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Subscribe to RSSA 20-year-old maintenance worker has been arrested in the beating death of a 7-year-old north Georgia girl who was abducted and killed at an apartment complex and her body left in a trash bin, authorities said Wednesday.
John Bazemore / AP
Murder suspect Ryan Brunn, 20, of Canton, Ga., is escorted into the Cherokee County jail in Canton, Ga., after he was arrested Wednesday.
Ryan Brunn, who lived and worked at the apartment complex, was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon on a murder warrant, said Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Vernon Keenan.
Jorelys Rivera was last seen Friday evening leaving the playground to walk back home to get drinks for her friends. Her body was found three days later.
Keenan said Brunn, who has no known criminal record, had keys to both the empty apartment and the trash compactor bin where Rivera's body was placed.
"We are confident that Brunn is the killer and that is why he is in custody," Keenan said, declining to detail what evidence investigators have against him.
It was not immediately known whether Brunn had an attorney. He was being held at the Cherokee County jail.
Brunn is not a registered sex offender in Georgia, according to state records online.
Earlier, Keenan had called the killing "very calculated and planned."
Autopsy results showed the girl died of blows to the head and was stabbed and sexually assaulted before her body was placed in a trash bin at the complex, about 40 miles north of Atlanta.
When Rivera's body was found three days after she disappeared, the community where neighbors say they all know each other was shaken and a makeshift memorial took root at the playground.
AP
Jorelys Rivera, 7, of Canton, Ga., was killed at the apartment complex where she lived.
Investigators said they received numerous tips from the public and that valuable evidence had come from apartment complex residents. They also interviewed several sex offenders living at the complex, Keenan said. On Tuesday he said officials had no reason to believe those sex offenders were involved.
As details of the crime emerged, residents said they were worried.
"I'm very concerned," Drew Baucom, 17, said soon after the killing. "It makes me feel like my home life is violated, that I can't trust somebody walking around that you think you may know, but you really don't. It just worries me that something else will happen like this."
About 65 local, state and federal investigators worked the case and several hundred interviews were conducted, authorities said.
Jeremy Gibson, 24-year-old resident of the apartment community, said before the arrest that he was concerned about the safety of all the children who live there.
"Every day children play out here," he said. "It's starting to become a dangerous place for them. If it's happened to one little girl already, it could happen to someone else. I hope they catch whoever did it soon."
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Leave a Comment:
Just execute this monster on the spot. No mercy!!
Not to worry -- the inmates will get him if he is let loose with the general population. Remember the prisoner's code of honor with respect to rapists and babykillers.
This is why we have the death penalty here. We just need an express lane.
I just hope having keys to the apartment and trash isn't all they have on this, and if he did do it...fry him.
I trust you mean after he is tried and if he is found guilty?
Ditto... Ben 167
Unfortunately when he gets to prison they will put him in protective custody. The other convict wont be able to get their hands on him.
I personally hope this guy gets the death penalty, but to think that the people in the joint have any kind of "honor" - get real
There is a special place in hell for monsters like this. How sick and disgusting. Crimes against children and animals are the worst for me. They have no way of even attempting to defend themselves. I hope that he rots in hell and has a miserable life. And oh yea, the inmates where he goes will make sure of that. I just hope they don't KILL him, make him suffer.
These animals are out there, always tell your children to walk in pairs or with a group of other children; there can be no total safety from these pedophiles, once they check they will find other accounts of this piece of garbage being involved, they only stop when they are dead.
i think the authorities need to first be sure this is the guilty party.
Something has got to be done soon about these child molesters...It saddens me to hear of another precious young life taken away so brutaly by a heartless monster...I am a Mother & Grandmother...I just can't imagine what these families are going through on the loss of their Precious children...We need to educate our children & grandchildren on the dangers out there and teach them never to trust a stranger...My prayers are with the family of this 7 yr old child.
If it were one of your relatives, you'd be hollering that they were innocent..........
But it's ok to forget about Due Process, because it's someone you don't even know, right? WRONG!
Saxon please don't call this S.O.B. a animal. Animals don't stab and beat you in the head.
