Authorities officially identify victims in Edgerton quadruple homicide

The Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office finished the process of identifying four homicide victims from Edgerton, Mo. with expected results.

Last week, the Platte County Sheriff’s Office officially released the victims’ identities as 82-year-old Russell Denham, 81-year-old Shirley Denham, 32-year-old Heather Ager and Mason Schiavoni, just three months old. All four lived together in a home at 4170 Buena Vista Rd. in rural Platte County.

The Denhams were married and the grandparents of Ager and great-grandparents of Schiavoni.

No charges have been filed in the case while a person of interest remains in custody in Arizona. The case remains under investigation through the Platte County Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri State Fire Marshall’s Office. 

Authorities originally responded to reports of a structure fire late on Friday, Feb. 19 at 4170 Buena Vista Rd. Once on scene, four bodies were discovered outside the house, which was completely destroyed.

The bodies were also burned with the cause of death later determined to be homicide for all four victims. The Kansas City Metro Squad concluded its work on a quadruple homicide on Tuesday, Feb. 23.

Grayden Denham, another family member believed to have lived at the house, continues to be considered a person of interest. He was located two days after the crime wandering naked in the streets of Seligman, Ariz. — a small town with a population of about 500 — and faces other charges there while remaining at the Yavapi County Detention Center. 

The Platte County Prosecutor’s Office has also filed a felony charge of theft against him for allegedly stealing a car from the Denhams, his elderly grandparents.

Grayden Denham cannot be extradited back to Platte County until his case in Arizona is deposed. Authorities discovered a brown Nissan Versa in a hotel parking lot in Seligman that matched the description of the vehicle taken from the Denhams.

The car had Oklahoma license plates on it stolen from a rental car.