Found Deceased GA - Bud, 69, & June Runion, 66, McRae, 22 Jan 2015 #1 *Arrest*

[atthelake]

Bud placed a "wanted" ad on CL for a Mustang. I thought maybe in his ad he might have mentioned he was looking for a car like he had in high school, but apparently not. In case the ad hasn't been posted:

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/wan/4854409074.html

NOTE: Adding the screen capture as ads are taken down, so wanted to preserve it

 

[Ontario Mom]

I also find it odd that a 28 year old man who has no criminal history decides to do something like this.

jmo

On the surface it does seem odd. But, then you have to wonder... just because he's never been caught or convicted of anything, doesn't mean he's a stand-up guy.

This is of course, assuming he DID do something. I have a hard time thinking LE could get a warrant for his arrest for "making false statements to investigators and attempted to commit theft by deception" if they had nothing to go on. So, obviously they know more than we do about Towns.

 

[dancinunderthemoon]

Wow ! I got up and made coffee this morning, saw that 8 pages of chatter had occurred overnight, sorta figured they managed to nab this guy overnight. I guess not.

So where do we stand now ? How about a Monday morning recap ?

The Runion's left town on Thursday morning. They drove From Marietta , Ga. to McRae, Ga.. They were expected back on Friday to babysit the grandkids . Friday came and went and no babysitters showed up. Family alerts law enforcement and files missing persons report late on Friday. A search is launched.

Sometime on Saturday, LE manages to interview Ronnie Towns. What led them to him exactly is unknown, but he had a prepaid phone that was shown to be in last contact with the Runions. After interviewing him, they inexplicably let him go without surveillance, a GPS locator, or the ability to track him in any way. The search for the Runions continues.

Sometime on Sunday, the investigators realize that Ronnie Towns version of events isn't adding up and his story is unraveling. They decide it would be a good idea to have another sit-down with Ronnie and ask him a few more questions. Nobody seems to be able to find Ronnie. On Sunday afternoon, they issue two warrants, one for Theft by Deception, one for Lying to Investigators. The search for the Runion's continues, the search for Ronnie Towns begins..........

Does that pretty much cover it ??



Lonnie Towns would have had almost a full 24 hours to cover his tracks from the time the Runions left home, until a search for them began. That's a lot of time to hide evidence.

Bud Runion more than likely brought enough cash with him to purchase the vehicle outright and drive it home. After ambushing them, Ronnie Towns would have taken the cash, which was the whole point of this scheme to begin with.

Ronnie Towns obviously thought he did a good job of hiding them, otherwise why would have have hung around town long enough to be interviewed by LE ? HE thought he had pulled off the perfect crime. Once he realized they were tying him to the Runions through his cell phone, that he was being scrutinized, and that his entire story was B.S. that would soon be exposed.....he took off like a rabbit to parts unknown.

The problem I see in all of this is the amount of time he had to travel down the highway before the warrants were issued, before he was named as a suspect, and before the Highway patrol would've even had a reason to stop him. Saturday morning until Sunday afternoon could equate to 24-30 hours of drive time. His trip of course would be financed by the thousands of dollars that he took from the Runions.

I guess it is possible that he could be hiding somewhere right there local, but it seems unlikely, too many people looking for him now.
The Runions vehicle is probably hidden in a grove of trees or some very thick brush. He basically had a couple of hours on Thursday afternoon to spend with the Runions, doing whatever he did to them and then covering it up. I imagine that is part of the reason that his stories to LE didn't pan out. He probably gave them an alibi for his whereabouts on Thursday afternoon and evening, and that alibi turned out to be false.

How far can you travel in a vehicle in a 24-30 hour window ? Well, at an average speed of 50 miles per hour, somewhere in the 800-1000 mile range sounds about right, maybe further with no sleep. He could have easily made it to Texas, Mexico, Oklahoma before the warrants were issued. I'm thinking he would have headed west or southwest simply to avoid bad weather and slick roads.

I'm a little surprised that LE hasn't advertised publicly what kind of vehicle he is driving, but then again, if Towns got wind of it, he might switch vehicles and complicate things for them.

He has a wife and child live in Telfair county? He was gifted land on Webb Cemetery Road someone found. His wife deleted her FB, is she with him? According to some, she did join the "find Bud and June Runion" FB page before deleting FB, he's guilty whether he stays or runs, and quite obviously guilty since he's not turned himself in.

