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

[gngr~snap]

I am not familiar with the areas so can you tell me how far away from the Dermonds this would be? TIA

Map quest says 3 1/2 hours.

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk

 

[ClaireNC]

Map quest says 3 1/2 hours.

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

 

[Canaille]

I find it interesting that no one has been able to find an obit of the deceased son, nor is there any mention of him in RD obit. I would be interested to know if the deceased son had any children.

 

[Bethanthony]

"Possible Serial Killer in Columbus, Mississippi" (3-5) Senior citizens in Columbus, Mississippi, have been arming themselves at an alarming rate following Police Chief Donald Freshour warning that a killer was targeting elderly citizens in their community. There have been five unsolved murders of senior citizens since 1996 in this peaceful community of 24,000 people. Police believe at least three of the killings may be the work of the same person. All of the victims lived in the northern part of the city and died in a similar way, but Freshour was reluctant to use the term "serial killer."

On Nov. 21, the body of 80-year-old Louise Randall was found in her home. The woman, who was a retired waitress and needed a walker to get around, had been strangled. About three weeks later, 67-year-old Betty Everett, a beautician at a retirement home, was found strangled in her home. Both women had been bound and gagged.

Those two deaths made police take a closer look at the killing of Robert Hannah, who was strangled and beaten over the head. His body was found Oct. 13 in his home after a fire. They believe the fire was started to cover up his murder. The body of Mack Fowler, 78, was found in his kitchen July 8, 1996, and the corpse of George Wilbanks, 75, was found Nov. 2, 1997 in his home.

On April 17, 2000, authorities announced they were close to solving at least two of five unsolved slayings of local senior citizens. Police said they no longer considered the five murders the work of a serial killer and believe that only two of the deaths were linked. In fact they said they have evidence linking an unnamed suspect to the murders of Betty Everett and Louise Randall.

"I would like to bring some closure to this for several reasons," Chief Billy Pickens said. "One is for the families of the victims, and the other is for the community. I think the community has accepted that there wasn't a wild serial killer running around." Columbus City Councilman Chuck Weldon said people don't talk much these days about the unsolved killings and that widespread anxiety seems to have diminished. "Everybody is just anxious to get them solved," he added.

Does anyone know if this was ever solved? Creepy, I read this earlier today before I even heard about the SC women...

 

[Dr.Watson]

The Bluffton address is a pretty run-down, seedy-looking area...
Toogoodoo Road in Hollywood where the other woman was from looks lower middle-class also...
Elderly women, but definitely not the same setting as Reynolds Plantation.

 

[LadyL]

This is a long shot, but I think it is worth posting here. Another elderly woman missing from about 3 - 4 hours away in the same time frame. Foul play suspected. Her car was found at a boat landing in Ridgeland, SC. SC SC - Julia Ann Mudgett, 77, Hollywood, 4 May 2014 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

is that location a straight shot to the Dermon's down a highway or a waterway?

I think Mr. D. went outside for some reason. Maybe to get the newspaper if it was early on Saturday morning or maybe he heard a sound during the night and went to investigate. He could have been lured out.

or went into the garage when he heard a noise

Another possible homicide of an elderly woman.
Police will not discuss.
http://www.wnct.com/story/25506607/bluffton-police-investigating-elderly-womans-death-as-homicide

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk

how close is this to the Dermond's residence?


I had another strange & creepy thought that is really just wild speculation on my part but if some of these houses were used as vacation rentals and there was someone who accessed them via the waterway, isn't it possible that person was staying in a neighbouring house or garage unbeknownst to the owners? Isn't it even possible for someone to be staying in an occupied house, esp. if that house is large and the residents are elderly? They could hunker down in unused rooms, attics etc. and only come out when the residents are gone or asleep. The type of person who would do this would obviously be very disturbed to begin with and an escaped convict or mental patient. I have no particular reason for thinking this is a possibility other than stranger things have happened and I obviously watch too many crime shows.

The other more realistic thing I was thinking is that if the person arrived and departed via the waterway, it's quite likely they took Mrs. D. with them and dumped her further down the river.

I just think it's awfully convenient that the security cameras stopped working April 28. That says to me that someone was scouting out the area. Do they save footage from month to month or does it auto-erase daily or is it real-time only? It would be really interesting to see who was checking those cameras out in the preceding days. I'm positive that someone else has a camera or two or three in and around the area. I realize they wouldn't be anywhere near the guard booth or the Dermond's residence but there still might be something of interest caught on tape.

