GA GA - Shirley, 87, & Russell Dermond, 88, Putnam County, 2 May 2014 - # 1

[tlcya]

I cannot for the life of me figure out why she and the head would be gone and his body left behind.

All or nothing

Either cover up that a murder has occurred at all by taking the victims and murdering them elsewhere or kill them both there and simply leave the bodies.

Is it possible that the killer was in the process of trying to clean up/remove evidence (dead bodies) but they were interrupted or daylight came and they were unable to finish that process?

Also I am confused, how does Sills know or strongly suspect he was killed by gunshot to the head? He talks of no bullet holes in the garage and not being sure that is where the murder happened.

What if the beheading itself was the MOD?? As horrific as that is to type.

 

[Backwoods]

Generally, psychiatric problems are treated by an MD (psychiatrist), who has extensive experience in this field. A psychologist deals principally with emotional issues, not mental illness.

There are differences between sociopaths and psychopaths, too.

I am of the opinion this "doctor" has nothing to do with the Dermonds or this case.

BTW, has anyone found an obituary for their son, Mark?

A good many folks with "major" psychiatric problems see both a psychiatrist for medication management and another mental health professional for other types of therapy, IMO.

I've never found an obit for Mark. I noticed that he is not mentioned in Russell's obit -- no "preceded in death by a son" (or anyone, for that matter).

ETA: Sorry this fell so awkwardly, after others had answered/commented similarly -- I was reading farther behind in the thread than I thought!

 

[Cardinal47]

I think 'left by boat' is a red herring and I think Sills knows it too.

They wouldn't carry her that far so she would have to walk and if she walked her hormones would be working overtime due to the stress she was enduring at the time. If that had really been the case the dogs would have picked up her scent all the way down to the boat ramp. Evidently it wasn't because Sills seems to have no clue how they really left the area.

It makes much more sense to me that they had their own vehicle parked close to the garage and after murdering Russ they immediately made her step into their vehicle and then left with her right away and she was most likely put in the trunk. That is why there is no strong scent smell trailing down to the boat ramp. She wasn't ever led down there.IMO Her scent ended right at the house because she left there in a vehicle and not by boat.

Most criminals like this leave the scene with the victim and will discarded their remains in about a 20 mile radius from where they were abducted.

It is worse than looking for a needle in a haystack. They don't even know which haystack to start looking in.

Would this person take such a chance of their car being seen after committing such a heinous crime?

This seems an older community and if this happened in the morning there are the elderly walkers. Mr was a walker so some of his buddys might have been kind of looking for him and would notice a car in the driveway.

Plus older folks seem to observe walkers, strange cars and people they don't know in a gated community.

Perhaps it was done in the middle of the night...when nobody was around to see anything!

 

[tomkat]

Does anybody know how to post a map image? It is a pretty easy drive from Hilton Head, SC to Eatonton, GA.

someone mentioned tallapoosawas that ga or Al county but due east basically to eatonton,

pea ridge in eatonton to 441 to i 16 towards savannah then pretty much exit to ridgeland

then a little further south to bluffton

 

[Cardinal47]

I cannot for the life of me figure out why she and the head would be gone and his body left behind.

All or nothing

Either cover up that a murder has occurred at all by taking the victims and murdering them elsewhere or kill them both there and simply leave the bodies.

Is it possible that the killer was in the process of trying to clean up/remove evidence (dead bodies) but they were interrupted or daylight came and they were unable to finish that process?

Also I am confused, how does Sills know or strongly suspect he was killed by gunshot to the head? He talks of no bullet holes in the garage and not being sure that is where the murder happened.

What if the beheading itself was the MOD?? As horrific as that is to type.

To break the hearts of his children?

 

[Canaille]

I thought I read that the Saturday and Sunday papers were still in the driveway on Tuesday. What about the Monday edition? Or maybe they only received the paper on the weekends?

 

[gngr~snap]

I cannot for the life of me figure out why she and the head would be gone and his body left behind.

All or nothing

Either cover up that a murder has occurred at all by taking the victims and murdering them elsewhere or kill them both there and simply leave the bodies.

Is it possible that the killer was in the process of trying to clean up/remove evidence (dead bodies) but they were interrupted or daylight came and they were unable to finish that process?

Also I am confused, how does Sills know or strongly suspect he was killed by gunshot to the head? He talks of no bullet holes in the garage and not being sure that is where the murder happened.

What if the beheading itself was the MOD?? As horrific as that is to type.

