Clues Rare In Mike Mullens Murder

    The killing of Mike Mullens devastated his family, stunned his business community and has baffled investigators.

   Nine months ago Saturday, someone gunned Mullens down inside his truck in front of his Flintstone, Georgia machine shop. To this day, it remains a mystery.

      Walker County investigators say something bizarre happened in this murder. Through forensics, they suspect a Smith and Wesson .357 was used. A revolver such as that does not leave a shell casing. And this crime scene was clean.

    Cori Hudson lives across the street from Mullens' machine shop. This is what she heard that December 19, 2008 morning. "It didn't sound like a regular gunshot to me, it was loud, it was like an echo, and there was two," Hudson said.

    Hudson heard exactly what investigators have now pin pointed from that chilly, still dark December morning. One shot killed 45 year old Mullens, the other took out the overhead light and that's where the trail grows ice cold.

    No smoking gun has been found. Sheriff Steve Wilson said, "It appears the victim, Mr. Mullens, was completely surprised that morning."

    Investigators have checked multiple theories. They haven't uncovered any money problems inside his business or out. And this youth baseball coach was adored. His older sister Venice Kendrick said her brother often paid for players to play in tournaments or picked them up if they couldn't afford gas. Kendrick added, "He was not one to be in trouble not one to be involved in anything that you would expect this from."

    Kendrick says family was very important to her brother. She said at family gatherings they would always set the camera on its timer function and she would be the last one to rush into the group shot. Kendrick said back during Christmas of 2007, many in the family had hectic schedules and they were about to forego the group picture tradition. But she said, "Michael insisted." She said he had said, "You never know when we might not all be together." Of course, Kendrick thought it would be the passing of one of their parents, not her younger brother in an unsolved murder. "That's the worst part. It's bad enough that he's gone, but the worst part is not knowing why someone would take his life."

     Now consider this from the crime scene that morning, the gravel parking lot didn't show tire treads from a shooter. Sheriff Wilson added this detail to the investigation, "It does appear the shooter could have been squatted down or at a lower level than the victim, where the victim was seated. Keep in mind this was an F 250 pick-up , which would have a higher wheel base."

     Detectives have narrowed the shooting timeline to 6:15 that morning. Mullens partner and two employees were inside working with loud machinery. Investigators believe one man heard the shot to the metal framed light.

   That light was quickly replaced but this case was cold from the beginning. Investigators say one of the three employees inside heard the shot to the light fixture. He came outside and saw Mullens in his truck. The company founder was slumped over, but his employee assumed he was on the phone. The employee went back into the machine shop and no one realized he was dead until about 45 minutes later.

One thing is clear. The person who pulled the trigger was cautious and calculated. Sheriff Wilson explained, "It does appear to be more thought out than you would see average type murder, but I would stop short of calling it a professional hit at this point."

    The Walker County Sheriff's Department is offering a $1,000 anonymous reward for information. If you saw a car, person, or anything between 6:00 and 6:20 in the Pipes Shop Road area, call the Walker Sheriff's Department. This shop was located between Highway 193 and the main road through Flintstone. It is very near the red Rock City Barn where the annual corn maze is held. Sheriff Wilson says one nugget of information could be the missing piece to a puzzle that has yet to come together. The number you need to call is (706) 638-1909.