The Case of Ben Renick

Ben Renick was a 29-year-old internationally known exotic snake breeder who was found shot to death inside his Missouri reptile business on June 8, 2017. Investigators initially wondered whether one of the thousands of snakes had killed him, but quickly discovered he had been shot eight times. After a lengthy investigation, his wife Lynlee Renick and her former boyfriend Michael Humphrey were arrested. Lynlee was convicted of second-degree murder and armed criminal action.

Benjamin "Ben" Renick was a prominent reptile breeder who owned Renick Reptiles in New Florence, Missouri. His business specialised in rare and exotic snakes, with thousands of reptiles housed at the facility. Some of the animals were worth tens of thousands of dollars, and Ben had developed an international reputation within the reptile-breeding community. Ben was married to Lynlee Renick, with whom he had children. The couple's marriage had deteriorated, and prosecutors later argued that Lynlee wanted Ben dead because of their marital problems, financial difficulties surrounding her spa business and concerns about what would happen to her financially and regarding custody of their children if they divorced. Lynlee was also the beneficiary of a $1 million life insurance policy on Ben.

On the evening of June 8, 2017, Lynlee called 911 after saying she had discovered Ben's body inside the reptile facility. First responders initially faced an unusual and potentially dangerous crime scene containing more than 3,000 snakes. One of the large snakes was also missing from its enclosure, leading responders to initially consider whether Ben might have been killed by one of his reptiles. The possibility was quickly eliminated. Ben had been shot eight times, including a close-range gunshot wound. Shell casings were recovered inside the facility, along with bullet damage to the floor. The scene indicated that Ben had been deliberately attacked rather than accidentally killed.

The investigation initially produced no obvious suspect. Lynlee was interviewed by investigators multiple times and underwent a polygraph examination in October 2017. Investigators continued examining her relationship with Ben, her financial circumstances and her activities surrounding the murder. The case remained unsolved for more than two years. A breakthrough came in January 2020, when investigators received information from a person who claimed knowledge of the murder. The information implicated Lynlee and her former boyfriend, Michael Humphrey. Both were arrested on January 16, 2020, and charged with Ben's murder. Prosecutors alleged that Lynlee had recruited Humphrey to kill her husband. They also presented evidence that there had been an earlier attempt to poison Ben. Humphrey initially denied being responsible for the shooting and claimed Lynlee had been involved. Humphrey was tried first and convicted of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in October 2021. After his conviction, Humphrey agreed to cooperate with prosecutors and told investigators where the gun used in the murder could be found. He subsequently testified against Lynlee. At Lynlee's trial, however, she maintained that Humphrey was the shooter and denied killing Ben herself. The prosecution argued that Lynlee had orchestrated the murder and that Humphrey had carried it out with her assistance.

On December 9, 2021, a Boone County jury found Lynlee Renick guilty of second-degree murder and armed criminal action. The jury recommended a total sentence of 16 years in prison. On January 24, 2022, Lynlee was formally sentenced to 16 years imprisonment. (courttv.com) Michael Humphrey was ultimately sentenced to life imprisonment for his involvement in Ben's murder after agreeing to testify against Lynlee.

The case became particularly unusual because first responders initially believed Ben might have been killed by one of the thousands of snakes housed at his facility. The discovery of shell casings quickly transformed the investigation into a homicide case. The investigation subsequently became a lengthy conspiracy case involving Ben's wife and her former boyfriend, with the murder remaining unsolved for more than two years before a tip led to their arrests.