Perp had a problem with
A: time
B: space (transport)
C: strength (one victim deceased
other still able to ambulate)

Head and one body missing TO ME could possibly mean 2 deaths... caused by Government issued weapon/ ammunition that would be immediately apparent.
We heard that head was removed by one or two cuts. IMO that's a sword and much faster than having to bury an additional body.
It was probably all planned out ahead of time and the scene has us asking questions because it was meant to confuse and upset folks.
****I am not blaming local LE....
it could be military etc...
Who knows at this point.
Moo

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk

 

[Canaille]

I cannot for the life of me figure out why she and the head would be gone and his body left behind.

All or nothing

Either cover up that a murder has occurred at all by taking the victims and murdering them elsewhere or kill them both there and simply leave the bodies.

Is it possible that the killer was in the process of trying to clean up/remove evidence (dead bodies) but they were interrupted or daylight came and they were unable to finish that process?

Also I am confused, how does Sills know or strongly suspect he was killed by gunshot to the head? He talks of no bullet holes in the garage and not being sure that is where the murder happened.

What if the beheading itself was the MOD?? As horrific as that is to type.

I think Sills stated that RD was deceased before he was beheaded. I would suspect the coroner could tell.

 

[Plumeria5]

They were probably more like dorm pants. Heck I not only see the elderly going down the driveway to their mailbox to get their mail in their dorm pants (PJs), but I see young men doing it as well. As long as they are covered up I don't think people think it is a big deal anymore.

I find it more interesting that he opened his door still in his robe. This tells me he may have already gone to bed when awoken in the middle of the night by the door bell or banging on the door. The person could have said they were having car trouble or told him they needed his help. Unfortunately, I think the Dermonds felt extremely safe in their community. They had lived there for many years and were never harmed. So I think they would open the door to anyone whether it was a stranger wanting help or someone they knew well. That is all it would take. Then there would be no forced entry.

What alarms me more is the blogger who told all this also knew the decapitation was a clean cut. How would they know such intimate details? I don't think even the neighbor that found him would be casually standing there sizing up the decapitation wound. It just seems very odd to me.:scared:

While most nurses and doctors pick this profession to help others it isn't unheard of for some to commit crimes. Several doctors have been accused of serious crimes including murders and even rapes. Like in all professions there are very good ones and then a few bad apples thrown in the mix. So if it was a neat clean cut the person doing the decapitating could be in the medical field. If the cut had been jagged/uneven and had a sawing motion then this would show they didn't have any knowledge of the human body to separate the head from the torso. I suppose they could have also had experience as a meat cutter or perhaps a deer hunter as well.

I bet the FBI is thinking the way the decapitation was done gives them a glimpse into who this suspect may be in general.

IMO

What blogger?

 

[gngr~snap]

Military can kill quickly and easily, perhaps a broken neck? Sleeper hold?
No ammo at all?
I wonder if that method is readily apparent to a medical examiner.
Moo

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk

 

[Bootsctr]

aprrox 3 hours to ridgeland from eatonton, then 30 minutes to bluffton from ridgeland

serial killer? this is also too coincidental, he's moving south it seems

I hope LE catches him before he comes any further south! This case and the ones that seem related are creeping me out! lease: If he is someone like Keyes he's comfortable in woods and surviving on very little. Former military perhaps and maybe recently discharged.

 

[CHERIE.T]

I wonder how would they know it was accidental?
How would they know that someone didn't push her into the water or hold her down?
Maybe VS died of a stroke or heart attack so that's how they could tell it was accidental, perhaps??
IMOO.

I also keep asking myself that question..how does LE know she wasn't pushed?

Dang neither of these cases make any sense to me.
A woman possibly falls off a dock.
An elderly man is beheaded...body found at home but the head is missing.
The elderly wife is missing. WHY?

 

[Bootsctr]

Would this person take such a chance of their car being seen after committing such a heinous crime?

This seems an older community and if this happened in the morning there are the elderly walkers. Mr was a walker so some of his buddys might have been kind of looking for him and would notice a car in the driveway.

Plus older folks seem to observe walkers, strange cars and people they don't know in a gated community.

Perhaps it was done in the middle of the night...when nobody was around to see anything!

I think he put her in the trunk. I think there were so many people coming in and out of this community that strange cars went unnoticed. This area is very isolated. From what I understand the Dermond's house was 15 miles from the Entry Gate with the guard. I think it happened when Mr. Dermond went out to get the newspaper. The perp knew he had time. He possibly had watched them. Mr. Dermond may have caught his attention on his daily outings. Or Shirley could have been the target and she caught his eye in her comings and goings. I do think this community was desensitized to strange vehicles and people they did not know.

