Written by: E. George
Published April 27, 2024 @ 8:00 PM ET
Warning: The following story contains information regarding physical violence.
PUTNAM COUNTY, Ga. – Authorities uncovered new evidence in a gruesome 10-year-old murder case involving an elderly Lake Oconee couple that they hope will lead to answers and arrest(s). On Tuesday, April 23, 2024, crime labs found new unidentified DNA on clothing from the murder scenes that may belong to the killer(s).
In May 2014, neighbors discovered 88-year-old Russell Dermond dead behind a car in his Greater Waters carport with his head severed and missing. The body of his wife, Shirley Dermond, was found 10 days later in Lake Oconee with concrete blocks weighing her down; authorities concluded blunt force trauma as her cause of death.
Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said, “Whoever did this committed two very brutal crimes. One was a certain element of depravity.”
Sills explained that he sent the clothing to Texas and Utah crime labs, and they detected DNA that did not belong to Russell or Shirley. He said, “It’s, hopefully, the DNA of the perpetrator or perpetrators of this crime.”
According to Sills, the Dermonds did not have any known enemies. After 10 years, authorities still have not identified any suspects or established motives and hope this new revelation will provide conclusive details.
Sills stated, “It’s been a very difficult case – [the] most difficult case of my career.” He said, “They’re still out there, and they’re more likely going to do something again if they haven’t already.”
He explained that the crime labs will continue to test the evidence, and hopefully, their findings will prove fruitful in identifying the responsible party or parties.
Othram Inc., the lab in Woodlands, Texas, utilizes groundbreaking technology to uncover key answers in otherwise nearly impossible cases. They recently identified Yvonne Pless, a Jane Doe from Macon who was murdered in 1977 by matching her genetic material to her family members’ DNA; Samuel Little, a known serial killer, had admitted to law enforcement in 2018 that he killed her.
Kristen Mittleman, Othram Inc.’s Chief Development Officer, explained that their scientists utilize forensic genetic genealogy, a technique that combines DNA sequencing and genealogy. She said, “We singularly focus on how we get that retractable evidence to give us the best-looking DNA profile that we can, so we can upload them to these genealogical databases.”
Mittleman explained that their lab database does not require DNA directly from the suspect. It can be traced to them through family trees to relatives as distant as fifth cousins. The lab revealed that evidence processing at their location costs approximately $7,500.
Regarding the Dermonds, Sheriff Sills expressed, “I’m optimistic about it. The company has a tremendous reputation.” He explained that Othram Inc. had also referred him to the Utah company, Sorenson Forensics, which discovered DNA in the case as well.
Reportedly, many had speculated that a professional hit person had murdered the couple. On the contrary, Sills said, “Professional killers – they shoot someone in the head with the .22 Magnum and leave. They don’t take the body five miles to a lake and do an imperfect effort to conceal the body. They just don’t do that.”
Believing the Dermonds knew their murderer(s), he explained, “There was no sign of forced entry. No sign of resistance.” Nothing was taken from the Dermond home.
His team is determined to find concrete answers to this murder mystery. He admitted to thinking about the Dermond case every day, as it is the only unsolved murder case in his 29 years as county sheriff.
Brad Dermond, the couple’s son, said this new discovery gives him hope about identifying the killer(s).