Son thought he’d got away with killing family but was caught by ‘sleeping’ boy | World | News

A young boy feigned sleep as the cold-blooded murderer of his family members lurked at his bedroom door, but his quick wit led to the apprehension of the killer.

Four-year-old Dameon Huffman was living with his great-grandparents, Jack, 51, and Linda Myers, 55, in Darke County, Ohio, US, when Greg Myers, Jack’s son from a previous marriage, went on a violent spree.

The Myers family, well-respected within their local community, lived on a sprawling 40-acre farm and also operated a popular pizza restaurant. Dameon’s mother – Amber – was just 16 when she gave birth to him, but they were due to be reunited once he completed pre-school.

Greg had been the best man at Jack and Linda’s wedding less than a year prior to the attack, but when he fell into financial difficulties, he donned a dark green jumpsuit and latex gloves, intending to seize his inheritance through the barrel of a shotgun.

On the morning of March 27, 2003, the 25-year-old brutally murdered both his father and Linda by shooting them in the head at point-blank range whilst they slept, reports <a href=”https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/boy-pretended-asleep-killer-stood-36077104″ rel=”Follow” target=”_self”>the Mirror</a>.

When the police began their investigation, they suspected that Dameon might have come face-to-face with the murderer when they discovered traces of blood in his bedroom.

Dameon lacked the vocabulary to articulate the terror he witnessed, but subsequently disclosed the appearance of a ‘spectral’ presence to officers after they constructed a miniature house complete with figurines to help coax him into recalling that fateful morning.

Positioning Greg’s doll in his bedroom, he murmured “I heard a click”, alluding to his door being opened.

When the little lad ventured downstairs that morning, he discovered both his great-grandparents dead.

He attempted to ring 911 but the telephone line had been severed.

Dameon sprinted barefoot to his nursery school, drenched in blood, where he reported his beloved relatives “were melting.”

Officers discovered the front door standing ajar.

The house remained eerily quiet – with no indication of any disturbance in the kitchen.

They subsequently found the corpses were still warm.

Investigators questioned neighbours and acquaintances but uncovered nothing until suspicions were aroused regarding Greg, who presented himself for interrogation claiming he was at his workplace during the time of the offence, providing his timesheet as evidence.

He even offered to take a lie detector test and permitted them to examine his residence.

Several days afterwards, five miles from the property, police discovered a shotgun in the brook with the serial number removed – they cross-referenced firearms transactions and located an advertisement for the Winchester shotgun – they traced the vendor who produced a notepad listing Greg Myer’s name as the purchaser. Police investigated further and discovered Greg was facing severe financial difficulties.

He stood to inherit Jack and Linda’s entire farm upon their deaths.

When police confronted Greg with the evidence, he denied owning anything resembling a green jumpsuit.

Greg was subsequently brought back for a second interview. He maintained that he had sold the shotgun.

A team of officers then discovered another crucial piece of evidence – a bin bag secured in the stream.

It contained a dark green jumpsuit, latex gloves, and a pair of tennis shoes.

A fingerprint on one of the gloves matched his perfectly. Investigators believe he deliberately wore smaller shoes.

Lead investigator Mark Whittaker informed Amber he was being charged.

She said “I just dropped to my knees – I couldn’t believe it. Greg was family, he was someone I trusted.”

In April 2004, a year after the murders, he stood trial for two counts of aggravated murder.

The defence attempted to argue the weather was circumstantial whilst the prosecution said Dameon “saw what no child should ever have to see.”

A jury found Gregg guilty on both charges of aggravated murder and one count of aggravated robbery.

He received two life sentences without parole.

Gregg Myers is serving his time at Ohio’s Marion Correctional Institution, according to Forensic Files.