What a mess, oh and thanks for the tips on WHY LE may have thought he was guilty, as LE said on video, they are beginning to put things together about this case, so makes sense maybe the alibi thing was probably a lie that started it all for RT

Probably was traveling closer to 80, I do that on a casual trip on interstate, :shame: but since Saturday he's had plenty of time to get away, 15 hours at 80 mph would get him atleast 1200 miles only stopping a few seconds to , well, whatever, then he can relax, or thinks he can, so yes thats several states north or west from GA

What a mess

 

[bhammom]

Read early on that Bud wanted a car like he had when he came back from Vietnam - specific to year and color - so we can assume this was nostalgic to him. Because of this he may not have been as cautious as he normally would have been. His daughter in interview said that he was very cautious and always said to go in pairs, and since he was an army vet, he probably thought there was little danger.

 

[Ontario Mom]

I would suspect the second warrant "attempting to commit theft by deception" would be easy enough to prove when all LE would have to do is a run a dept. of motor vehicles check to prove Towns didn't own a Mustang. And/or, possibly interviewing friends/family and all of them also saying nope, there is no Mustang, and he doesn't know anyone with one.

MOO.

 

[Tallula.Belle]

His wife probably had to shutdown her FB. There are two women on the Find Bud and June page that are posting addresses of family members. Phone numbers and pics of his baby. I am sure she was getting all kinds of horrible messages from people.

 

[iluvmua]

I'm shocked he didn't hightail it out of georgia on thursday.

jmo

 

[dancinunderthemoon]

I also find it odd that a 28 year old man who has no criminal history decides to do something like this.

jmo

maybe he's innocent, but all criminals start somewhere, maybe he's been getting away with things for far too long, I also find it odd, has a beautiful wife and baby and land deeded him someone found, seems to have a beautiful life in the country. Maybe he snapped, who knows, I just hope they dont find the couple well, discreet, like they found Russell Dermond, alsolook at casey anthony case, she fooled a lot of people and the psychiatrists say, these personality disordered types usually come out in their 20's, so then there's Stephen McDaniel, not to say they never did anything wrong, but maybe never committed murder but whatever mischief, was just was never caught

thinking maybe the whole thing got out of hand, maybe he attempted something, thought it would be easy and it wasn't, now this mess

I guess no one knows yet where he might work, if he does or if his family is crop farmers or cattle farmers

Never have heard a bolo or alert to be on the lookout for any big trucks or him, where I'm at, 1-2 hours above there

Anyway, just how I view this whole thing

 

[steelman]

I don't mean any disrespect but people keep saying "kid" and 28 is not a kid. He is a grown man.

I had to reference my "Cowboy book of Etiquette" on this one.

Any person who surpasses the age of 40 and especially anybody who surpasses the age of 50,
can refer to any individual under age 30 as "a kid".

For individuals under 30 who are known troublemakers, criminals, or scoundrels in general--they may be referred to as a "punk kid".

So it is written, so it shall be.

 

[Ontario Mom]

I'm shocked he didn't hightail it out of georgia on thursday.

jmo

I think they'll find him right there in town, right under their noses. I think he's also got friends helping to keep him hidden away. Of course I could be wrong, but this looks so sloppy I don't think there was a whole lot of planning going on.

 

[dancinunderthemoon]

His wife probably had to shutdown her FB. There are two women on the Find Bud and June page that are posting addresses of family members. Phone numbers and pics of his baby. I am sure she was getting all kinds of horrible messages from people.

OH GOOD GRIEF, yes some people go too far, so far as we know, this aint Bonnie and CLyde, maybe just Clyde

 

[dancinunderthemoon]

I had to reference my "Cowboy book of Etiquette" on this one.

Any person who surpasses the age of 40 and especially anybody who surpasses the age of 50,
can refer to any individual under age 30 as "a kid".

For individuals under 30 who are known troublemakers, criminals, or scoundrels in general--they may be referred to as a "punk kid".

So it is written, so it shall be.

:clap::takeabow: good job! LOL

 

[dancinunderthemoon]

On the surface it does seem odd. But, then you have to wonder... just because he's never been caught or convicted of anything, doesn't mean he's a stand-up guy.

