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Suspect arrested in triple homicide that included Georgia golf pro

July 08, 2021
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A photo of Gene Siller from the Pinetree Country Club's Facebook page.

An arrest has been made in a triple homicide that included a golf pro at a Georgia country club.

Cobb County police officials said Thursday that they’ve arrested Bryan Rhoden in the slaying of Pinetree Country Club Director of Golf Gene Siller and two other men. Cobb County Police Chief Tim Cox told news outlets that Rhoden faces three counts of murder, three counts of aggravated assault and two counts of kidnapping. The chief said Rhoden was arrested in the area of Chamblee, about 25 miles southeast of Kennesaw, Ga., where Pinetree is located. Rhoden is believed to be the lone shooter.

Rhoden allegedly drove onto the grounds of Pinetree in his white pickup truck last Saturday afternoon. Siller, a married father of two, confronted him near the green of the 10th hole and was shot in the head. Later, police discovered two bodies in the back of the truck.

"Mr. Siller happened upon a crime in progress involving the unknown suspect and the two deceased males who were found in the pickup truck," a police statement said. "It does not appear he was in any way targeted, but rather was killed because he witnessed an active crime taking place."

The two other victims have been identified as Paul Pierson, 76, of Kansas, and Henry Valdez, 46, of California. Pierson was the registered owner of the truck, and neither of the men is believed to have a connection to the Pinetree course.

A GoFundMe page for Siller's family has raised more than $656,000.