have suggested professional hit men as the culprits. 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. Now part of the challenge is that we live with unanswered questions.. 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. 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. Yet they have all, not unlike the villain whose misdeeds provoked them, faded into oblivion for the time being. 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. The husband who found Russ slain can be heard on the recorded line in the background searching the house in vain -- apparently for Shirley. It was on May 6, 2014, that the same neighbor walked up to the Dermonds front door, found it unlocked, walked in to investigate, and made a gruesome discovery inside the garage. 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