This is of course, assuming he DID do something. I have a hard time thinking LE could get a warrant for his arrest for "making false statements to investigators and attempted to commit theft by deception" if they had nothing to go on. So, obviously they know more than we do about Towns.

or maybe just a small town, which judge gets him this warrant, the magistrate or another? M, agistrates in the state of GA do not have to have a law degree, small towns dont' always do their job properly, whether they are just lax or for sinister reasons, I'm not talking about Telfair or spreading rumours, I have had a bad experience with another small county inn south GA years ago, the magistrate was fired afterwards, it may not be too odd, everybody kind of works together, well that was my experience, but like you stated, unless they know him better,

also, I had wondered and it was written that those 2 were previous warrants at first but I think the video clarified that and it's new current warrants, the LE in the video did state they had more info on this case they are withholding

 

[Tallula.Belle]

I had to reference my "Cowboy book of Etiquette" on this one.

Any person who surpasses the age of 40 and especially anybody who surpasses the age of 50,
can refer to any individual under age 30 as "a kid".

For individuals under 30 who are known troublemakers, criminals, or scoundrels in general--they may be referred to as a "punk kid".

So it is written, so it shall be.

You sound like my husband he is 54 and calls people that age kids too.

 

[iluvmua]

His wife probably had to shutdown her FB. There are two women on the Find Bud and June page that are posting addresses of family members. Phone numbers and pics of his baby. I am sure she was getting all kinds of horrible messages from people.

1. I don't blame her one bit, I would probably do the same.
2. They need to QUIT posting personal information on facebook about this guy's family/relatives.
3. Thank God Websleuths does not operate in the way these two women are.

If that were me, I would be PISSED that just because i'm related/married to said suspect people would actually post personal information about me etc.

JMO.

 

[Tallula.Belle]

I saw the "big truck" mentioned again on FB. It was referenced as a big truck that could be holding a car. Makes me wonder if they think the Runions are in that truck.

Mods please delete if not allowed.

 

[margarita25]

Does anyone know if Bud might have been armed?

 

[Tallula.Belle]

1. I don't blame her one bit, I would probably do the same.
2. They need to QUIT posting personal information on facebook about this guy's family/relatives.
3. Thank God Websleuths does not operate in the way these two women are.

If that were me, I would be PISSED that just because i'm related/married to said suspect people would actually post personal information about me etc.

JMO.

Exactly. People are crazy. I remember in the Heather Elvis case, people were saying the Moorer kids should be kidnapped until they talk. They are doing more harm than good.

 

[menmo]

I also find it odd that a 28 year old man who has no criminal history decides to do something like this.

jmo

I've long heard for every time someone is caught they probably did at least a dozen things they should have been caught on before.
If RT is guilty of these crimes then his hands probably haven't been clean for awhile.

His wife probably had to shutdown her FB. There are two women on the Find Bud and June page that are posting addresses of family members. Phone numbers and pics of his baby. I am sure she was getting all kinds of horrible messages from people.

That's uncalled for. At this time we only know that there is warrants out for RT's arrest.
If it's posted on the news sites FB pages then they should delete and then ban those that post these kind of things. If any harm comes to the wife, baby or any other family members that aren't involved it would be a tragedy. Too many people out there that love vigilante justice. I'm not one of them.

JMO

 

[ChuckMaureen]

Ping history prior to, during and after the 'meeting' is key. I suspect LE obtained ping data and realized RT did not take the path he claimed.

To where would RT have lured the Runions "to see the Mustang"? His property? His parent's property?

At what point would the Runions have become aware there was no Mustang? Or, if there were a Mustang where would it have been kept? Are there storage businesses in the area?

Would RT still be using the same "burner" phone or is he now using his wife's or parent's or bought new?

Is it likely RT would have wanted to keep the Runion's vehicle and keep it hidden for a while before using it or would he have wanted to dump it from the start?

Would the Runions have brought cash? Would RT be hot to spend that cash ASAP? Any major or red-flag purchases in the area during the past few days?

Has LE interviewed RT's wife? Is RT's wife cooperating with LE or is her status also whereabouts-unknown?

Does the Towns family (RT, parents, in-laws, cousins) own farm or ranch property? Barns? Large garages?

Does LE have probable cause to obtain warrants to search RT's property(ies) and house(s)? Did he take clothes?

Does he smoke? Drink? What habits could be used (purchase cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, etc.) to track / BOLO?

Is RT unemployed, self-employeed or an employee? When was RT last seen at his job? Is his job motor vehicle-related? Body shop? Does RT have friends who own a motor vehicle-related business?

What is RT's vehicle ownership history? Is there a history of buy/sell? In what areas? Was anyone else involved in those transactions from RT's side?

Is it expected RT would travel south? I should think he would travel west or north, since south is a 'dead end' ... once in Florida it's either hunker down and hide or swim.