 

[Eileen730]

I think it could go either way. Someone they knew perhaps inside their own community or opened the door to a stranger who told them they needed assistance with something.

I think they both felt very safe there but I do think they were caught off guard whether it was a stranger or someone they knew. Neither one had a clue this was going to happen no matter who the perp is. IMO

I don't think they had to enter the home because I feel Russ came out into the garage after opening the door and if Shirley heard him scream even a muffled scream she would have rushed out to see what was happening to him. Then the murderer would have them both in the garage.

Takes the head and Shirley to terrorize the entire community. Sociopaths love to shock people and feel the power they have when they know they can frighten others and gives them sleepless nights. It is part of the thrill they feel. Power and domination over other lives. This way he not only murderers the Dermonds but he knows he has the entire community scared to death like puppets on a string. I bet he is loving every moment of this.

As I read this crime Its Personal!
Has nothing to do with community!
JMO

 

[Destini]

http://www.macon.com/2014/05/13/3096235/new-search-coming-in-putnam-slaying.html

A couple of excerpts from today's article:

As the hunt for a decapitation killer and potential kidnapper entered its second week, authorities were planning a Wednesday combing of wooded, vacant lots in an exclusive Lake Oconee subdivision

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2014/05/13/3096235/new-search-coming-in-putnam-slaying.html#storylink=cpy​

************

Putnam Sheriff Howard Sills said Tuesday that deputies continued talking to locals who may have known the retired couple.
“We have gathered a tremendous amount of forensic evidence, and we continue to,” he said

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2014/05/13/3096235/new-search-coming-in-putnam-slaying.html#storylink=cpy​

 

[Eileen730]

I think he put her in the trunk. I think there were so many people coming in and out of this community that strange cars went unnoticed. This area is very isolated. From what I understand the Dermond's house was 15 miles from the Entry Gate with the guard. I think it happened when Mr. Dermond went out to get the newspaper. The perp knew he had time. He possibly had watched them. Mr. Dermond may have caught his attention on his daily outings. Or Shirley could have been the target and she caught his eye in her comings and goings. I do think this community was desensitized to strange vehicles and people they did not know.

U can also get there by boat!
motor boat row boat , this way no car is seen.

 

[Bethanthony]

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com..._1_leesburg-police-maj-leesburg-mom-apartment

Another elderly woman missing as of Apr. 28. For those not familiar with Leesburg, The Villages are right there. A huge upscale retirement town, not just a community. Like RP, it has it's own restaurants, bars, groceries and schools.

Positively frightening. Only hours from the others.

 

[Bootsctr]

Military can kill quickly and easily, perhaps a broken neck? Sleeper hold?
No ammo at all?
I wonder if that method is readily apparent to a medical examiner.
Moo

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk

I'm thinking like you. I feel the ME has completed the autopsy on the body. It will never be complete without the head. I think Sheriff Sills is being honest about the decapitation being post-mortem and if the COD was being shot in the chest I don't think LE will release that. I think Mr. D's death was from being shot in the head or a broken neck or being struck on the head with an object (bat, golf club, hammer). No mention of blood splatter so perhaps Mr. D was killed at another location and they brought Mr. D's body and Mrs. D's stuff back to the house. ?

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Would this person take such a chance of their car being seen after committing such a heinous crime?

This seems an older community and if this happened in the morning there are the elderly walkers. Mr was a walker so some of his buddys might have been kind of looking for him and would notice a car in the driveway.

Plus older folks seem to observe walkers, strange cars and people they don't know in a gated community.

Perhaps it was done in the middle of the night...when nobody was around to see anything!

Murderers by definition are very high risk takers anyway. Look at those who are so brazen that they grab a child or an adult right off the street in broad daylight and no one sees or hears a thing? It happens over and over again. There again, I think the titillation of evading everyone is part of the thrill besides the murder(s) themselves.

I think this was done in the dead of night. All he had to do is wait for the lights in the houses around the Dermonds to go out.

Let me ask you this. Most security guards will make their rounds on a golf cart to make sure everything looks ok. Do you know if this subdivision did the same as most?

If so, if the perp lived there he would know the guard's routine. He would be able to leave, and not be seen by anyone, and if they saw him coming back in later on. then that wouldn't be seen as unusual at all. They would just think they were coming back home.

IMO

 

[CHERIE.T]

anyone see this article??

http://thesop.org/story/20140513/when-and-why-did-russell-and-shirley-dermond-leave-new-jersey.html

Isn't this a personal opinion piece like an editorial instead of a news report?