Bud and June Runion, the elderly Georgia couple who vanished shortly after buying a car on Craigslist , have still not been found. According to the Telegraph , police are still frantically searching for any clues as to what may have happened to the couple. As worried friends and family members of the elderly couple continue to hope for their safe return, there is still the terrifying possibility that they may not be coming home.
The Inquisitr reported yesterday that 69-year old Elrey “Bud” Runion and his wife, 66-year old June Runion, disappeared after they answered an ad on Craigslist . Law enforcement authorities say the Runions were interested in buying a 1966 Mustang that was on Craigslist, then made arrangements to see the car. Bud and June Runion have not been seen since.
They were last seen leaving their home in Marietta, and family members say they were expected to return home just after seeing the vehicle. When they failed to return, a missing person’s report was filed and a Facebook page was created to bring awareness to the case. The elderly white couple were last seen driving their GMC Envoy 2003.
Craigslist has been notorious for attracting criminals and other unsavory people. The online company, which has been in operation since 1995, has attracted nationwide attention over the years for robberies, kidnappings, beatings, and murders, and many of these cases have been featured in true crime documentaries. In almost all instances, customers were tricked or lured to a location.
Criminals who have used Craigslist don’t just target buyers. Sellers have also been targeted. Earlier this year, 40-year old Felix De Jesus III, a father of three, was shot to death as he sat in his car. He was killed by Marvin ‘Fetti’ Mathis, a man who had told De Jeus that he was interested in buying his Ipad. Felix De Jesus had advertised the sale of his Ipad on Craigslist . Buyers are admonished to meet in the daytime and in a public place. It is also better for a prospective buyer to take someone with them. In the case of the Runions, they seemed to have done everything right. And now community members are begging for Craigslist and other similar sites to implement some sort of safety measure so that criminal behavior and suspicious accounts are readily identified.
The Telfair County Sheriff is asking anyone who has seen the Runions or their vehicle to contact police immediately.
**Update : Bud and June Runion’s car was found submerged in a pond. Their bodies were found at a separate location, not far away. Both victims were shot to death. The suspect, Ronnie “Jay” Towns, 28, is currently in police custody.
[Photo Credit: Facebook]