Found Deceased GA - Bud, 69, & June Runion, 66, McRae, 22 Jan 2015 #2 *Arrest*

[True Crime Lover]

The property at 448 Webb Cemetery Rd., McRae, GA is actually subdivided into 2 real estate parcels. One parcel of approx 155 acres is owned currently by Ronnie Towns (father?) The smaller parcel of approx 4 acres was deeded to Ronnie and Swen [sic] Towns (parents?) in 1997 as a gift. This smaller parcel was then deeded from Ronnie and Swen [sic] Towns (parents?) to Ronnie Adrian Towns (suspect) in July 2002 as a sale type of "Kin" for $1,000. What is very interesting to me was that this smaller parcel was deeded from Ronnie Adrian Towns (suspect) to Ronnie Towns (father?) as a "Gift" (so no monetary value listed) on December 9, 2014. So the property that was deeded to the suspect 12 years earlier was transferred to his father ONLY ONE AND A HALF MONTHS before the murders occurred. Does this seem unusual? I wonder if the suspect needed money and his father agreed to help him if he deeded the property over? I think that the suspect was desperate for money.

 

[Tallula.Belle]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDmOhbbknEk

That report says he met them at a diner, then they followed him to "see the car". Interesting. Maybe meeting them at a diner was a way to gain their trust. Although I have not seen that (meeting at a diner) reported anywhere else.

Wow seems like he would have worried about being recognized. And I wonder how they found this out? Maybe they had told one of their daughters. It seems one talked to them that morning and then the other at 3:30. I have wondered if maybe they let her know they were there or almost there.

 

[jjenny]

At first I thought someone else had to be involved along with RT in this, but now I think RT did this all on his own. What do you all think?

Police haven't arrested or charged anyone else. So I think he came up with this "brilliant" plan all by himself.

 

[SweetPea60]

I may have missed it somewhere, but did LE ever say exactly HOW they linked the burner phone to Towns? I wouldn't think he'd buy it with a credit or debit card.

 

[Sonya610]

I would've yanked him out of his treehouse and threw him to the police if it were my son accused of such a serious crime and I found him hiding out like an escaped convict. JMO.

Yanked him out of the treehouse? First of all he was hiding in the woods, the dad had to find him.

Secondly the father KNEW this was a very volatile situation, Towns was likely still armed and might decide to kill himself OR the GBI officials. No parent wants to see their kid off themselves when they could stop it, and they surely didn't want more bloodshed (ie LE getting killed).

 

[musicaljoke]

... No parent wants to see their kid off themselves when they could stop it, and they surely didn't want more bloodshed (ie LE getting killed).

Honestly, I don't know what I would want my kid to do if I found out that he had murdered two lovely, innocent people. Would I try to stop him from taking his own life, or would I turn my back and let this all tragedy become history.

I simply do not know.

I can't imagine the turmoil felt by his father.

 

[Portabella]

BBM: If I were in her shoes, I'd probably be thinking... "What if I had called him and told him this older couple was looking for him about a car and he gave them the wrong directions? It might have given him reason to abandon the plan. He might have thought, 'Oh no! Mrs. So-and-so knows they're supposed to meet me!' and maybe he would have not bothered to show up at the designated spot... "

So many what-if's. The poor Runion daughters are probably thinking how they should have talked their dad out of dealing on Craigslist. The son-in-law's are probably thinking how they should have accompanied Bud and June. The Towns family is probably searching for possible warning signs that they missed.

Or if he was really determined and desperate, he may have killed her to tidy up loose ends....make it look like a robbery of the store. Who knows. IMHO

 

[*JMO*]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDmOhbbknEk

That report says he met them at a diner, then they followed him to "see the car". Interesting. Maybe meeting them at a diner was a way to gain their trust. Although I have not seen that (meeting at a diner) reported anywhere else.

That does not look like a legit media site to me. I would not put much stock in that reported diner meeting unless I read it on a MSM site. There have been a few other things posted here (like they were killed behind a store, or that RT had Bud's gun in his possession) that do not appear to be anything but unsubstantiated rumors.

 

[jadejazzkayla]

I may have missed it somewhere, but did LE ever say exactly HOW they linked the burner phone to Towns? I wouldn't think he'd buy it with a credit or debit card.

no. LE has not said what method they used to tie RT's phone number to him.

i'm assuming they got his phone number by looking at an online version of June and bud'do cell phone account - but as far as tying the cell phone number to RT himself -i'm guessing they called the number and he answered the phone and LE was able to get information from him that lead to his identity.

 

[jking]

I'm sure this was posted but I didn't see it yet.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2928834/Suspect-charged-murder-missing-Georgia-couple.html

The photos of the memorial in front of the Runion's home just pushed me over the edge. I am crying for this sweet couple that I have never met. This was such a devastating loss for so many.

Rest in Peace, Bud and June.

:rose:

 

[jadejazzkayla]

Honestly, I don't know what I would want my kid to do if I found out that he had murdered two lovely, innocent people. Would I try to stop him from taking his own life, or would I turn my back and let this all tragedy become history.

