Dayton James Cowdrey, a 13-year-old male, was tragically killed on July 10, 2022, in his home in Houghton Lake, Michigan. The young teen, who was born on August 23, 2008, in Alma, Michigan, was a student at Houghton Lake Junior High School and was also being homeschooled by his mother. He was known as a kind and loving blue-eyed boy who had a deep affection for his family and a great love for animals, especially his rescue pets.
Dayton enjoyed spending his time outdoors, engaging in activities like playing ball, riding quads and dirt bikes, fishing, and mushroom hunting with his family. He also shared a passion for video games, a common interest for a teenager his age.
In the early morning hours of that Sunday, Roscommon County sheriff's deputies were called to his residence around 3:30 a.m. after four bodies were discovered inside. Authorities found Dayton, his 35-year-old mother, Tirany Lee Savage, his 58-year-old maternal grandmother, Kim Lynette Ebright, and his 35-year-old stepfather, Bo E. Savage, all deceased from apparent gunshot wounds. The investigation into the four deaths was quickly characterized by authorities as a murder-suicide.
Further details emerged that painted a grim picture of the circumstances leading up to the tragic event. It was reported that Tirany Savage had sought a personal protection order against her husband, Bo Savage, just weeks before the incident. Her request, however, had been denied by a judge due to what was cited as insufficient evidence. The investigation by the Roscommon County Sheriff's Office pointed to Bo Savage as the perpetrator who shot his wife, stepson, and mother-in-law before taking his own life. As the suspect was among the deceased, no arrests were made in connection with this case.
