Bud and June Runion, left, were allegedly killed by Ronnie “Jay” Towns in 2015. A magnet fisherman in April 2024 reeled in a possible murder weapon along with the Runions ID, credit cards and phone, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said. (Runion: Facebook; Towns: WAGA/YouTube)
The catch may not have been a treasure to the magnet fisherman, but it was priceless to the detectives investigating a double murder in 2015.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been investigating the murders of 69-year-old Bud Runion and his 66-year-old wife, June Runion, since Jan. 26, 2015. The couple traveled about three hours from their Cobb County home to Telfair County to buy a 1966 Ford Mustang after seeing an ad on Craig’s List. However, there was no car, and they were instead robbed and murdered, police said. Cops arrested Ronnie “Jay” Towns, who allegedly set up the deal. He’s still awaiting trial nine years later.
On April 14 of this year, a magnet fisherman was searching for items in Horse Creek on Old Prison Camp Road in McRae-Helena when he reeled in a .22 caliber rifle, the GBI said in a press release. Two days later, the same person continued to magnet fish in the same area and found a bag containing driver’s licenses, credit cards belonging to the Runions and their phone.
The discoveries led to GBI executing a search warrant at a home about 4 miles away on Webb Cemetery Road on April 17 and a second one on Friday. Agents reportedly recovered “evidence” from both searches, which will be submitted to the crime lab for further analysis. The press release did not say how the discoveries by the magnet fisherman led them to the house.
Atlanta’s WSB-TV reported that family members of the Runions first became concerned about the couple’s safety when they didn’t show up to babysit their grandchildren. The family reported them missing, and four days later, cops found their SUV and their bodies in a pond in Telfair County. Detectives learned the couple and Towns talked on the phone before their disappearance.
Macon CBS affiliate WMAZ reported the case has taken so long because the original indictment was tossed, which led to appeals and another indictment in 2020. Then, the pandemic hit, causing more delays. The trial is scheduled for August, GBI says.
According to their obituaries, the Runions were married for 38 years. Bud Runion founded Forever Grateful Ministries.
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