← Back to United States casesBen Renck Murdered by Linley Renck, Michael Humphrey, and others, Missouri, United States
Case Summary
On June 8, 2017, snake breeder Ben Renck was found face down and fatally shot eight times at the Renck Reptiles facility in Missouri. The investigation initially considered a snake attack, robbery, and family-related motives, but later focused on his wife, Linley Renck, after evidence of infidelity, financial conflict, suspicious communications, and accounts from Brandon Blackwell and Ashley Shaw. Michael Humphrey was also charged and convicted after admitting he supplied the murder weapon. Linley denied planning the killing and claimed Humphrey acted independently, but a jury convicted her of second-degree murder and armed criminal action. She received 13 years for murder and three years for armed criminal action.
Basic Information
Country: United States
State/Province: Missouri, United States
City/Region:
Incident Type: Murder
Relationship Status: Married
Relationship Duration: Approximately 3 years (marriage)
Affair / New-Partner Context
Recorded context: Affair started / overlapping relationship
Reported initiator: Alleged suspect / offender
Relationship timing: During marriage or ongoing partnership, before separation
Incident Date: June 8, 2017
Relationship Journey
Relationship Origins:
- Met on social media
- Childhood connection
Relationship Stages:
- Dating
- Married Living Together
- Love Marriage
Analysis
Contributing Factors:
- Cheating / Infidelity
- Financial Issues
- Domestic Conflict
- Money / Financial Gain
- Suspicion of infidelity
Red Flags:
- Changing contact names to hide identity
- Unexplained spending or money transfers
- Financial secrecy
- Meeting people privately / hiddenly
- Deception after incident
- Suspects identified
- Secret affair
- Secret phone communication
Motives:
- Money / Financial Gain
- Extramarital relationship
- Fear of exposure
- Desire for new relationship
Relationship Outcomes:
- Legal case ongoing
- Homicide during marriage
- Arrest made
- Relationship ended
- Weapon recovery
Source Video
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People Link Graph
Ben Renck Murdered by Linley Renck, Michael Humphrey, and others, Missouri, United States
Relationship Journey Graph
Origin
- Met on social media
- Childhood connection
How the relationship or connection began.
Status
- Married
Approximately 3 years (marriage)
Stages
- Dating
- Married Living Together
- Love Marriage
Important relationship phases recorded for this case.
Warning Signals
- Changing contact names to hide identity
- Unexplained spending or money transfers
- Financial secrecy
- Meeting people privately / hiddenly
- Deception after incident
- Suspects identified
- Secret affair
- Secret phone communication
Reported red flags or early concern points.
Pressure Points
- Cheating / Infidelity
- Financial Issues
- Domestic Conflict
- Money / Financial Gain
- Suspicion of infidelity
- Money / Financial Gain
- Extramarital relationship
- Fear of exposure
- Desire for new relationship
Contributing factors and possible motives from the available sources.
Incident
2017-06-08
Outcome
- Legal case ongoing
- Homicide during marriage
- Arrest made
- Relationship ended
- Weapon recovery
Recorded relationship or case outcome.
AI Intelligence Assessment
Relationship Pattern
Infidelity
Pattern Analysis
The reported relationship conflict involved an overlapping affair, concealed communications, financial secrecy, and a deteriorating marriage. Prosecutors argued that Linley's romantic relationships and financial interests contributed to a plan against Ben, while the defense maintained she was seeking a divorce and that Michael Humphrey acted independently. The jury ultimately convicted Linley, but the source records disputed accounts about who planned and fired the weapon.
Investigative Notes
The death initially appeared possibly related to a snake attack because the facility contained more than 3,000 snakes. The coroner identified eight gunshot wounds and a shell casing, ruling out a snake attack. Investigators ruled out robbery after finding no missing snakes. Sam Renck was investigated and later ruled out according to the program. Linley initially cooperated, denied involvement, accused Sam of having a motive, and failed a later polygraph, although her gunshot-residue test was negative. The case remained cold for nearly three years until Brandon Blackwell provided a detailed jailhouse account. Linley and Michael Humphrey were arrested on January 16, 2020. Humphrey was convicted of first-degree murder, later cooperated, and helped investigators recover the gun. Ashley Shaw received immunity and testified against Linley. Linley was convicted of second-degree murder and armed criminal action and sentenced to 13 years plus three years.