Do all you who think he may be innocent think the PD just pulled his name from a hat? He needs to die slowly, wet, cold, and in total agony. I volunteer my services to the state.
Kudos for such quick work by that police department.
This story simply breaks your heart. God bless that little one and her family. Cannot imagine the nightmare they have been thrown into.
A horrible reminder for those of us with kids, protect them and teach them to protect themselves. You really can't trust people. To look at this young man who is accused of doing this, you would never suspect, but it shows us that looks are too often deceiving.
The police have made mistakes before and they'll do it again. If he's guilty great...cook him. If not, not only do you execute an innocent man but the real animal gets away to do it again. Let's do the Innocent until proven guilty thing first.
If this scumbag is guilty and isn't executed I hope to hell the family does it! Any jury in their right minds would find them not guilty!
PatriotMarine.....I stand with you.
My heart and prayers goes out to the family of this beautiful little girl. And I hope and pray that she has no idea what happend to her here on earth and that some how the family and that pretty little girl can find peace on earth and in heaven. We need justice for this beautiful girl and her family and I dont think the death penalty or life in prison is enough. I believe what you do to one should happen to you just worse!!! I know God wants us to forgive but you can't forgive something like this. How can someone or God ask a family to forgive someone like this that done the things they did and took the life of something so pure and beautiful. To me its unforgivable!!
"they also interviewed several sex offenders living at the complex, Keenan said".
What kind of a place has several sex offenders living in one apartment complex? And if they are registered, it is easy to check their location. I personally think parents should be very dilligent in researching the facts about these predators. I know where every registered sex offender in my small town lives, and have made my children aware of the dangers. I hate that our laws allow sex offenders to re-enter society. I think they should be shot - once a freak, always a freak -
They should take him into the forest, nail his pecker to a tree stump, hand him a straight edge razor, and then set the woods on fire!!
I hope they have the right person. For some reason, this seems like a knee-jerk reaction and I wouldn't be totally comfortable they have the right man. Hope they do.
My deepest condolences go out to her family, and the wish that this young lady may now rest in peace. I would like to remind you good people that this is the U.S.A., and according to the sysrem set up by our founding fathers, a person is innocent until proven guilty! However, if this guy is proven guilty, then he deserves nothing less than to be thrown where the other inmates can have at him. For the information of those who may doubt it, there definitely is a code among prisoners, and the guilty person in this case should be turned over to them. They will see that justice is served!
Patriot Marine says, "Do all you who think he may be innocent think the PD just pulled his name from a hat?" No, I don't, but what you or I may think is not "proof beyond a reasonable doubt." I surely wish I could tell you that there has never been a "rush to judgment" and that the innocent have never been railroaded but that is just not the case. Don't worry, the bozo isn't going anywhere, and it is ok that "the mills of justice grind slowly though they grind exceeding small." Just remember, if they were to have it wrong and close the case in haste, then the bad guy would still be out there.
Do you not remember the case of the wrong guy being arrested as the Atlanta Olympics bomber? They had the wrong guy, and the culprit was still out there doing mayhem for a couple of years.
Sent him to General population and tell everyone he sex offender no need for the death penalty.
How sad. This man should be executed for killing this little, innocent, and beautiful child.
RIP little one.
Let ME have him.
His sorry a** should rot in prison for life and receive the same type of treament he unleashed on an innocent, defensless, and precious child!
Red, that goes without saying, but kudos for pointing that out. Nobody wants to punish the wrong guy. This case appears to be shaping up to be pretty airtight, and DNA should either condemn or exonerate this fellow. My comment was aimed at whoever did this, not this one guy.
DAMN... If convicted beyond a reasonable doubt, they need to take him out and give him a bad case of lead poisoning!
No child should have this happen. Set this piece of s#%* in the middle of the complex with all that
baby's family and let what happens, HAPPEN !!!!!!!!!
Right! Not even an adult should have such a brutal death happen to them!
I want express my most sincere and heart felt sympathy to this young girl and her grief stricken familey. May love be Your light. Let all feel the hand of the lord!
