GA GA - Shirley, 87, & Russell Dermond, 88, Putnam County, 2 May 2014 - # 7

[epiphany]

Do you think they hung out overnight just thinking of what to do? Finally decided to take Mr. Dermond's head because of the bullet? It would be great if LE could find Mr. Dermond's head.

No, hung out demanding to know where the safe was, Whaat, no debit card either? Whaat no safe? Whaat u can't transfer funds via the computer? I don't know, but u get the drift.

Now they're steamed. Watch what happens with Mrs. D: now, you'll cooperate. To the head.

Hung out to give Mr D a chance to turn it over-the cash, where's t safe, do it through t computer, hand over t debit card, etc. Whichever. Then: nada.

Clean up time.

 

[Bootsctr]

Still hung up on one (two at most) perp who did not go there with a plan to kill them but did so out of self pereservation.

Still believe Russell was killed in or near the garage and Shirley I feel died on the boat.

Still not convinced anyone opened a door for anyone

This not a professional. This is someone who bungled big time and had to think on the fly. Thus far he has been lucky, but his luck is about to run out.

I think Shirley was killed on the boat too. They didn't plan on killing them, but they were definitely bungled. I think his luck is running out too.

 

[tlcya]

the head. That is the thing that just will not make sense. I really do not think a gun was the weapon that killed him so why take that head? unless as some have suggested, He got a bite on his attacker.

 

[Bootsctr]

No, hung out demanding to know where the safe was, Whaat, no debit card either? Whaat no safe? Whaat u can't transfer funds via the computer. I don't know, but u get the drift.

Now they're steamed. Watch what happens with Mrs. D: now, you'll cooperate.

Hung out to give Mr D a chance to turn it over cash, where's t safe, do it through t computer, hand over t debit card, etc. Whichever. Then: nada.

Clean up time.

Yes, they were pizzed about no cash, no debit card - really made them mad. OBE said she thought Mrs. D may have been struck multiple times in the head. I concur if the perp was so angry for not being able to get the information he thought would be so easy to get from two elderly people. He's not very smart.

 

[Hickory Born]

Still hung up on one (two at most) perp who did not go there with a plan to kill them but did so out of self pereservation.

Still believe Russell was killed in or near the garage and Shirley I feel died on the boat.

Still not convinced anyone opened a door for anyone

This not a professional. This is someone who bungled big time and had to think on the fly. Thus far he has been lucky, but his luck is about to run out.

If perp wasn't planning on killing them, did he bring a gun with him? Many of us think Mr D was shot in the head...where did perp get the gun?

 

[JustyThoughts]

Maybe it is just me, but I do not see how the perps could have cleaned the house and Sills said they found hundreds of fingerprints. This says that no cleaning was done by the perps, and the neat house was just the way the D's lived. JMO
Of course, smart perps would wear gloves!

In my opinion you have a good point 1&2&3. My thought on that is - the perp/(s) did not go into the house (proper) to rummage and plunder. Never has LE indicated any signs of a struggle, items taken, or indicators the house was rummaged. The "hundreds of prints" could be more a case of normal household prints (esp since family recently visited) than possibly a perp's prints. On the other hand.... the garage or dock or other things could have perp print/s.

 

[epiphany]

Yes, they were pizzed about no cash, no debit card - really made them mad. OBE said she thought Mrs. D may have been struck multiple times in the head. I concur if the perp was so angry for not being able to get the information he thought would be so easy to get from two elderly people. He's not very smart.

BBM^

hahaha I say he is!

But that doesn't mean he may not get caught.

 

[Bootsctr]

BBM^

hahaha I say he is!

But that doesn't mean he may not get caught.

I'll rephrase - he's not as smart as he thinks he is.

1. We are looking for at least 1 perp, probably 2 (Sills thinks 2).

2. He's a hunter. Perhaps a butcher. Perhaps works at the deer-processing facility that is close by. That's a seasonal job. Wouldn't have work now if that is how he made his living. Knows how to dress out a deer, or other large animal (per Sills). Knows how to wield a knife.

3. He knows Lake Oconee. Knew where to put Mrs. D's body - either weighted or not weighted. If not weighted, he figured the underwater tree limbs and brush would keep her down, or it was a very unfamiliar area that no one would venture because of damaging your boat. She fooled him because she rose to the surface. So he wasn't that smart by putting her in the lake - JMO

4. Probably a weekender or a squatter at Lake Oconee. Somewhat familiar with the Dermonds - just knew who they were, where they lived and they were LOADED.

5. Perhaps some LE knowledge because he knew that by getting rid of Mrs. Dermond's body that would slow the investigation down.

