MURDERED: Russell & Shirley Dermond

In the quiet gated community of Great Waters in Eatonton, Georgia, 85 miles east of Atlanta, lived Russell and Shirley Dermond.

As per their website, Great Waters is part of Reynolds Lake Oconee, a luxury golf and lakefront community boasting 12,000 acres of lakefront property, six golf courses, 11 restaurants, as well as recreational and culinary amenities befitting a world-class private club.

This was the perfect retirement location for the Dermonds, as Russell was an avid golfer, and Shirley was a keen gardener.

With a crime rate of zero, they felt safe and could enjoy their days in their hard earned dream home. The safety they and the community felt was shattered when, in 2014, Russell was found dead in his home and Shirley was nowhere to be found.

Photo of Russell and Shirley

The Dermond Home

The Dermonds moved to Eatonton, Ga., and built their million-dollar home in a cul-de-sac, overlooking Lake Oconee. It was wooded and very private.

Sheriff Howard Sills

Exiting a boat after recovering the body of Shirley Dermond from the waters of Lake Oconee.

Resources

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/683883281/?terms=russell%20dermond&match=1

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/424538460/?terms=russell%20dermond&match=1

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/683883760/?terms=russell%20dermond&match=1

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/683883768/

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/424539567/?terms=russell%20dermond&match=1

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/683885270/?terms=russell%20dermond&match=1

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/424540025/

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/683885220/

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/424545779/?terms=russell%20dermond&match=1

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/424546563/

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/683886451/?terms=russell%20dermond&match=1

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/424547359/?terms=russell%20dermond&match=1

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/683885703/?terms=russell%20dermond&match=1

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/683887124/?terms=russell%20dermond&match=1 

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/683889087/?terms=russell%20dermond&match=1

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/423283397/

• https://www.scribd.com/document/380082627/Russell-Dermond-Autopsy-Report-May-8-2014

• https://www.scribd.com/document/380082405/Shirley-Dermond-Autopsy-Report-May-17-2014

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/683899193/

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/423312941/?terms=russell%20dermond&match=1

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/683923863/ 

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/423322245/

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/683950066/?terms=russell%20dermond&match=1

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/561348783/

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/733590609/?terms=russell%20dermond&match=1

• https://www.lakeoconeenews.us/news/new-cell-phone-data-may-be-key-solve-dermond-murders 

• https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/could-new-technology-help-crack-cold-case-who-killed-elderly-couple-lake-oconee-home/DJDM4W7BH5AMPIITXMOSNSBYHQ/

• https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/lake-oconee-beheading-mystery-russell-shirley-dermond-putnam-county

• https://www.williamsfuneralhome.net/obituaries/Russell-Dermond/#!/Obituary

• https://www.williamsfuneralhome.net/obituaries/Shirley-Dermond/#!/Obituary 

• https://www.11alive.com/article/news/investigations/gone-cold/gone-cold-a-lake-with-no-leads-who-killed-the-dermonds/85-550562935 

• https://www.atlantamagazine.com/great-reads/relentless-putnam-county-sheriff-howard-sills-chases-a-killer/ 

• https://www.newspapers.com/image/491422162/?article=e6ba851f-eed8-454c-a952-86e7c2a9d801&focus=0.6166664,0.58722186,0.84134984,0.83321404&xid=3398 

• https://www.unionrecorder.com/news/somebody-knows-and-there-s-more-than-one-person-involved/article_04992f3e-7198-11e9-acd7-d71d1b679da1.html

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129547961/mark-christian-dermond

• https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/new-dna-evidence-found-gruesome-murders-couple-lake-oconee/DOMNUHH6NRCBDMWLZISSBXYO2Q/