On the morning of March 23, 2006, Melvin Beau Griesbauer, 48, a Navy veteran and Army reservist, was found dead on his 93-acre farm in Novinger, Missouri, from a single gunshot wound to the head. His wife, Elain Kay Young (known as Elain Beau) and her visiting friend Katherine Mock initially reported the death as a suicide, but investigators noted a .30-30 Winchester rifle placed near the body and a shell casing about ten feet away. An autopsy and further examination led authorities to rule the death a homicide.

Investigators focused on Young and Mock. Young was reported to be in financial trouble and stood to gain about $1.2 million from life insurance policies. Authorities say Mock twice attempted to hire people to kill Griesbauer, then allegedly went to the farm the night of March 22. Prosecutors charged Mock first and later charged Young; both women were indicted federally on conspiracy and murder-for-hire counts. At trial, each blamed the other for firing the shot; a federal jury found both guilty in March 2012 and they were sentenced in June 2012.

Did anyone in the Novinger area know Melvin, his family, or the women’s dog-breeding and grooming connections?