On June 8, 2017, Benjamin Renick, a 29-year-old male and world-renowned snake breeder, was found dead at his reptile facility in New Florence, Missouri. His wife, Lynlee Renick, discovered his body in a pool of blood and called his brother, Sam Renick, before they alerted 911. Initially, it was suspected that one of his prized serpents had killed him, a theory supported by his brother who noted his skull appeared crushed.
However, investigators at the scene discovered shell casings, quickly shifting the focus of the investigation to a homicide. An autopsy later confirmed that Benjamin Renick had been shot eight times, mostly in the back, with one fatal shot to the head at close range.
The investigation into Benjamin Renick's murder initially considered his brother, Sam, as a person of interest, but he was soon cleared. Suspicion then fell upon Lynlee Renick. Detectives learned that she was having affairs and was deeply in debt from a spa business she had opened. A month before the murder, Lynlee had allegedly attempted to kill her husband by giving him a protein shake laced with a lethal dose of Percocet, which he survived. The case went cold for nearly three years until a jailhouse informant, a man who had been in a relationship with Lynlee after her husband's death, came forward. He told investigators that Lynlee had confessed to plotting the murder with her ex-boyfriend, Michael Humphrey, because she feared losing custody of her children in a divorce and wanted to cash in on a million-dollar life insurance policy.
On January 16, 2020, Lynlee Renick and Michael Humphrey were arrested and charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Following their arrests, both suspects pointed the finger at each other, each claiming the other was the shooter. Humphrey's trial took place in October 2021, and he was convicted of first-degree murder. He later agreed to testify against Lynlee in exchange for a reduced charge of second-degree murder.
During her trial, Lynlee Renick took the stand and admitted to being present at the scene but claimed that Michael Humphrey was the one who shot her husband. Prosecutors argued that Lynlee orchestrated the murder to escape her financial troubles and a failing marriage. A former employee of Lynlee's spa also testified against her, stating that Lynlee had confessed to the killing. In December 2021, a jury found Lynlee Renick guilty of second-degree murder and armed criminal action. Michael Humphrey was sentenced to life in prison, while Lynlee Renick received a sentence of 16 years.
