Police searching for suspect after golf pro killed, 2 others found dead at Georgia country club
By Ralph Ellis, Alaa Elassar and Claudia Dominguez, CNN
Police are trying to find out who killed three men — including golf pro Gene Siller — whose bodies were found on the grounds of an Atlanta-area country club.
Cobb County police responded to a report of a person shot around 2:20 p.m. Saturday and found Siller near the green of the 10th hole of the Pinetree Country Club in Kennesaw, where he worked as the golf pro, according to a news release from the police department.
Siller, Pinetree’s director of golf, was found unresponsive with an “apparent gunshot wound to the head” and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
The suspect had driven to the green in a white Ram 3500 pickup truck and shot 41-year-old Siller when he went to see what was going on, a member of the club told CNN affiliate WXIA. The suspect then fled, WXIA reported.
Police discovered the truck still on the green and found the bodies of two men in the bed of the truck, the release said. Both victims also suffered apparent gunshot wounds, according to police.
One of the men was identified as Paul Pierson, the registered owner of the Ram 3500, but the other victim has yet to be identified, according to police.
Police are still searching for the suspect, who has not been identified.
Investigators told CNN they are asking residents to check their doorbell video for any clues.
Students at Kennesaw State University, whose campus is near the country club, received an alert regarding the incident from the university’s Emergency Management Twitter account. Later on Saturday, they were told to resume normal activities because, “No credible threat to campus is indicated at this time.”
The Georgia State Golf Association expressed its condolences for Siller’s death. “All of us at the GSGA are deeply saddened by the tragic events that occurred earlier today at Pinetree CC. Our thoughts and prayers are with Gene Siller’s family and friends,” the association tweeted.
Siller leaves behind a wife and two children, ages 6 and 7, according to the Pinetree Country Club.
“Tragedy has stricken the Georgia Section PGA in the loss of our Member, Gene Siller. Thoughts and prayers for his family and the Pinetree Country Club family,” Georgia’s Professional Golfers’ Association tweeted.
PGA of America President Jim Richerson also issued a statement: “We are truly heartbroken to hear about the senseless murder that took place yesterday at Pine Tree Country Club in Georgia that took the life of PGA member Gene Siller,” the statement said. “PGA of America sends our thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathy to his family, club and the Georgia PGA Community.”
Sebastian Schutte, a friend of Siller’s, said the community was in shock.
“It didn’t hit me until later that this happened at our country club,” he told CNN on Monday. “I still can’t believe it.”
He said Siller was well-liked and “treated everyone with respect.”
Siller’s family set up a GoFundMe page to help with finances.
The-CNN-Wire
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CNN’s Laura James and Jen Bernstein contributed to this report.
