New evidence leads to rifle match in brutal murders of ‘Bud’ Runion and wife after Craigslist car search

The case of Elrey “Bud” Runion’s search for a 1966 Ford Mustang has taken an unexpected turn as new evidence surfaces in connection with his and his wife June’s brutal murders nine years ago. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) revealed that a gun matching the weapon believed to be used to commit the gruesome crime was found by someone magnet fishing in Horse Creek, near Ronnie “Jay” Adrian Towns’ home – who is already charged with murder and armed robbery over the couple’s deaths. The discovery came after authorities obtained additional evidence from a search warrant at an address close to where Runion’s body was discovered following his ad for the vintage car on Craigslist, which led him into contact with Towns in 2015. Despite initial reports of innocence by Ronnie “Jay” Adrian Towns’ father when he surrendered himself back then, investigators now believe that Towns could be linked to the recovered rifle as well as a bag holding cell phones and driver’s licenses belonging to Runion and his wife. The couple went missing in January 2015 after failing to show up for babysitting duties with their grandchildren; authorities found them dead soon afterwards, shot through the head. Towns’ trial is tentatively scheduled for August as Oconee District Attorney Tim Vaughn said he would seek the death penalty against him.