Investigation Confusion
The scene initially created confusion over whether a snake had killed Ben. Later uncertainty centered on whether Linley or Michael Humphrey fired the weapon, whether Ashley Shaw's testimony was coerced or reliable, and whether Linley was a participant or an unwitting witness. Linley gave multiple accounts, including accusing Sam, claiming Humphrey acted independently, and denying that she planned the killing.
Case Reconstruction / Puzzle Pieces
Ben and Linley met as teenagers, reconnected in 2011, married in 2014, and built a family and businesses together. Before the homicide, Linley was reported to have concealed affairs, including a relationship with Brandon Blackwell, while Ben confronted her about lies and losses at the spa. The source later described an alleged failed poisoning attempt and planning involving Michael Humphrey and Ashley Shaw, followed by the shooting at the reptile facility. The case strengthened through Blackwell's tip, Shaw's testimony, Humphrey's later cooperation, trial testimony, and recovery of the firearm, although the participants gave conflicting accounts.
Risk Assessment
The source describes a high-risk combination of marital conflict, alleged infidelity, financial pressure, concealed communications, alleged prior poisoning, firearm access, third-party involvement, and post-incident deception. The allegations and trial accounts should not be treated as proof beyond the reported convictions and admitted or testified facts.
Key Takeaways
The case illustrates how a relationship homicide can be obscured by an unusual scene, competing financial explanations, concealed affairs, and shifting accounts. Important comparison signals include abrupt secrecy, financial disputes, hidden contact with romantic alternatives, alleged third-party planning, firearm access, and post-incident efforts to redirect suspicion. The source also demonstrates that negative gunshot-residue evidence does not by itself resolve participation and that cooperating witnesses may have incentives affecting credibility.
AI Case Q&A
What early signals mattered most?
The most important reported early signals were Linley's affairs, concealed contact with Brandon Blackwell and Michael Humphrey, financial losses at the spa, Ben's confrontational messages about lying and unpaid obligations, and Linley's later departure from the property and town. These signals are relevant to investigative comparison but do not independently establish criminal responsibility.
Which clues helped connect the case?
The case was connected through the shell casing, the determination that Ben had been shot eight times, the elimination of the robbery theory, communications between Linley and other men, the jailhouse account from Brandon Blackwell, Ashley Shaw's testimony, Michael Humphrey's later cooperation, and recovery of the firearm.
Which evidence types appeared strongest?
The strongest reported evidence included the autopsy and shooting findings, the shell casing, communications records, testimony from Brandon Blackwell and Ashley Shaw, Michael Humphrey's later account, and recovery of the murder weapon. The source also notes negative gunshot-residue results for Linley and the absence of an initially recovered weapon, which complicated the case.
Witness / Eyewitness Statements
Linley reported finding Ben's body and initially described herself as a grieving spouse. Sam said he was close to Ben and denied involvement, providing an alibi and other materials. Ashley Shaw reported alleged poisoning discussions and later said Linley admitted firing the gun. Brandon Blackwell reported that Linley described an attempted poisoning and the shooting plan. Michael Humphrey testified that he saw Linley with the gun and later admitted supplying it. Linley testified that Humphrey shot Ben and that she had lied to police but did not plan the killing.
How did follow-up reports change the understanding?
Follow-up reporting changed the case from an unexplained shooting with no weapon and no direct evidence against Linley to a prosecution involving a jailhouse tip, cooperating witnesses, a conviction of Michael Humphrey, recovery of the gun, and Linley's conviction. The source does not provide a later appeal outcome.
What remained unclear?
The source leaves unresolved the full reliability of Ashley Shaw's testimony, the extent of Brandon Blackwell's role and incentives, and the precise division of planning and conduct among Linley, Humphrey, and Shaw. It also does not provide a complete forensic account of the alleged poisoning attempt or a later appellate disposition.