Dan Gunn Jr.

Dan Gunn Jr. was an American murder victim in Houston County, Georgia. On February 27, 1984 Gunn was shot in his own home. The crime is still unsolved to this day. This murder case is one of two cases in Houston County, Georgia that is still unsolved.

Biography

Dan Gunn Jr. dropped out of school at the age of thirteen because his family was in need of help during the Great Depression. He worked on a farm between I-75 and Centerville, Georgia. When his father died, Dan Gunn Jr. took over Gunn Farms. He was said to have had “one of the largest and most successful peach groves in Middle Georgia” qtd in Renee Penn’s article^[1]. Some of which today, has been developed into neighborhoods in Centerville, Georgia. Mr. Gunn had two children: Edwina Gunn and Dan Gunn III. Dan Gunn is credited to being a great contributor to the growth of Houston County, Georgia. He was greatly respected and well known within the middle Georgia region. Dan Gunn Jr. was murdered in Houston County, Georgia on February 27, 1984, which was about 26 years ago.^[2]

Gunn Farms

Dan Gunn’s farm was about 2,000 acres (8.1 km²) in size. He grew peaches, pecans, soybeans, corn, and peanuts. He also raised cattle on the land. Gunn was mostly known for his peach farming and being a "brilliant agri-business man".^[3] The land had been in the family for many generations. It was given to his great great grandfather during the revolutionary war as a grant for his services.^[4] The land was still farmed for a year after his death.

The Crime

On February 27, 1984, Dan Gunn Jr. was shot to death in his own home. Dan was shot once in the abdomen with a small handgun. The gun was never recovered. Sharon Crawford said “Investigators suspected several people broke into the elder Gunn's residence through his son's bedroom window and probably didn't realize the man was inside. A loaded shotgun Gunn kept beside his bed was still in its usual place when deputies arrived on the scene.” ^[5][6]

Speculation

There has been speculation that Dan Gunn’s murder case may be in some way related to the Chuckie Mauk case which was also took place in Houston County, Georgia two years later. Both were investigated by Harry Enckler, former chief of investigations for the Houston County Sherriff’s Office. Enckler said “Dan Gunn Jr., 67, and Charles "Chuckie" Mauk, 13, were gunned down by strangers. Both cases haunt the sheriff's investigators who have worked on them over the years.”^[7] There has also been speculation that the Houston County Sherrifs Department and the District Attorney's Office will not release the files to anyone, not even the family of Dan Gunn Jr. What are they hiding? The case has not been considered a cold case even though there has been no progress in 26 years. To learn more about the case visit www.gunncoldcase.com

References

1. ^ Penn, R. (1984, February 29). Dan Gunn remembered as friendly, hard working farmer. The Daily Sun, Front page.
2. ^ Penn, R. (1984, February 29). Dan Gunn remembered as friendly, hard working farmer. The Daily Sun, Front page.
3. ^ Penn, R. (1984, February 29). Dan Gunn remembered as friendly, hard working farmer. The Daily Sun, Front page.
4. ^ http://southerngraves.i-found-it.net/cemeteries/gunncemetery.html
5. ^ Crawford., S. E. (2003, February 15). Houston murders remain unsolved mysteries. The Macon Telegraph, A1.
6. ^ www.gunncoldcase.com
7. ^ Crawford., S. E. (2003, February 15). Houston murders remain unsolved mysteries. The Macon Telegraph, A1.