In the late summer of 2021, a tragedy unfolded in a small Lebanon, Indiana apartment that claimed the life of 20-year-old Brannon Orione Martin. On September 8, 2021, Martin, along with his 42-year-old father, Larry A. 'Beeker' Stogsdill Jr., and his 19-year-old girlfriend, Grace Bishop, were discovered deceased inside a residence on Walnut Street. The grim discovery was made after police received a report that three individuals might be dead inside the apartment.
All three victims had been shot in the head.
The investigation into the triple homicide quickly launched, with law enforcement piecing together the events that led to the violent deaths. Relatives of the victims voiced their suspicions that the killings might have been drug-related, though they were devastated and shocked by the brutal nature of the crime. The apartment building where the bodies were found had a history of being a trouble spot in the neighborhood, with residents complaining of issues like loitering and suspected drug activity.
Within a short time, a suspect emerged in the case. Chad Grimball, a 42-year-old man from the nearby town of Thorntown, was arrested and charged with three counts of murder and a handgun charge in connection with the slayings. The case against Grimball was built on a foundation of compelling evidence. Investigators found cigarette butts at the crime scene that contained DNA matching Grimball's. Furthermore, cellphone records placed Grimball and another individual, who allegedly drove him to the location, in the vicinity of the apartment at the time the murders were believed to have occurred. Surveillance footage also captured Grimball wearing shoes with a tread pattern that was consistent with prints found at the scene.
In August 2023, Chad Grimball was brought to trial for the murders of Brannon Martin, Larry Stogsdill Jr., and Grace Bishop. Following the presentation of evidence by the prosecution, a jury found Grimball guilty on all three counts of murder. Court documents revealed another piece of the evidentiary puzzle: a conversation Grimball had with a fellow inmate at the Boone County jail just over two days before the killings. This, combined with the forensic evidence and witness testimonies, created a conclusive link between Grimball, the crime scene, and the murder weapon. Grimball, who was already incarcerated for prior convictions including intimidation and domestic battery, faced a lengthy sentence for the triple homicide.
