On a tragic day in October 2017, 72-year-old Janet Nance and her 86-year-old husband, James Nance, were fatally shot in their home near Ellington, Missouri. The incident, which also left a 73-year-old friend of the couple injured from two gunshot wounds to the head, was the culmination of what authorities believe began as a scheme to scam the elderly couple.
Janet Nance died at a hospital on the day of the shooting, October 18, 2017, while her husband succumbed to his injuries a few days later.
The investigation quickly led law enforcement to two suspects, 44-year-old Timothy Callahan of Farmington, Missouri, and 67-year-old David Young of Ironton, Missouri. The duo was apprehended in Deerfield Township, Ohio, near Cincinnati, following a multi-agency investigation. Authorities believe the men had a history of targeting elderly individuals. Young was on probation for financial exploitation of the elderly and had been recently charged with scamming another older couple. It is thought that they had initially approached the Nances about doing work on their home but ultimately decided to rob them instead. The situation turned violent when Janet Nance and her friend returned home from a shopping trip, interrupting the robbery in progress.
Following their arrest, Callahan and Young were charged with two counts of first-degree murder, armed criminal action, robbery, and assault. The Reynolds County prosecutor announced his intention to seek the death penalty, citing evidence that the crime was premeditated. The two men were held without bond in Ohio before being extradited to Missouri to face the charges.