Rob: Be careful what you ask for. At one particular Atlanta apartment complex, the school bus stop is close enough that you can see it from your window. Several years ago, a mother let her child go to the bus stop for school. It was only a few yards away. She never saw her baby get to the bus stop. Once the tenants were aware that the police were looking to question a particular person, they became a gang and beat the s^&t out of him. The police had to put him in protective custody and take him to the hospital.
In another town, police were looking to question someone in particular regarding the rape of a young girl. The neighbors beat him to death. He was wanted as a witness.
Habeas Corpus and Due Process can be such a bitch.
It's a sad state of affairs when people aren't bright enough to wait until any evidence is presented before deciding guilt. I have children and am as horrified as everyone else but no one has even had one day in court yet. Whoever is responsible should get the death penalty but they need to be found guilty in court not by an idiot mob online shouting for blood.
As soon as the DNA test come back and they know it is him they should take him outside put him on his knees and shoot him in the back of the head. Cased Closed
The front of his head without a blindfold.
I think shooting this guy is to quick. I say beat him in the head, stab him a few times like he did to that child and then let Big Bubba rape him like he did to this child. No Mercy!
I believe in eye for an eye. Have done to him what he did to that child.
i think criminals of the violent sort should die in the manner that they kill. why make it quick and painless, it's usually expensive for some reason. Do it cheap like they did.
unbelieveable...my heart goes out to the family! how on earth does anyone deal with this kind of trajedy?
I'm glad they made an arrest, however, I want to see some proof that this person is responsible and that the police didn't just arrest someone to make it look like they were making progress in the case.
If this person is the one responsible, place him with all other inmates and let the guards turn their backs. Save a lot of money on trials, appeals, etc.
He did it. There's DNA. At the scene, they found his blood.
It was probably her blood, not his. The first thing I thought when I read about the spare apartment and the trash compactor was "Surely the maintenance man wouldn't be stupid enough to commit a crime in spaces only a handful of people have ready access to."
Turns out he apparently was.
And I will stop calling you Shirley.
Execution for violent crimes.
I agree! Especially against a child. No mercy. It will teach others a lesson and maybe someday reduce crimes like this.
Why not WhiteJudge? Why not kill a Mother without real evidence? Hell...let's start killing anybody we don't like? Just like they did in Salem, Mass. Kill all the suspected witches with "Hearsay" or "Circumstantial" evidence? Let's scrap the legal system! Of course...I hope it doesn't happen to someone you care about. Public opinion is all that counts...isn't it? Casey wasn't a real good young mother...so she must have killed her child...right? Nobody else willingly confessed either? Right? Must have been her...you just know it!
If this guy did it they need to publcly torture him and then execute him when he begs (after awhile). This person will never be able to be in society and we should not have to feed, house and cloth him for years. He deserves to live as long after the trial as he gave that little girl.
I agree Ron Brock...
Wow, just shows you can't even trust people who LIVE or WORK in the same complex as you anymore. A familiar face means nothing, and it wouldn't surprise me if he's molested other children before.
A familiar face has never meant anything. MOST times when things like this happen, the assailant is known in some way to the victim. That makes it even scarier...its not this unknown boogie man but people we see every day who could potentially harm our children.
If he is guilty, I can't think of any good reason not to execute him on the spot.
That poor little girl and her family just break my heart.
@Hot-in Miami,
Yes, I'm sure this was not his first victim, but it's possible because he's only 20 yrs old.
I'm just thankful it's not the mothers boyfriend storyline we read about so often....
sell him to some Gay Middle Eastern men and make him their sex slave for life.
Sell him to any Gay men and let him be a sex slave for the rest of his life. And hopefully he will get AIDs in the process!!!!
starfox7000,
Hang on, I just got a bid in from Barney Frank....!!
Any gay men, why would a gay person want to have any connection to somebody like this? I understand starfox that you are a homophobe but you should not condemn gay men and liken them to somebody like this. You are truly incompetent to recommend anything to anyone.
Starfox7000 and dano - These are the most despicable comments on this board. I wonder which gutter your brains came from.
@ Alan Perhaps you're right but what dano said was damn funny.
Horrible that a child should die like this. I hope they have the right individual. I can not even call it a "person". My dobermans have more kindness and judgement. I would'nt let them anywhere near this miscreant. They might catch something.
