The Amato Family Murders

On the morning of January 25, 2019, Seminole County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a home in Chuluota, Florida to conduct a well-being check on thirty-one-year-old Cody Amato, who failed to show up for work that day. Upon entering the home, officers discovered the bodies of Cody, Chad, and Margaret Amato, all dead from apparent gunshot wounds—there were no signs of a break-in and nothing was missing. The crime scene looked as though it had been staged to look like a murder-suicide and suspicion quickly fell on the Amato’s youngest son, Grant, who was missing from the home.

Thank you so much to the lovely David White for research assistance

References

Dukes, Amanda. 2019. Grant Amato, man found guilty of killing family members, sentenced to life in prison. August 13. Accessed March 22, 2023. https://www.wesh.com/article/penalty-phase-for-grant-amato-to-begin-monday/28670352#.

Seminole County Sheriff's Office. 2018. CJIS Report. Missing Person; Well-Being, Chuluota, FL: Seminole County Sheriff's Office.

State of Florida vs. Grant Tiernan Amato. 2019. 20190000740 (Circuit Court of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit in and for Seminole County, Florida, January 28).

Swenson, Kyle. 2019. "He spent $200,000 on a Bulgarian 'cam girl.'." Washington Post, January 29.

Williams, Michael. 2019. "Accused killer seeks millonaire for help with jail bond, emails reveal." Orlando Sentinel, May 15: A1.

—. 2019. "Amato's lawyers ask judge to sequester jruy." Orlando Sentinel, June 12: B2.

—. 2019. "Grant Amato verdict: Guilty of first-degree murder in killings of family." Orlando Sentinel, July 31.

—. 2019. "'I have become somewhat of a celebrity,' accused killer Grant Amato says in letter." Orlando Sentinel, April 27: B2.

—. 2019. "'I want to believe you,' surviving sibling says." Orlando Sentinel, March 28: A1.

—. 2019. "Judge grants $750k bond for suspect in family murders." Orlando Sentinel, April 26: B1.

—. 2019. "Obsession, money, lies tore this family apart." Orlando Sentinel, July 14: A1.

—. 2019. "Records give glimpse into Chulota man's relationship with model." Orlando Sentinel, May 30: B1.

Williams, Michael, Jeff Weiner, and Gal Lotan. 2019. "'I hate myself for what I did"." Orlando Sentinel, April 16: A1.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

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