 

[Bethanthony]

https://maps.google.com/maps?client...g=d&ei=tJRyU7rDCojNsQT0uIGICA&ved=0CCIQ-A8wAA


The map of the distance between murders

 

[smc1225]

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?

he's not mentioned in the obituary linked above and that confuses me

I think it is the way they worded the obituary. It states:

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Shirley Wilcox Dermond...

It then lists all his living children, etc. Mark died so he wouldn't have 'survived' Russell's death. JMO

 

[Cardinal47]

I think Mr. D. went outside for some reason. Maybe to get the newspaper if it was early on Saturday morning or maybe he heard a sound during the night and went to investigate. He could have been lured out.

But I think we are only assuming he 'went outside'. He could have 'let somebody in' that did him harm and then been taken to the garage.

We have no idea at all where this all started because from what I have read...nothing was disturbed.

With that said I do believe what happened all happened right there.

 

[Bethanthony]

is that location a straight shot to the Dermon's down a highway or a waterway?

Yes, all three locations tend to follow a major interstate route...

 

[LadyL]

I think it is the way they worded the obituary. It states:



It then lists all his living children, etc. Mark died so he wouldn't have 'survived' Russell's death. JMO

it lists his deceased parents - why would it not list his deceased son?

 

[gngr~snap]

The Bluffton address is a pretty run-down, seedy-looking area...
Toogoodoo Road in Hollywood where the other woman was from looks lower middle-class also...
Elderly women, but definitely not the same setting as Reynolds Plantation.

True but, both areas have a Ritz Carlton "near".

Just making an observation.


Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk

 

[mck16]

I think it is the way they worded the obituary. It states:

It then lists all his living children, etc. Mark died so he wouldn't have 'survived' Russell's death. JMO

You are right as to it being the wording, but most often it will say 'proceeded in death by .......'.

 

[LadyL]

https://maps.google.com/maps?client...g=d&ei=tJRyU7rDCojNsQT0uIGICA&ved=0CCIQ-A8wAA


The map of the distance between murders

thank you

 

[Bethanthony]

True but, both areas have a Ritz Carlton "near".

Just making an observation.


Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk

http://m.myfoxal.com/#!/newsDetail/24804975

If you follow the map route from this unsolved Mississippi serial killer of elderly people thru Atlanta to Eatonton , it pops up an unsolved murder of an elderly woman in an upscale in Tuscaloosa . Here is the link. Unsolved.

 

[No names please]

I agree with Annie1004 and others who think the LinkedIn profile is a fake and does not mean anything. Most 80-year-olds do not use LinkedIn.

To clarify the bit about canoeing. There happens to be a Russell Dermond who was born in 1936. He competed in the Olympics in the 1950's and 1960's. Not the same man as the one that was murdered.

My 80 year old father's Linked-in account lists him as an investment banker in Dallas.(retired, Georgia) I asked him why and he had no idea, my aunt sent him a link to join and he couldn't remember what he clicked on. I wouldn't read much into that.

 

[JeannaT]

You are right as to it being the wording, but most often it will say 'proceeded in death by .......'.

I think the details included in obits are often more about the writer of the obit than the deceased. One of the surviving children most certainly wrote this obit - and maybe they would just as soon forget Mark ever lived. Family dynamics. My guess is, if Shirley had written it it would have mentioned Mark.

 

[tlcya]

I agree JeannaT, obits are written by those left behind and depending on who wrote it the deceased son may or may not have beeen excluded from mention for whatever reason. Family dynamics, a lack of knowledge or having never been responsible for writing one before.

FAR FETCHED possibility, family members or LE think the deceased son somehow plays into this crime. no link, again, just on far fetched possible of many possible reasons the deceased son was not mentioned.

 

[mck16]

I think the details included in obits are often more about the writer of the obit than the deceased. One of the surviving children most certainly wrote this obit - and maybe they would just as soon forget Mark ever lived. Family dynamics. My guess is, if Shirley had written it it would have mentioned Mark.

You are absolutely right. Or if someone at the funeral home or a friend gave the information, they might not of even known about the other son.

 

[Cardinal47]

I think the details included in obits are often more about the writer of the obit than the deceased. One of the surviving children most certainly wrote this obit - and maybe they would just as soon forget Mark ever lived. Family dynamics. My guess is, if Shirley had written it it would have mentioned Mark.

My guess is that LE asked them to give as little as possible about family.

There are no grandchildrens names and no spouses of the two sons or daughter.

It's a very light obit for a man that was so successful and I think that was the intention. To honor him but not give out too much information.

It is very strange to me that the deceased son was not mentioned. I wonder if it was to protect any family links he might have???

I really think LE is trying hard not to give out much family information also to protect them from whatever is going on. Are they in danger? We surely don't know. We do know their Mother is missing and that has to be a huge concern eating at their hearts.