GA GA - Shirley, 87, & Russell Dermond, 88, Putnam County, 2 May 2014 - # 4

[Foxfire]

I have thought about this a lot. The Dermonds seemed quite social and active, especially for their age, I mean they moved into their current large home in their early or mid 70's while most people that age are downsizing, and president of the bridge club, and an avid walker, socializing at parties. Even so, they were in their late 80's so I would be very surprised if their neighbors and friends didn't get concerned when they didn't show for the party. I mean, if Mrs. Dermond had slipped and fell on some water in the bathroom or kitchen and then Mr. Dermond heard her cry out and he came running to help, then he fell, they both could have been lying there for days and died. But even moreso, I wonder if family members had tried to call. I even wondered if a family member called the neighbors when they didn't hear anything. I wonder how often the children and grandchildren talked to the Dermonds. Of course, they probably would have called security or even the police to do a welfare check if they were concerned.

Curious-Cat, I live in a self contained gated community in north GA, that is very similar to RP/GW but mountainous, and with many retirees. Seems that the 80s are the new 60s. Folks move here for privacy, fire/security, amenities/clubs, safety, and many other reasons. Folks respect other people's privacy. Remember the residents of RP/GW have never experienced a horrific crime like this before in their perceived virtually crime free community..

With that said, there has been many abductions that we have followed in the past where the perps either sent a text or forced the compliant victim to call a friend or next of kin, leave a message on their voice mail, etc., to establish an explanation for their absence.. The Megan Sharpton(07/2012-TN) abduction/rape/murder is just one example of where this ruse was used.

Although we have received more investigative info in this case than most. Sheriff Sills, may have decided to keep this as hold back info, close to the vest..

Megan Sharpton - Websleuths
TN - Burning Body of Erika Megan Sharpton Found Along Road, Tullahoma - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

 

[Bootsctr]

hdear: I need a :chillpill: (aka Xanax) and a shot of tequila with lime and salt please. :scared:

 

[Xara]

:thud: I am thinking at least 3 ut em up: ut em up: ut em up: :nerves:
:runaway:

I am just having a hard time imagining what on earth the reason could be for that many people to conspire against them.

I mean the only thing that makes sense would be some sort of financial gain, but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

This whole thing is just baffling to me.

 

[Bootsctr]

Curious-Cat, I live in a self contained gated community in north GA, that is very similar to RP/GW but mountainous, and with many retirees. Seems that the 80s are the new 60s. Folks move here for privacy, fire/security, amenities/clubs, safety, and many other reasons. Folks respect other people's privacy. Remember the residents of RP/GW have never experienced a horrific crime like this before in their perceived virtually crime free community..

With that said, there has been many abductions that we have followed in the past where the perps either sent a text or forced the compliant victim to call a friend or next of kin, leave a message on their voice mail, etc., to establish an explanation for their absence.. The Megan Sharpton(07/2012-TN) abduction/rape/murder is just one example of where this ruse was used.

Although we have received more investigative info in this case than most. Sheriff Sills, may have decided to keep this as hold back info, close to the vest..

I was thinking.... maybe the perp was the one who RSVP'd for the party thinking it would draw more suspicion if the Dermonds didn't RSVP than not showing after RSVPing. I don't know. :chillout:anic:hone::beersign::eat::frown: Help! lease:

 

[Curious-Cat]

Curious-Cat, I live in a self contained gated community in north GA, that is very similar to RP/GW but mountainous, and with many retirees. Seems that the 80s are the new 60s. Folks move here for privacy, fire/security, amenities/clubs, safety, and many other reasons. Folks respect other people's privacy. Remember the residents of RP/GW have never experienced a horrific crime like this before in their perceived virtually crime free community..

With that said, there has been many abductions that we have followed in the past where the perps either sent a text or forced the compliant victim to call a friend or next of kin, leave a message on their voice mail, etc., to establish an explanation for their absence.. The Megan Sharpton(07/2012-TN) abduction/rape/murder is just one example of where this ruse was used.

Although we have received more investigative info in this case than most. Sheriff Sills, may have decided to keep this as hold back info, close to the vest..

Well, yes, I agree, Foxfire. The Dermonds may have expressed to someone that they might not go to the party or were thinking of going out of town, or known ailments acting up. There's any number of reasons why friends and neighbors may not have suspected anything.

I think having each other probably gave people a reason to believe that the Dermonds were ok. What were the odds of them both dying around the same time?

 

[Curious-Cat]

:thud: I am thinking at least 3 ut em up: ut em up: ut em up: :nerves:
:runaway:

P.S.: I said 3 perps earlier. Does anybody think I'm on the suspect list?

3 or more makes me think of younger people, even a cult. IMO

 

[epiphany]

Also interesting from that link, Sills stated that there might have even been 3 or 4 people involved!

Since it's not organized crime, not a cult nor a cartel, what group of adults would even think about bringing this number of individuals together to pull off a double homicide which incl decapitation? Even if each member of the group of 3 or 4 were assigned a position and task...the scene did not dissolve into mayhem?

Since Sills has indicated the murders were planned and show a level of organization, what group of adults would be that committed to each other to believe absolute silence and trust would be honored? It's hard to believe that 3 or 4 adults would take this risk.

On the other hand, a group of younger people might foolishly believe such a code of silence would be honored...yet no mayhem?

More individuals involved, well perhaps more of a chance there was or will be a slip-up.

 

[Foxfire]

3 or more makes me think of younger people, even a cult. IMO

Not a cult, but likely 20s to 30s, with the commonality being a Methamphetamine/Molly connection imo..

From past abduction/murder cases where state, local, and federal LE agencies were united in an investigation. Many other undetected crimes and criminals in the communities were revealed.. In the Baton Rouge, LA, DTL; Derrick Todd Lee, serial killer investigation, another unknown active serial killer came to light; Gaddis...