A bullet to the head of this monster is all he deserves.
Perhaps a bullet first to the groin would be more appropriate in this case! With forensics finding more and more criminals, why can't they understand that they WILL be caught and with that knowledge not harm anyone especially children.
Hope he does get a fair trial ??? You really can't trust anyone anymore. He's probably the guy, but don't think for a minute that those police officers don't want a quick arrest, guilty or not...
It's happened before.....I would like to see some evidence....
A bullet to the head is to quick.
We are a nation of laws. Laws govern our actions. We must let the law do justice to this situation. Vigilantism is not the correct course. The anger and hate produced over such horrors as this is almost equal to the horrible act which ignited this fervor. We should not sink to that level. We shouldn't. We want to, though. We want justice. We want rid of this monster. We want safety for ourselves and our children.
Let the process of the law do its job. If this person is guilty, (the evidence will provide the facts), then let him reap what he has sown.
Many condolences to the family. May I offer my sincerest regrets and sympathy for your loss.
After seeing so much of our CRIMINAL JUSTICE CIRCUS in action, Maybe VIGILANTISM is exactly what is needed these days. The US CRIMINAL JUSTICE CIRCUS, Where NOTHING IS UNDERSTOOD, and ALL are innocent until proven BROKE. Equal justice under the law, My definition, I demand the lightist sentence given for any simual crime, ever awarded , in the history of the US in any State. Does anyone really still belive in our Criminal JUSTICE CIRCUS? Its a money making machine for lawers, and others that are in the crime industry.
Well said, Zapper. Thank you for the voice of reason.
Greg, vigilantism is never the answer in the real world. Put a bunch of angry people together in a mob and you've got a bad situation made suddenly much worse. Mob mentality -- especially when charged by overwrought emotions -- leads to mistakes, violence and all of man's baser, animalistic qualities. We should never let the evil acts of others make us any less of human beings ourselves. That is not to say that if he is found guilty he shouldn't be punished to the fullest extent of our laws -- he absolutely should. But find him guilty first. What is the old saying? -- revenge is a dish best served cold. Our justice system is far from perfect and there is plenty of room for improvement, but it is far better than the alternative -- mob rule.
And for what it is worth: the word is "similar."
I don't think you are reading these posts correctly - most of them state that if he is found guilty then he should be.... (insert punishment here) I hate to say it but your opinion is one that has allowed our legal system to be hijacked and manipulated until the criminal has more rights then the victim...the same type of situation that you find with religous displays, national heritage, etc.
Yes, most say that. Including Zapper and myself. Some do not. It is the ones that do not that Zapper was responding to. I was mostly responding to Greg, who falls into the category of "why bother with convictions." I'm not sure how arguing to allow the courts to decide and impose punishment in any way contributes to allowing the legal system to be "hijacked" by anyone. And what do religious displays have to do with anything? I think perhaps it is you who is not reading posts correctly.
Yes, saddened, we are in agreement. I was trying to address vigilantism versus our legal system. I am the first to admit that our legal system is not perfect. However, what other choices do we have? We can resort to mob rule, or we can follow the rules. Of course, some will always find ways to manipulate the rules. We need look no further than several notorious legal cases this year (or even Wall Street!)
I am very upset over the harm and murder done to this child. I don't know if the person arrested is the culprit. (He probably is, but I really don't know as I am too far away and ignorant of all the information that has been collected.) However, I'm not ready to drag him out into the street and execute him without presentation of this evidence. That's why we have laws, courts, trials, etc.--to find out the truth.
If he's found guilty or admits his guilt, I would have no problem, whatsoever, of taking him out in the street and shooting him like a dog--(but that's just me.) I know he has "rights." I personally think (if he's guilty) he gave up those rights; however, I'm not a law writer. The lawyers have included appeals, turnabouts, retrials, etc., as part of our (imperfect) system. It's the only system we've got, so we must deal with it.
I know that each state has a variety of laws governing different offenses. Most states have duplicate or similar laws, but some are quite different. I would like to see all the states adopt the same consistent sets of rules and penalties for each. (Yeah, I know la la land.) It would make sense, but our legal system hasn't always been about making sense. Nevertheless, we all have a right to trial by a jury of our peers. It will be interesting to see what happens in this case.
