On the night of February 19, 2016, a tragic series of events unfolded in rural Platte County near Edgerton, Missouri, resulting in the deaths of four family members. Firefighters responded to a reported structure fire at a residence on Buena Vista Road just before midnight, arriving to find the home of 82-year-old white male Russell Denham and his wife fully engulfed in flames. As emergency responders worked to control the blaze, they made a gruesome discovery on the property.
The bodies of Russell, his 81-year-old wife Shirley Denham, their 32-year-old granddaughter Heather Ager, and her three-month-old son Mason Schiavoni were found outside the burning home. All four victims had been shot to death and their bodies set on fire.
Investigators quickly determined that the victims had sustained gunshot wounds to the head, with some suffering multiple injuries. A disturbing detail emerged at the crime scene where pennies had been placed on the eyes of the victims, a specific arrangement that prosecutors later argued was a reference to the film 'The Boondock Saints.' The family dog, Jack, was also found shot and burned at the scene. Authorities launched a search for the couple's grandson, Grayden Lane Denham, who also lived at the residence but was missing when the bodies were discovered.
Two days after the murders, law enforcement located Grayden Denham walking naked in Seligman, Arizona. He was taken into custody initially for theft, as he was driving his grandmother's Nissan Versa, which had been stolen from the Edgerton property. Inside the vehicle, investigators found clothes smelling of gasoline. During the subsequent legal proceedings, testimony revealed that family tensions had been high prior to the killings and that the suspect had been using methamphetamine. Witnesses stated he had been seen arguing with his grandfather the day before the tragedy.
In December 2021, a Platte County jury found Grayden Denham guilty on four counts of first-degree murder, four counts of armed criminal action, second-degree arson, animal abuse, and stealing. During the trial, the defense argued that Denham suffered from mental illness and heard voices, but the prosecution maintained that the acts were premeditated. In February 2022, the court sentenced him to four life terms in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 115 years for the related crimes, ensuring he would remain incarcerated for the remainder of his life.
