• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Wednesday, March 22, 2023
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Weekly Pickem Updates
    • Results by Week
    • The Leaderboard
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Weekly Pickem Updates
    • Results by Week
    • The Leaderboard
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
No Result
View All Result
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
No Result
View All Result

Denham sentenced for killing family

Landmark Staff by Landmark Staff
February 25, 2022
in Headlines
Denham scheduled to go to trial Dec. 7
50
SHARES
1.3k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Email

Four killed near Edgerton in 2016

A man who killed his grandfather, grandmother, sister, and a three-month old baby and then burned their bodies has been sentenced to four terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole plus 115 years.

Grayden Denham, 30, received the sentence Friday, Feb. 25 after he was convicted by a Platte County jury in December 2021

RelatedNews

Improvements coming to Hwy. 45

Resurfacing of I-435 set; ramp, lane closures listed

Death in Parkville parking lot was suicide

Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd said, “This defendant massacred his entire family, including the family dog. He shot each of them–including his three-month old nephew–in the head, and then he burned their bodies. These were shocking and gruesome murders of a loving family.”

During trial, jurors heard that, just before midnight on February 19, 2016, firefighters were dispatched to Buena Vista Road near Edgerton after neighbors discovered the home of Russell and Shirley Denham on fire. The home was fully engulfed by the time firefighters arrived.

The neighbors and firefighters discovered the bodies of Russell, Shirley, their granddaughter Heather Ager, and her three-month-old son Mason Schiavoni. all of whom had been shot and set on fire near the home. The family dog Jack had also been shot multiple times and burned.

The Platte County Sheriff’s Department and Missouri State Fire Marshal’s office began an investigation, and the Metropolitan Major Case Squad made up of seasoned detectives from the Kansas City metro area was activated.

Denham had been living at the home and was nowhere to be found. Investigation later revealed that, after buying gasoline cans earlier in the day and filling them with both diesel fuel and gasoline, he stole his grandmother’s Nissan Versa and fled.

Denham switched license plates on that car twice, after stealing plates in Oklahoma and Texas. He was eventually arrested in Seligman, Arizona after abandoning clothes that later tested positive for the presence of gunshot residue and fuel.

Two pennies were found on or near the eyes of each of the victims, including the family dog. Denham’s former girlfriend testified at trial that one of Denham’s favorite movies was The Boondock Saints. In that movie, the killers place pennies on the eyes of their victims after shooting them.

Witnesses testified to rising tensions between Denham and his family preceding their murders. Denham was seen arguing with his grandfather Russell the day before the killings. Evidence also showed that Denham had been using methamphetamine.

The jury convicted Denham of four counts of first degree murder, four counts of armed criminal action, animal abuse, second degree arson, and stealing. Judge James Van Amburg sentenced Denham to life in prison without the possibility of parole on each of the murder counts, 25 years each on the armed criminal action counts, one year in jail for animal abuse, seven years in prison for arson, and seven years in prison for stealing. He ordered the sentences to run consecutively, resulting in four life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus 115 years.

Zahnd said, “I believe this is the only quadruple homicide in Platte County history. We can pray it is the last. But it’s right and just that the man responsible will die in prison for his horrific crimes.”

The case was investigated by the Platte County Sheriff’s Department, Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Metropolitan Major Case Squad, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Laboratory, with the assistance of the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Yavapai County, Arizona Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Zahnd and Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys Mark Gibson and Blake Sherer.

Tags: Edgertoneric zahndplatte countyPublic Safety
Landmark Staff

Landmark Staff

Related Posts

45 Years Ago–March 17, 1978

by Ivan Foley
March 17, 2023
0

The annual Girl Scout father-daughter banquet was held Saturday night at the high school. The “Good Ole Days” theme was carried out in decorations and throughout the program presented by the Girl Scouts. Mrs. Patsy Baber, neighborhood chairman, introduced the...

30 Years Ago–March 12, 1993

by Ivan Foley
March 17, 2023
0

Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA) from the Northland Career Center in Platte City placed high in district VICA competition held in St. Joseph. Morning class winners include Bobby Maiserroule, Jason Lightwine, Mark Smelcer, Jack Searcy, Trevor Black, Ada Tholen,...

15 Years Ago–March 12, 2008

by Ivan Foley
March 17, 2023
0

A new animal ordinance was adopted by the Weston Board of Aldermen. The ordinance provides new regulations on how residents must restrain animals and provides penalties for violations. The ordinance prohibits a person allowing a dog to defecate on any...

Heidi Fleiss

Even a Hollywood madam has standards

by Ivan Foley
March 17, 2023
0

I feel obligated to draw your attention to Hearne Christopher’s column on page 3. As we teased last week, Hearne was able to track down former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss. Hearne and Heidi have somewhat of a history. Not like...

Next Post
Immersive van Gogh

Step inside the works of Vincent van Gogh

Popular News

  • Barley & Vine

    Brewery, wine bar coming soon

    61 shares
    Share 24 Tweet 15
  • Improvements coming to Hwy. 45

    24 shares
    Share 10 Tweet 6
  • Resurfacing of I-435 set; ramp, lane closures listed

    15 shares
    Share 6 Tweet 4
  • Death in Parkville parking lot was suicide

    14 shares
    Share 6 Tweet 4
  • Health board campaign drawing attention

    8 shares
    Share 3 Tweet 2
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Call us at 816-858-0363

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe Online
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem
    • Login / Sign-up
    • Results by Week
    • The Leaderboard
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved