In January 2015, the bodies of Elrey 'Bud' and June Runion were discovered near a pond in Telfair County, Georgia. The couple had traveled from their home in Cobb County to meet someone who claimed to be selling a 1966 Ford Mustang on Craigslist. However, they never returned home and their disappearance raised concerns among their family and friends.
New evidence has come to light in the case thanks to an unusual method of fishing. On April 14, 2024, someone using a magnet to fish for metal objects in Horse Creek on Old Prison Camp Road discovered a .22 caliber rifle. Two days later, the same person found a bag containing driver's licenses and credit cards belonging to Bud and June Runion.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) was notified of the discovery and executed search warrants at a home on Webb Cemetery Road based on the new evidence. The GBI did not disclose what further evidence was found during the searches.
Ronnie 'Jay' Adrian Towns was arrested for the murders of Bud and June Runion and armed robbery in January 2015. He allegedly lured the couple to Telfair County under false pretenses, enticing them with the promise of selling them a classic car.
Towns' trial is scheduled to begin in August 2024, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty for his crimes. The discovery of the rifle and belongings in Horse Creek could prove valuable evidence in the case against him.
The Runions were well-known members of their community. Bud had retired from AT&T and was an avid collector and restorer of old bicycles, often donating them to underprivileged children at Christmas. June was a longtime second grade teacher in Cobb County before working as a preschool instructor at Johnson Ferry Baptist.
The GBI is urging anyone with information regarding this investigation to contact their Regional Investigative Office in Eastman at 478-374-6988. Anonymous tips can also be submitted online or through the See Something, Send Something mobile app.
