Triple homicide killer indicted

The Cobb County District Attorney’s Office has indicted alleged murderer Bryan Anthony Rhoden, the rapper accused of killing three people at a Cobb County golf course. A grand jury indicted Rhoden on 15 criminal counts, which include five counts of felony murder, three counts of aggravated assault, two counts of kidnapping with bodily injury, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and tampering with evidence. Rhoden, 23, of Atlanta was arrested July 8 in Chamblee and charged with murder in the deaths that occurred at Pinetree Country Club, near Kennesaw.

On July 3, the Club’s golf pro, 46-year-old Gene Siller, who stumbled upon a crime in progress, was killed when he approached the 10th hole to investigate a pickup truck parked near the sand trap. Rhoden allegedly had two other victims Paul Pierson, 76, of Topeka, Kansas and Henry Valdez, 46, of Anaheim, California, bounded and gagged in the bed of the white pick-up. The Dodge Ram truck was registered to Pierson.

As authorities investigated the triple homicide, Rhoden was arrested within nine hours of the crimes by an unsuspecting Chamblee police force. While driving a black Maserati with a temporary tag on Peachtree Boulevard, Rhoden was stopped and later booked into DeKalb County Jail on misdemeanor counts of DUI, a headlight violation, fake ID, driving without insurance, driving an unregistered vehicle and using a license plate to conceal the identity of a vehicle. He was released on bond July 6 but lured back to Chamblee Police headquarters to pick up a “significant amount of money” seized during his traffic stop. Rhoden was arrested once he arrived to reclaim his cash.

Authorities have not released a motive for the killings, however, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting that Rhoden, Valdez, and Pierson knew each other through the cannabis trade. WSB-TV is reporting that Rhoden grew up in the Smyrna area, but at the time of his arrest, he was residing in a high-end, high-rise condo in Midtown. Rhoden is described as an up-and-coming rapper named B Rod. 

Rhoden is represented by high-powered Atlanta attorney Bruce Harvey, who referenced that only one side has been heard. “This is only the first step on a long journey and the issues will be joined soon.” Harvey represented Rhoden in one of his many earlier run-ins with law. While a student at Georgia State University, Rhoden was charged with shooting a 19-year-old in the chest during a drug transaction. Rhoden was also shot once in the chest during the incident.

It is unknown why the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office declined to prosecute either party involved in the 2016 incident. Other incidents involving Rhoden would include drug possession allegations, simple battery on police, and obstructing an officer. One of those cases are still pending as Rhoden now sits, without bond, in the Cobb jail.