Suspect Arrested In Pinetree Country Club Shooting: Cobb Police

Kennesaw GA

08 July, 2021

7:39 PM

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KENNESAW, GA — Five days after the shootings deaths of three men, including golf pro Gene Siller, Cobb County police have arrested a man in connection with the shootings. Bryan Rhoden was arrested around 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Chamblee, Cobb police spokesperson Saba Long said, more than 25 miles from the scene of the crime. He is being interviewed by the Cobb County Police Department. Rhoden was unarmed and arrested without incident, authorities said, but he did not turn himself in. The Chamblee Police Department, Cobb County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Marshals Service were involved in Rhoden's arrest. Rhoden's capture comes after a five-day-long manhunt for a suspect in the killings, which happened Saturday. Cobb police were called to the Pinetree Country Club in Kennesaw on Saturday afternoon after a shooting was reported. According to police reports, officers arrived to find Siller had been fatally shot in the head on the green of the 10th hole. They also found a white Ram 3500 pick-up truck on the green with two men's dead bodies in the bed of the truck. Both men — later identified as Henry Valdez, 46, of California and Paul Pierson, 76, of Kansas — apparently had been shot to death, police said. Pierson owned the Ram 3500 truck. Investigators said they do not believe Siller was targeted, but that he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. "Detectives have learned that Mr. Siller happened upon a crime in progress involving the unknown suspect and the two deceased males who were found in the pick-up truck, " Cobb County Police spokesman Sgt. Wayne Delk said in a previous statement. No further information has been released about Rhoden's identity or arrest. Cobb Police Chief Tim Cox said at a news conference Thursday that this is still an ongoing investigation, so much of the details on Rhoden and his arrest cannot be released at this time. Cox did say that Rhoden had been arrested 12 hours after the killings on different charges, and in Fulton County — but then released. He was arrested around 2 a.m. July 4 for driving under the influence, driving an unregistered car and giving a false ID, but released July 6 at 8:35 p.m., authorities said. This is a developing story. Return to Patch.com for updates. Read more: Golf Pro Shot And Killed On Course At Pinetree Country ClubGolf Course Shooter Remains At Large, Unidentified: Cobb PoliceSlain Golf Pro Not A Target; 3rd Victim Identified By Police