Someone fishing with a magnet dredged up new evidence in Georgia couple's killing, officials say

Authorities accidental idiosyncratic sportfishing with a magnet successful a Georgia creek pulled up caller grounds successful a nine-year-old execution case

McRAE-HELENA, Ga. -- Someone utilizing a magnet to food for metallic objects successful a Georgia creek pulled up a firearm arsenic good arsenic immoderate mislaid belongings of a mates recovered slain successful the aforesaid country much than 9 years ago.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says driver's licenses, recognition cards and different items dragged from Horse Creek successful agrarian Telfair County are “new evidence” successful a execution lawsuit that's inactive awaiting trial.

A national who was magnet sportfishing successful the creek connected April 14 discovered a .22-caliber rifle, the GBI said successful a quality merchandise Monday. The unnamed idiosyncratic returned to the aforesaid spot 2 days aboriginal and made different find: A container containing a cellphone, a brace of driver's licenses and recognition cards.

The bureau says the licenses and recognition cards belonged to Bud and June Runion. The mates was robbed and fatally changeable earlier their bodies were discovered disconnected a region roadworthy successful January 2015.

Authorities accidental the couple, from Marietta northbound of Atlanta, made the three-hour thrust to Telfair County to conscionable idiosyncratic offering to merchantability Bud Runion a 1966 Mustang.

A fewer days later, investigators arrested Ronnie Adrian “Jay” Towns connected charges of equipped robbery and murder. They said Towns lured the mates to Telfair County by replying to an online advertisement that the 69-year-old Bud Runion had posted seeking a classical car, though Towns didn't ain specified a vehicle.

Towns is tentatively scheduled to basal proceedings successful August, much than 9 years aft his arrest, according to the GBI. His defence attorney, Franklin Hogue, did not instantly instrumentality telephone and email messages seeking remark Tuesday.

The items recovered successful the creek led investigators to get warrants to hunt a Telfair County location wherever they recovered further evidence, the GBI's connection said. The bureau gave nary further details.

Georgia courts threw retired Towns' archetypal indictment implicit problems with however the expansive assemblage was selected — a prolonged ineligible conflict that concluded successful 2019. Towns was indicted for a 2nd clip successful the killings successful 2020, and the lawsuit was delayed again by the COVID-19 pandemic. He has pleaded not guilty.

Court proceedings person besides apt been slowed by prosecutors' determination to question the decease penalty, which requires other pretrial ineligible steps.