Georgia Man Decapitated, Wife Still Missing
The Dermond family was torn apart Tuesday when Russell Dermond, 88, was found decapitated, and his 87-year-old wife, Shirley Dermond, disappeared without any news. The Georgia couple seemed peaceful and sweet, and authorities are confused as to why the murder happened.
“The best we can determine from all sources is that this was a perfect marriage,” Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said. “There’s nothing that we have found out so far that looks askance or gives us any particular motive.” The Dermond family lived in the Reynolds plantation, a gated community with vigilant security. “This home is in one of the most exclusive gated communities in the state of Georgia,” Sills said. “I don’t remember even a burglary that I can even recall in the whole subdivision.”
When police officers investigated the crime, they found Mr. Dermond’s body, but his head was nowhere to be found. Mrs. Dermond could not be found either, and she has been officially declared a missing person.
“Mr. Dermond’s head was decapitated, and we do not know the whereabouts of his head,” Sills said in a Thursday news conference. “We need to assume, or at least pray, that Mrs. Dermond is still alive, and we desperately need to know her whereabouts.”
The police conducted a very thorough search of the premise, but only uncovered a lawn chair and a Christmas tree. The police also released skilled cadaver dogs into the nearby words, but have uncovered very little to no evidence. The police are currently interviewing and speaking to neighbors, family, and friends to try to understand what happened.
The FBI has also gotten involved in the search, providing limited support to the Putman County authorities. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is conducting a full autopsy on Mr. Dermond to identify the exact cause of death, which is still unclear. The murder weapon has not been recovered and there are very few leads or suspects in the case.
Police are desperately trying to find Mrs. Dermond, who is 5-foot-2, 148 pounds, with gray hair and blue eyes. Anyone with information should call the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office at 706-485-8557.
Neighbors are shocked by the heinous crime since the community was thought to be safe. “There is no crime in this area, no crime whatsoever,” Lillian Butterworth told CNN. “Nothing has ever happened here before, so this has been a shock to us.”
Mrs. Dermond will hopefully be found, and the whole Putnam County is working diligently to locate her. The hopes and prayers of the residents are with Mrs. Dermond.
[Image via CNN]
