The true story behind the Melvin Griesbauer case on Killer Grannies

In the early morning hours of March 23, 2006, on a farm in rural Novinger, Missouri, a Navy veteran and Army reservist named Melvin Griesbauer was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head.

His wife, Elain "Kay" Young, and her friend Katherine Mock, who was staying overnight, discovered the body near the horse barn shortly after 1:30 a.m. A .30-30 rifle lay beside him, and the women quickly called 911, describing the scene as a possible suicide after hearing a single shot. 

Griesbauer had returned home late from work at a packing plant and gone out to feed the horses before the incident occurred.

What began as a heartbreaking loss soon unraveled into a complex murder-for-hire scheme driven by financial troubles and claims of abuse.

This case was explored in season 1, episode 6 titled Granny's Word v Granny's Word in Oxygen's true-crime series Killer Grannies, airing on December 17, 2025, on Oxygen.

 Killer Grannies: The night of the murder

Melvin Griesbauer arrived home around midnight on March 22, 2006, after a shift at the local packing plant. He lived with his wife, Ka,y on their family farm, where they raised horses and managed daily chores. That evening, Kay had invited her friend Katherine Mock to stay over.

The two women spent time together before retiring for the night. Melvin Griesbauer, known for his military service and reserved nature, stepped out to tend to the animals, a routine task, as per Oxygen.

Shortly after 1:30 a.m., a single gunshot echoed across the property. Kay later told police she woke up, heard the noise, and woke Mock to check outside.

They found Melvin Griesbauer on the ground near the barn, with a fatal wound to his left cheek from a .30-30 rifle. The gun was positioned near his right hand, and an empty shell casing lay about 10 feet away.

The women made a frantic 911 call, reporting what they believed was a self-inflicted injury due to Melvin Griesbauer's struggles with pain from old injuries. 

Responders arrived quickly, securing the scene under the Adair County Sheriff's Department. Initial observations noted the rifle appeared loaded with an extra round, which raised quite a few doubts among officers, though the women maintained their story of a sudden tragedy, according to Oxygen. 

Initial investigation and suspicions

The next day, following the discovery, on March 24, 2006, the investigation accelerated. A medical examiner's report proved Kay's death a homicide because of the angle of entry and inconsistencies in the crime scene, including the shell casing being found far away and the appearance of Kay's rifle.

Kay and Mock were both interrogated individually, but inconsistencies in their statements emerged, with Kay bringing up Mock crying in the bathtub, not in her bed, where she initially said she slept, as Oxygen reported.

Suspicion heightened when Mock went to a friend's residence with a bag of 180 pills of Vicodin, a painkiller, given by Kay.

Mock attempted suicide and was rushed to a hospital, making detectives curious about her emotional instability and guilt.

Through financial statements, detectives found Kay owed substantial sums of money, including farm debts, with Melvin Griesbauer possessing a $1.2 million life insurance policy.

Kay was discovered to have registered with a dating site where she commented on being unhappy in her marriage and hoping bad things would happen to her husband.

Mock's son, Thomas Ponder, came forward, sharing that his mother had asked about hiring someone to kill Melvin Griesbauer, citing claims of abuse.

These early leads pointed to a possible plot, though no arrests followed immediately as evidence mounted slowly through interviews and records, as per Oxygen. 

Unraveling the conspiracy

By 2008, key evidence emerged to connect Kay and Mock to a murder-for-hire arrangement.

Security footage from a Walmart showed Mock purchasing a black ski mask days before the shooting, and DNA tests linked it to her.

Kay's imprisoned son, Jason Young, contacted authorities, expressing fear of his mother and detailing her role in planning the killing.

A search of Kay's vehicle uncovered a journal with notes on the plot, including a $10,000 payment for the hit and references to Mock's pills, as Oxygen reported.

Prosecutors built a case showing Kay as the instigator, befriending Mock and portraying Melvin Griesbauer as abusive to gain her help.

Both women had discussed options, including hiring an outsider, but ultimately handled it themselves. Bank records and phone logs confirmed their close coordination in the months leading up. 

On March 17, 2008, Kay was arrested on federal charges. Mock, after initial reluctance, cooperated under pressure from her son, implicating Kay as the shooter.

Federal involvement from the FBI highlighted the interstate elements of the conspiracy, turning the rural case into a major probe, according to Oxygen. 

The trial and verdict

The federal trial case for Kay Young and Katherine Mock took place in March 2012 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.

Kay Young and Katherine Mock were accused of conspiracy to murder for hire and murder in the first degree.

During her testimony, Kay accused Katherine of firing in fear, but Katherine, in turn, accused Kay of tricking her into murdering by pulling the trigger herself.

The prosecution had a timeline based on forensic evidence, statements, and documents, which indicated Kay masterminded the crime for insurance benefits and to settle her debts.

The jury deliberated for a short time and found them both guilty on March 19, 2012.

Evidence such as the DNA from the ski mask and journals proved they were both involved, without having to establish which one pulled the trigger.

On June 18, 2012, U.S. District Judge Henry Edward Autrey each sentenced them to life without parole, as per Oxygen.

The case, investigated by the Adair County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI, highlighted the effectiveness of relentless investigation in revealing concealed motives.

Both appealed successfully and thus brought a close to the 2006 incidents.

Watch Killer Grannies season 1 available on Oxygen.