Many unknown crimes, violent criminals, and criminal enterprises, etc., will likely come to light in this case, imo..

 

[JaimeSommers]

Speculating here, but I wonder if any neighbors have teenagers or young adult kids with drug problems, who might have been looking for money and thought they had an easy mark with the Dermonds.

 

[Jo in Calif]

Speculating here, but I wonder if any neighbors have teenagers or young adult kids with drug problems, who might have been looking for money and thought they had an easy mark with the Dermonds.

I would think if that were the case the house would have been in shambles from them looking for money.

 

[Bootsctr]

Speculating here, but I wonder if any neighbors have teenagers or young adult kids with drug problems, who might have been looking for money and thought they had an easy mark with the Dermonds.

Money had to be the motive. The Dermonds did not have a debit card so taking them to an ATM for cash withdrawal was out. They might have canceled all their other credit cards after unauthorized purchases so no way to get cash from those cards. Perps figured they might have kept a large cash stash in the house in a safe. They try to force Mr. Dermond to give up the combination. I doubt Mr. Dermond would ever do that so that's when they killed him and thought they could get the combination out of Mrs. Dermond, but she was so frightened after witnessing Mr. Dermond's death that the perps were even more angered and killed her too.

 

[JaimeSommers]

I would think if that were the case the house would have been in shambles from them looking for money.

Not necessarily. If they went in looking for an ATM card, they wouldn't have known that the couple didn't have one. Ditto for credit cards, if they had canceled them.

 

[tomkat]

This is gross but would there be an odor of decomp that lead him to the garage? And I think it is a good possibility the door from the garage to the house was open. jmo

OMG< YES, probably so ! It was 3-4 days after the murder, good gracious, he must've been mortified if he smelled something first

and the garage was shut, probably hotter in there than outside, with no breeze

WEll my initial thinking was how the perp entered and exited, thinking the door may ahve been open from kitchen to garage, most garages are off the kitchen or a hall by kitchen

You are probably right about that though

 

[Jo in Calif]

Money had to be the motive. The Dermonds did not have a debit card so taking them to an ATM for cash withdrawal was out. They might have canceled all their other credit cards after unauthorized purchases so no way to get cash from those cards. Perps figured they might have kept a large cash stash in the house in a safe. They try to force Mr. Dermond to give up the combination. I doubt Mr. Dermond would ever do that so that's when they killed him and thought they could get the combination out of Mrs. Dermond, but she was so frightened after witnessing Mr. Dermond's death that the perps were even more angered and killed her too.

So do you think this all went down in the house?

 

[tomkat]

To get from the Dermond's house to the place on the lake where her body was recovered would take an hour or more. Going through two security gates. Traveling miles and miles down a very rough woods road that I seriously doubt anybody but about 100 people could find.

By boat, it would be as little as 10 or 15 minutes, depending on what kind of boat.

Thanks,

And it was on the other side of the lake from the Dermonds, not on their side of the lake, correct?

 

[lesterfinch]

Money had to be the motive. The Dermonds did not have a debit card so taking them to an ATM for cash withdrawal was out. They might have canceled all their other credit cards after unauthorized purchases so no way to get cash from those cards. Perps figured they might have kept a large cash stash in the house in a safe. They try to force Mr. Dermond to give up the combination. I doubt Mr. Dermond would ever do that so that's when they killed him and thought they could get the combination out of Mrs. Dermond, but she was so frightened after witnessing Mr. Dermond's death that the perps were even more angered and killed her too.

I get the feeling you're dead on. This case popped into my mind. Money has to be the motive. The only logical explanation for 2-4 perps and the bizarre circumstances.

http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/classics/byrd_and_melanie_billings/1.html

 

[JaimeSommers]

Money had to be the motive. The Dermonds did not have a debit card so taking them to an ATM for cash withdrawal was out. They might have canceled all their other credit cards after unauthorized purchases so no way to get cash from those cards. Perps figured they might have kept a large cash stash in the house in a safe. They try to force Mr. Dermond to give up the combination. I doubt Mr. Dermond would ever do that so that's when they killed him and thought they could get the combination out of Mrs. Dermond, but she was so frightened after witnessing Mr. Dermond's death that the perps were even more angered and killed her too.

BBM ... I don't understand how the neighbors' kids in my example would know that the Dermonds didn't have an ATM card or that they might have cut up their cards, as you speculate. It's not like that's information they'd put in the neighborhood newsletter, imo.

 

[Razz]

I'm wondering about the layout of the house. I suspect (but do not know for certain)
that the garage, kitchen ,living room and master were on the top level (the road level.
Bedrooms downstairs for company and grandchildren.Maybe a pool table and bar. I'm not
too elderly yet but I'd hate living on 2 levels. Too many stairs. Especially for
the 80 year old Dermonds. I wonder where Shirley was confronted. I still feel Russ
may have gone out front to get the paper on Saturday morn. He's hit from behind outside the garage.and
because he left the front open, the perps go through the front and into the garage whete they raised the door and dragged Mr. D. in. Mrs. D maynot have suspected anything at that point as I think
Jmo that it happened quickly.
door that was momentarily unlocked and dragged

 

[eddie willers]

The tax record sketch shows the garage attached to the front of the house with a front entrance.

Just how accurate are these tax sketches?

The reason I ask is that I went to quite a few RP & GW homes and they all had detached garages.

If the Dermonds changed their minds, would someone go back and change the sketch?

 

[Carolinapeach]

Not sure why it says case...

Son of murdered Putnam Co. couple said case turned over

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/son-murdered-putnam-co-couple-said-case-turned-ove/nf5r8/

http://www.wsbtv.com/videos/news/update-home-of-murdered-lake-oconee-couple/vCbtBP/