Murder suspects have first court appearance

Two suspects accused of murder earlier this week in Callaway County appeared Friday morning before Associate Circuit Judge Carol England via a live video feed.

Dale Lee Horton, 35, and his girlfriend, Jennifer Ann Grayson, 27, will be represented by different public defenders to avoid a potential conflict.

Horton will next appear in court at 9 a.m. May 27, while the judge set 9 a.m. June 3 for Grayson’s next appearance. At those court dates, the public defenders representing each suspect will likely be appointed.

Both suspects waived formal reading of the complaint Friday and neither entered a plea to the charges.

Horton is accused of fatally shooting his mother, Sherry Horton, and his brother-in-law Joshua Griffin, at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at a home on County Road 324 owned by Sherry Horton and her husband, Dale D. Horton. His charges are two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action, one count of stealing a motor vehicle and first-degree assault.

According to probable cause statements for both suspects, Horton admitted to Callaway County Sheriff Dennis Crane and Lt. Clay Chism to going to the home of his parents with a 9mm gun and killing both Sherry Horton and Griffith. He also admitted Grayson was with him.

Grayson initially denied being in Callaway County that evening, but later admitted to Crane and Chism that she had been there. She is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree assault.