I simply do not know.

I can't imagine the turmoil felt by his father.

If my child was a suspected of this crime I would have done exactly what mr. t did-negotiate a time and place for the child to turn themselves in. IMO, it is safer for my child that way and it would give me time to hire an attorney.

 

[LietKynes]

After seeing pictures of his parents in the courtroom, and after watching them in the video, I think Ronnie Towns effectively killed them too.

Theirs is just gonna be a much slower death.

RSBM

When the 'thanks' button isn't enough. Thanks for the thoughtful post.

Just the sheer gruesomeness of what this young man has done (my opinion is that it was not 'allegedly', either) ; most of all to the Runion's, but also to his own family !!

I've never been in any situation like this, but I'd almost rather be the parent of a child who was murdered --- and not the parent of a child who committed the crime , just the shame alone would kill me.

:moo:

 

[mommylicious]

Man, watching that video of RT's family reminds me of some of my own uncles - hard working, matter of fact, farming types. RT's "trouble" could be anything from typical teenage mischief to more serious matters. Sister seems genuinely distraught and I don't read too much into them not being as close as they used to be - that could be for all sorts of non-nefarious reasons. Still trying to wrap my head around all of this. I can't help but think there's more to it than what we know now...

 

[GrilledCheezy]

Police haven't arrested or charged anyone else. So I think he came up with this "brilliant" plan all by himself.

Not sure if you're following the B* C*rt*r case out of Arkansas, but it took a month before LE had enough evidence to arrest the second murder suspect. They also said the guy they first arrested was their only suspect at that time.

 

[JDB]

RSBM

When the 'thanks' button isn't enough. Thanks for the thoughtful post.

Just the sheer gruesomeness of what this young man has done (my opinion is that it was not 'allegedly', either) ; most of all to the Runion's, but also to his own family !!

I've never been in any situation like this, but I'd almost rather be the parent of a child who was murdered --- and not the parent of a child who committed the crime , just the shame alone would kill me.

:moo:

Many years ago my step son got himself in trouble. And yes I did the exact same thing Mr Towns did. I took him to the police station.


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[jadejazzkayla]

RSBM

When the 'thanks' button isn't enough. Thanks for the thoughtful post.

Just the sheer gruesomeness of what this young man has done (my opinion is that it was not 'allegedly', either) ; most of all to the Runion's, but also to his own family !!

I've never been in any situation like this, but I'd almost rather be the parent of a child who was murdered --- and not the parent of a child who committed the crime , just the shame alone would kill me.

:moo:

perhaps if we were in mr. t's shoes we would give our child a chance to go to trial and not deem him or her convicted before a jury gets to deliberate.

 

[noseynellie]

Yanked him out of the treehouse? First of all he was hiding in the woods, the dad had to find him.

Secondly the father KNEW this was a very volatile situation, Towns was likely still armed and might decide to kill himself OR the GBI officials. No parent wants to see their kid off themselves when they could stop it, and they surely didn't want more bloodshed (ie LE getting killed).

I get what you are saying and can see your point. My immediate concern would have been helping to find the missing innocent people so can't relate to how he was handled with kid gloves and given extra time to collect himself when the victims' family where worrying themselves sick.

I'm sure it's tough to acknowledge a loved one is capable of harming someone but at that point, he wasn't charged with murder. They supposedly hadn't found the bodies. They were just missing. Time was of the essence. If it was my adult son hiding out w/ potential info that could save someone's life, I'd worry about his feelings later.
Treehouse/tree stand/tree/shrub whatever he was hiding behind/in while in the woods.


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[Tallula.Belle]

steelman, I was reading and nodding in agreement. Many years ago, my first car was one my Dad restored, and I was offered $35000 for it!! No I didn't sell it, in fact, my Dad has it back, and use to take it to car shows. But that we're talking 20yrs ago when I owned the car! I have no idea what the value of it would be now.

My ex husband was really into car restoration as well. We have been divorced many years but I know back in the day, even if cars were super nice that at the car shows, if there was any distance to drive they always brought them in on a trailer. Do y'all think Bud would have wanted to drive an almost 50 year old car back home, a three hour trip and by then it would have been dark. Just seems to me he would want to look at it and get it checked out.

 

[shefner]

Why on God's green earth would Jay buy a burner phone only to give the Runion's his real name and have them come to his home town? I mean good grief...obviously, they could have told their kids his name or the name of the meeting place. And then, in McRae, a place where lots of people knew Jay and his family, Jay could have been spotted carrying out this crime.
It makes zero sense to me.

 

[steelman]

Why on God's green earth would Jay buy a burner phone only to give the Runion's his real name and have them come to his home town? I mean good grief...obviously, they could have told their kids his name or the name of the meeting place. And then, in McRae, a place where lots of people knew Jay and his family, Jay could have been spotted carrying out this crime.
It makes zero sense to me.

Sorta' stupid, ain't it ?