A man and woman from Columbia have been charged in connection with two murders in Callaway County.
Court documents filed Wednesday afternoon show Dale Horton, 35, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action and one count each of first -degree burglary, first-degree assault and first degree tampering.
Jennifer Grayson, 27, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree assault.
Callaway County Sheriff's Department probable cause statements show authorities were called out Tuesday evening at 5:34 p.m. to go to a residence in the 2600 block of County Road 324 in Fulton.
Deputies found Sherry Horton and Joshua Griffith dead at the scene and each had been shot.
The residence is owned by Dale D. Horton and Sherry Horton.
A vehicle the Horton's owned was found missing from the residence, but was later recovered along County Road 345.
Dale L. Horton and Grayson were found in Columbia and were taken into custody.
When questioned, Grayson initially denied being in Callaway County that evening, but later admitted she had been there. However, she declined to provide further information.
Dale L. Horton was interviewed and admitted he and Grayson went to the residence and shot Sherry Horton and Griffth. He said when he realized Sherry Horton wasn't dead, he shot her again and killed her. At some point, Dale L. Horton said Grayson was inside the home with him and verbally berating Sherry Horton prior to her death.
Dale L. Horton admitted using a 9mm handgun that authorities found had been used in the crime He said he had deliberated about committing the murders and intended to force his way into the residence to commit them.
Dale L. Horton also admitted to stealing jewelry and money from the residence and admitted to taking the pick up owned by Dale D. Horton and Sherry Horton after committing the murders.
Grayson's mother was interviewed and said her daughter and Dale L. Horton had come to her home at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday afternoon and seemed frantic for her to keep their children. The mother said Grayson told her that she and Horton needed to do something so they needed her to watch the children immediately and they would return to pick up the kids.
A neighbor who lives near the residence where the murders occurred said he heard a disturbance and saw a female he knew to be the girlfriend of Dale L. Horton. He said the female immediately entered the residence and shut the door behind her. A short time later, the neighbor heard what he thought were gunshots coming from the residence. He told his wife what he heard and then saw a pick up truck leave the residence. The neighbor was able to identify Grayson from a photo line up as the woman he saw go in the residence.