On the night of February 19, 2016, a horrific tragedy unfolded at a rural residence on Buena Vista Road near Edgerton, Missouri. Firefighters were dispatched to the home of an elderly couple just before midnight after neighbors reported seeing the structure engulfed in flames. Upon arrival, emergency responders discovered a grisly scene that went far beyond a simple house fire.
Outside the burning residence, they found the bodies of four family members, all of whom had been shot to death before being set on fire.
The victims were identified as 32-year-old female Heather Ager her infant son Mason Schiavoni, and her grandparents, 82-year-old Russell Denham and 81-year-old Shirley Denham. Heather Ager was found to have suffered gunshot wounds, as had her three-month-old baby and her grandparents. Investigators determined that the victims had been killed execution-style, and in a chilling detail revealed during later court proceedings, pennies had been placed on the eyes of the victims. This ritualistic act was reportedly inspired by the film *The Boondock Saints*, which was a favorite movie of the suspect. The family dog, Jack, was also found shot and burned at the scene.
Authorities quickly identified a suspect: Grayden Lane Denham, the 24-year-old brother of Heather Ager and the grandson of Russell and Shirley Denham. Grayden, who had been living at the residence occasionally, was missing from the scene, along with his grandmother’s Nissan Versa. A manhunt ensued, stretching across state lines. Two days after the murders, police located the stolen vehicle in Arizona. Grayden Denham was subsequently arrested in Seligman, Arizona, where he was found walking naked. At the time of his capture, he had abandoned clothes that later tested positive for gunshot residue and fuel.
The legal proceedings revealed a history of rising tensions within the family. Witnesses testified that Grayden Denham had been arguing with his grandfather the day before the murders and had been using methamphetamine. Prosecutors argued that the killings were premeditated, noting that Grayden had purchased gasoline cans and filled them with fuel shortly before the incident. Following his extradition to Missouri, he faced multiple charges, including four counts of first-degree murder, four counts of armed criminal action, arson, animal abuse, and stealing.
In December 2021, a Platte County jury found Grayden Denham guilty on all counts. During the trial, the defense attempted to argue that he suffered from mental health issues and heard voices, but the jury was unswayed. In February 2022, the judge sentenced him to four consecutive life terms in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 115 years for the related crimes. The prosecutor described the event as a massacre of a loving family, ensuring that the man responsible would never walk free again.
