In the quiet town of Dewey, Oklahoma, a dark story unfolded in the winter of 2022, culminating in the tragic death of 73-year-old Larry Dutton. The disturbing events began to come to light in January 2023, when Washington County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to the Dutton residence for a welfare check. Friends and family had grown concerned after being unable to reach Larry and his wife, Deborah.
Upon entering the home, deputies were met with the strong odor of bleach and cleaning supplies, an immediate sign that something was amiss.
The investigation inside the home soon revealed chilling evidence. Bloodstains were discovered in the master bedroom, having seeped through the floorboards. The search of the property led investigators to the backyard, where a patch of disturbed earth caught their attention. It was there, buried in a shallow grave, that the bodies of Larry and Deborah Dutton were found. The couple had been brutally murdered weeks earlier, on or around December 19, 2022. An autopsy would later reveal that Larry Dutton died from multiple stab wounds to his face, chest, and stomach.
The focus of the investigation quickly turned to two individuals who had been occupying the Duttons' home: their adopted granddaughter, 17-year-old Heidi Dutton, and her 22-year-old boyfriend, Lucas Anthony Walker. During questioning, both confessed to their roles in the horrific crime. Heidi Dutton reportedly told investigators that she 'wanted them dead' and had enlisted Walker to carry out the murders. Walker admitted to taking a pistol from the Duttons' gun safe. He shot Deborah Dutton before her throat was slit. When the pistol jammed as he turned to Larry Dutton, Walker used a knife to stab him to death.
Following the murders, the young couple wrapped the bodies in sheets and dragged them to the backyard for burial, an act captured by a Ring security camera. In the weeks that followed, they continued to live in the home and used the deceased couple's money. Lucas Anthony Walker pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder and was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison. Heidi Dutton was charged as an adult with two counts of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and two counts of desecrating a corpse.