Let's hope that justice is served. I am always driven to a deep depressive contemplation when I hear of children being harmed. It's bad enough when adults are harmed, but I will never understand the harming of children. It's just not part of my matrix. I can't conceive any reason to inflict such a crime upon them. I know evil exists, and evil is part of this horror, but I will never understand it.
If he did it, a bullet is much too kind for him.
First do the DNA
then savagely beat him, sexually assault him, what kind of sick ( insert your own filthy word ) does that to a child!
after you have sufficiently bloodied him up pummel his head into the concrete until it is nothing but meat! THEN and only then throw his worthless carcass into a trash dumpster.
What was a 7 year old girl doing alone at a playground? I feel for her and the family, and my prayers are with them; however no child at 7 should ever be left unattended. My children, and grandchild were never allowed to be by themselves anywhere without me until they were almost teens.
Lisa, she had been playing with friends in/on the playground; had gone home to get a drink for herself and them. My guess is he saw her leave by herself, followed her to the apt. and sexually assaulted her in the apt. before killing her somewhere else.
Lisa - she was not alone at the playground, she was with friends and left to get some drinks and then was taken.
I Have To Agree With This. They Also Said The Babysitter (Who Was A Teenager) Leaft The Girl Unattended, And The News Also Said That She Roamed Free, Went Whatever She Wanted Unattended. I Think Its Best To Just Let You Kid Play At A Daycar Or Something, Thats The Only Halfway Safe Place They Gonna Be At.
Regardless of her age and what she was doing there alone, the crime committed is not in any way acceptable. The monster, after found guilty should be put to death. There is no crime worse than the crime against a child. My child is never left alone at a park or anywhere for that matter. It is even hard for me to let her play in my own front yard without me or my husband being out there with her. With monsters like this out there, no place is safe for our children anymore. A higher set of laws should be in effect for crimes like this. Set the standard of punishment higher.
Lisa,
Regardless, if my 7 yr old wouldn't be unsupervised somewhere either, I'm not going there. No idea what the scenerio is. Maybe she was with a group of friends, maybe a parent of another kid was with them and this girl left to run up the stairs to go get a drink, etc. We don't know the situation and when it's all said and done, these parents are doing enough self punishing right now.
the playground ( as I understand it ) is IN the apt complex
Lisa,
Your comment is sympathetic for that young child, s---t I wish you were my grandma.....Dumb azz kid what were you doing in that park anyway.. GEEZEEE
I say find the biggest and strongest baseball bat and let the mother and the family of this poor little girl take turns beating the S--t outta him, (you know the way you beat a piñata) then brand him (the way cattles are branded) all over his body, let him suffer like that for about 12 hrs and then shoot him with a shot gun right between the eyes and let him see you when you are about to pull the trigger. DONE! One less ANIMAL walking this earth!
He's not a animal. Animals don't beat you in the head, stab, and rape you.
I bet Hollister is going to appreciate the free advertising....yikes.
Beat the sob like he beat her and put him in the compactor(alive)
dont worries he will get his in prison
zapper45701, Ar you living in the same country as the rest of us? The law? Justice? Are you aware this person, if he is guilty, will no doubt get a plea deal because he is sick, he will not be punished, because he has some made up mental issues that go back to his youth, the same youth he stole from this little girl. But this country does not have the balls to actually enforce the laws as they are written! There are too many do gooders who battle for the rights of the wrong person, instead of the victim.
If this person is found guilty, ( no plea's, no lesser charges,) he needs to be publicly executed, without delay!!
