by Larry Felton Johnson

Twenty-six-year-old Bryan Anthony Rhoden was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences with no possibility of parole for the 2021 triple murder at the Pinetree Country Club in Kennesaw.

The defendant entered a negotiated plea to three counts of malice murder, seven counts of felony murder, two counts of kidnapping with bodily injury, three counts of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and tampering with evidence.

Cobb County Superior Court Judge Sonja N. Brown was the presiding judge.

A press release from the office of Cobb District Attorney Flynn D. Broady Jr. described the events leading up to the arrest and conviction as follows:

On July 3, 2021, Cobb County Police responded to the Pinetree Country Club in Kennesaw after reports of a shooting. The defendant drove a white truck onto the 10th green at the Pinetree golf course, where he shot and killed Gene Siller, who had come to investigate the truck. The bodies of two other men, Paul Pierson and Henry Valdez, were discovered in the back of the truck.

Warrants were issued for Rhoden’s arrest in connection with the country club shooting shortly after the investigation began. Cobb County Police detectives, with the assistance of HSI, ATF, DEA, FBI, and SLED, discovered that Rhoden had a multi-million dollar drug empire. Rhoden and Valdez met Pierson at an auto shop in Jonesboro, Georgia where Pierson had been instructed to bring the marijuana. Rhoden held the two captive, used zip ties and duct tape to bind and gag them, and then put them in the back of Pierson’s Ram 3500 truck.

Rhoden was apprehended during a sting operation, using money confiscated during his initial arrest by Chamblee police officers after a DUI traffic stop. Rhoden contacted the police to retrieve the money, and was arrested.

A Bill of Indictment was handed issued by a grand jury in May of 2022 against Rhoden and two other suspects: Justin Caleb Pruitt and Taylor Nicole Cameron.

Rhoden entered his plea of guilty on February 2. Broady had initially sought the death penalty in the case, according to court records.

“In the face of tragedy, justice prevailed today. We stand with the families whose lives were shattered by this senseless violence,” Broady said. “The strength displayed by the victims’ families throughout this ordeal is both humbling and inspiring. Let this be a reminder of our continued mission to prosecute violent criminals and protect our community.”

Assistant District Attorneys Stephanie Green and Erman Tanjuatco, and Paul Camarillo prosecuted the case.

The defendant was represented by the Georgia Capital Defender’s Office, which handles death penalty cases for indigent clients.