A person magnet fishing in Horse Creek, Telfair County, Georgia, unearthed significant new evidence linked to a murder case that has puzzled authorities for over nine years. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) confirmed that the items found, including a rifle and personal belongings, are related to the unsolved murder of Bud and June Runion.

The couple had traveled from Marietta to Telfair County in January 2015 to meet a seller from a Craigslist ad for a 1966 Ford Mustang, but they never returned. Days after their disappearance, their bodies were discovered with gunshot wounds off a county road.

Sequence of Events and Investigation

The individual engaged in magnet fishing discovered a .22-caliber rifle on April 14 and returned two days later to find a bag containing a cellphone, driver’s licenses, and credit cards belonging to the Runions, as reported by the GBI. This find has reignited the investigation into their deaths, providing potentially crucial evidence.

Ronnie Adrian “Jay” Towns, the suspect in the case, was arrested and charged with armed robbery and murder shortly after the couple’s bodies were found. Although Towns pleaded not guilty and faced procedural delays, including a re-indictment and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, this new evidence could play a pivotal role in the upcoming trial, which prosecutors are hoping to commence in August.

Legal Proceedings and Future Implications

The discovery has prompted further investigative actions, including the issuance of search warrants for a local home where additional evidence was recovered. Details of these findings have not been disclosed by the GBI or District Attorney Tim Vaughn of the Oconee Judicial Circuit, who remarked on the strengthening of the case against Towns thanks to the newly uncovered items.

The rifle found is the same caliber as the weapon used in the killings, adding to its potential significance in the trial. As the community and legal system brace for the proceedings, the impact of these discoveries could be profound in seeking justice for the Runions.