KATZKIMBER, I'm afraid it is you who do not live in the same country at the rest of us. This is not Law and Order: Georgia. In the real world, there are plenty of cases of people who legitimately do have mental health issues on death row. There are plenty of people without mental health issues on death row. There are also undoubtedly some innocent people on death row. That's the real world. Of course people try to plea to lesser charges and sometimes they get it -- but it is no guarantee. When plea deals are accepted, there are generally 2 reasons: 1) the prosecutors feel that they do not have a strong enough case (i.e. not enough evidence) to prove the greater charge and decide it is better to take a definite punishment on a lesser charge instead of gamble the case and risk the person getting off completely, or 2) the authorities want something out of the accused -- to roll over on other suspects, reveal info they otherwise would not, etc -- and in order for that to happen, they have to offer the suspect something to get what they want. Plea deals are not just given out on a whim. There are reasons. Maybe this guy could argue for one, maybe not. If he does, it is in exchange for something. Plea deals are not because anyone lacks the "balls" (to use your crass word choice) to enforce the laws as they are written. It may not always turn out the way you want it to or work as quickly as you would like, but I can assure you there are plenty of cases where people have the book thrown at them and it is not as easy as you seem to think to wriggle one's way out of justice.
And the "do gooders," as you call them may at times be misguided, other times not, but should you ever find yourself or someone you care about accused of a crime, you'll be grateful they are there.
And just to be clear, I am not a huge fan of plea deals in theory, either. They are certainly not ideal. My point was simple that they are not handed out like candy at a parade, as you seem to suggest, and someone somewhere has a reason for doing it that they feel benefits the situation more than not having one.
Saddened, I agree with what you say, but there is also a third reason for plea agreements. Sometimes the prosecutor will take the plea to spare the victim or victim's family the pain of a trial. Sometimes they don't need to have what happened spelled out in detail or be forced to relive (if the victim) what happened. While this may result in a conviction on a lesser offense, or possibly just a lighter sentence, it is not done just to make it easier on the State.
I'm just wondering why a 7 year old is playing at a playground without parental supervision?
Good Point. I won't let my best friends grandson (he's almost seven) out of my sight EVER. There should have been at least one parent or grandparent present at all times.
hope he gets the chair eye for a eye
Violent crimes against humanity and especially children and the elderly should be punishable by the same violence as they inflicted on the victims.... they should not be aloud to go to prison and be housed, fed, watch CSI on t.v. etc. ... punishable by death and death only. The same goes for mother's and father's selling, and abusing their children it needs to be mandatory for them to have tubal ligations and vasectomy's. But violent aggrevated sexual crimes DEATH.
The maintenance man walks around with KEYS to people's homes!?!? I doubt maintenance people get very extensive background checks. They should only be given a key from the landlord at the time of service, and return the key immediately after. So where is the landlord in all of this? This makes me sick!
Good. I hope that this is, indeed, the creature that did it and they are able to prove it, beyond a shadow of a doubt. If GA has the death penalty, that's all he deserves.
If there are any other open cases for sexual assaults on children, they need to be thoroughly investigated too. This can't be a first-time attack -- you don't just wake up one morning and decide to rape and beat a child to death. He's young, so maybe they've stopped a future Ted Bundy.
Zap has it right. Society and the family have every right to WANT to punish now personally, but we have laws to guide us.
If he is guilty, he shouldn't see the outside of a prison wall for the rest of his life and I'm confident, his life in prison given his crime won't be a good one. As JS said, bullet is too kind for him. Even nasty criminals hate other criminals that rape or kill young children. In prison, Buba will show him justice long after the courts have ruled. Nothing will bring that sweet innocent girl back, but he won't be able to ever do this again. Not much of a trade, but it's all we have.
What happened to the American justice system? I agree that this is a horrible monstrosity, and if this man did it, he should be put in a prison where other inmates don't tolerate pedophiliac murderers, but in the america i know, our system says, innocent until proven guilty, all these people are bashing on this man and we dont even have 100% proof that it was him, what if it turns out to be a different person and this guy gets out of all this? Is this how you would want people to think of you? They wont give out what kind of proof they have that it is him, they are only sayin they're "confident" its him, and Ryan didn't even get to make a statement on his own behalf. If it is him, everything everybody is saying should be done, but what if it isn't?
Agreed! What happened to Jorelys Rivera is absolutely horrifying. But, more evidence is needed before his guilt is established.
Innocent unitl proven guilty, not the other way around. All we have so far is a set of keys. This young man has no previous record. Why is everyone so quick to judge? An arrest arrest only without proof means nothing at this point.