6. Knew that not having Mr. D's head would slow the investigation too.

7. Two different weapons to kill the Dermonds. We know Mrs. Dermond died of Blunt Force Trauma. Mr. D ???? also Blunt Force Trauma???? but with different weapon. Gun?????

 

[JustyThoughts]

still thinking daytime but not sure on early friday evening or saturday afternoon.

I am thinking LE has evidence (I'll call it a best guess), yet to be shared with public, on a more specific time of the murders. My opinion only.... LE knows what they were wearing; if alarm was set/unset and the times; kitchen condition/trash/stomach contents that point to last meal; if internet was accessed and when; any calls on answering machine and times; and so on. All those points of evidence would narrow the time to a supported best guess of the "attack".

 

[Bootsctr]

If perp wasn't planning on killing them, did he bring a gun with him? Many of us think Mr D was shot in the head...where did perp get the gun?

Maybe Mr. D kept a gun in his garage? Maybe he had one in the glove box of his vehicle or under the seat. He may have gone for the gun and that's when a struggle ensued.

 

[Happyshoes]

It's lighter these days, so could have been just as dark was descending. Could have been a quiet murder, IMO. Or at least even if it was heated, it wasn't overheard. Got ugly. ??

 

[epiphany]

I don't think they hung out in the house overnight...way too risky. Plus if they did live on the property at GW, they probably live with someone else and they would need to explain where they had been all night. Eatonton closes up at 9pm...you might find a convenience store open a little later.

BBM

May be where the reward money comes in and was hoped to help.

 

[Happyshoes]

I don't think guns were involved at all. Somebody had an oar or bat, then kept a machete in his boat...got that, thinking he would "make it all go away", but couldn't lift Mr. D after the beheading, and he (or someone with him) suggests they take the head and Mrs. D to hide evidence. However, I wouldn't be surprised if the head is found with the perp/idiot/fool/asshat/ b/c he's - GUESS WHAT: CRAZY!

 

[Bootsctr]

I am thinking LE has evidence (I'll call it a best guess), yet to be shared with public, on a more specific time of the murders. My opinion only.... LE knows what they were wearing; if alarm was set/unset and the times; kitchen condition/trash/stomach contents that point to last meal; if internet was accessed and when; any calls on answering machine and times; and so on. All those points of evidence would narrow the time to a supported best guess of the "attack".

I agree because the dates on the Dermonds' obits is not jiving with when I think they were killed. The 6th was the Tuesday Mr. D was found. I can't imagine they were kept alive that whole time, but never say never right?

marking my spot....... :banghead:

 

[Happyshoes]

Good thoughts here, thanks to those who responded. Did they go to the convenience store/Huddle House? They (or he) were in the vicinity. Ocean Blue Eyes, didn't you say there might be a weapon from WWII, (sword/??) and some one wanted it? Or was that my imagination? I thought it was telling that the house was searched, then after the family came back, a phone call came in saying something was missing possibly? Never know when I'm dreaming anymore. I liked your idea of a vase/knife case....too tired to think anymore. Where's my popcorn?

 

[Hickory Born]

Maybe Mr. D kept a gun in his garage? Maybe he had one in the glove box of his vehicle or under the seat. He may have gone for the gun and that's when a struggle ensued.

I bet you are correct about a gun being in his car and for all we know he could have had another one beside the bed. When my dad was that age he had one available when in the car and at home. He always said, "it levels the playing field."

 

[JustyThoughts]

At this point I am ready to come off the fence on the D's murders because of the excellent discussions here combined with LE statements. Although I am at an either/or point.... I've set aside many of the theories we've discussed. I may need a place at the Crow Dinner.

I'm on the same page as Ocean too. My either/or... is whether this was one or two perps. If two, I lean toward a "general robbery gone bad"; they confronted D's; freaked; went off on the D's and then tried to figure best way to cover their tracts and buy time. If one perp, I lean toward a twisted mind with planned deed OR with a drug /money issue, targeted the D's and had a plan to "be sure" (in own mind) that he/she would not be identified. I hope who ever did it is sweating at this point.

 

[epiphany]

If the perps both arrived & left by boat and were not expecting to murder them both, placing 2 more bodies on the boat in addition to themselves & needing multi weights for 2 bodies...perhaps, was just too much a load to carry, bring on the boat...so Mr D had to be left behind & was therefore murdered in a different manner (bullet to head) and had to be decapitated...

 

[Suthrnqt]

Just marking my spot...

 

[Happyshoes]

To the last 3 posts, RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.....good common sense!