Fowler, Colorado — In a small rural community, the shocking murder of Byron Griffy, a local funeral home director, unfolded in October 2012. As developments revealed a web of deceit, passion, and morality, the case captured attention nationwide, leading to the creation of a documentary series titled “The Rocky Mountain Mortician Murder,” which premiered on November 26.
Griffy, who turned 77 just a day after his death, was found shot in the back of his head inside his farmhouse. The crime scene was notably devoid of blood and DNA evidence, suggesting deliberate tampering and the possibility that the body had been relocated. Investigators identified no signs of forced entry, which compounded the mystery of who would want to kill the well-known community figure.
As detectives dove deeper into the case, they uncovered a mix of personal scandals. Five months before his death, Griffy had pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting his teenage step-grandson, a revelation that cast an unsettling light on his character. Although the boy’s mother defended Griffy and claimed her son falsely accused him, this allegation marked a significant shift in public perception about the funeral director.
Among the individuals who came forward was Tommy Tomlin, a known drug user who did odd jobs for Griffy. Tomlin alleged that Griffy had paid him for sexual favors. Both the step-grandson and Tomlin emerged as early suspects in the investigation, but attention later turned to two other men: Charles Giebler and Anthony Wright, who ran a competing funeral home.
Giebler, also the town’s mayor and a local pastor, appeared initially to be a friend of Griffy’s, even speaking at his funeral. However, their relationship grew suspect as investigators pieced together the timeline of events on the day of the murder. Giebler and Wright claimed they intended to celebrate Griffy’s birthday that day but were unable to reach him when they arrived. Their explanation unraveled as evidence revealed they had not taken the most straightforward route to the farmhouse and discrepancies in their vehicle’s description raised further questions.
In a shocking twist, it emerged that Giebler and Wright were not merely business partners but were in a romantic relationship, a detail they had kept hidden from the community for years. Financial motives came to light, revealing that Griffy had entrusted the couple with valuable gold and silver coins worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, raising suspicions about their potential involvement in his death.
After nearly four months of investigation, Giebler died from natural causes shortly before police could issue an arrest warrant. This unexpected event complicated the case further, leading to speculation that Wright might have been involved in his partner’s death to cover up their alleged crime. Despite these allegations, Giebler’s death was officially ruled from natural causes.
In August 2013, Wright was arrested, and his trial began in 2015. A lack of physical evidence led to substantial debate in the courtroom; no murder weapon was found, and forensic evidence was minimal. An investigator suggested that the cleanliness of the crime scene pointed toward Wright and Giebler’s culpability, given their background in crime scene cleanup.
Ultimately, the jury came to a standstill, resulting in a mistrial. However, the district attorney’s office later offered Wright a plea deal, leading to a conviction for accessory to first-degree murder in early 2017. He received ten years of probation and maintained his innocence regarding any involvement in the crime.
Today, Wright resides in southern Colorado with his wife, though he continues to assert that he and Giebler were not responsible for the murder of Byron Griffy. The unfolding of these events depicted in the documentary has led many to ponder the complexities of human relationships and moral decay, making the story not just a chilling murder mystery but a cautionary tale of betrayal and the darker sides of community life.