When celebrated snake breeder Ben Renick was discovered dead at his Missouri reptile operation in 2017, investigators initially faced an extraordinary possibility: the culprit might not be human, but a 600-pound anaconda.
“It was a very unique call,” Montgomery County EMT Dee Wassman recalled in the June 25 episode of Dateline: Unforgettable. “I had never heard anything like that.”
Ben’s wife, Lynlee Renick, dialed 911 on June 8 after finding him lying in a pool of blood. Complicating the scene, the couple’s massive snake had slipped out of its enclosure and could not be located.
“His skull was crushed, so I didn’t know what to think,” Ben’s brother, Sam Renick, told Dateline. “My first thought was, ‘Of course, the snakes.’”
As deputies arrived at the 72-acre property, they approached with guns drawn, uncertain what danger might be waiting inside. The Renick facility housed more than 2,000 snakes, including one measuring 12 feet, making the investigation anything but routine.
But the evidence soon ruled out a reptile attack. Ben had been shot eight times.
Who Killed Ben Renick?
Within the reptile-breeding community, Ben had built a reputation that bordered on legendary.
He and his brother Sam grew up on the family farm, spending much of their childhood riding ATVs and roaming the surrounding woods. Those early adventures helped spark Ben’s lifelong interest in snakes, a passion he eventually turned into a valuable and highly sought-after collection.
In his early 20s, Ben met Lynlee, then a single mom, while performing in a metal band. The two had a baby and built a future around their passion for exotic reptiles.
So, with Ben dead, investigators turned to Lynlee for answers.
According to Lynlee, she had spent the day at a spa she owned in Columbia. When Ben failed to pick up the kids from school, and she couldn’t reach him, she came home and found him dead.
Could Ben’s success have made him the target of a business rivalry, a disgruntled customer or a resentful family member? It was possible, said Lynlee, who suggested that police investigate Sam.
The brothers were feuding over the future of the farm. According to Lynlee, she and Ben owned it while Sam, who lived there too, wanted half.
“We’d always plan to have the property divided,” Sam told Dateline. “That’s definitely something Ben had planned to do.”
Sam denied involvement in Ben’s murder and agreed to take a polygraph test, which he passed. With no evidence to implicate him, investigators turned to Lynlee.
Lynlee Renick’s Affair with Brandon Blackwell Exposed
By studying Lynlee’s social media activity, investigators learned that her marriage was troubled, a finding that raised questions about the reliability of her police interview.
Eleven days after the murder, detectives sat down with Lynlee again, this time asking a blunt question: Was she dating anyone?
Her surprising answer was yes.
In fact, Lynlee had cheated with multiple men during her marriage, including with new friend Brandon Blackwell, whom police later interviewed.
“He even told me he was in love with her already,” said Missouri Highway Patrol investigator Devon Foust. Meanwhile, Sam called Lynlee’s new relationship “a big red flag.”
A year after Ben’s death, Lynlee was pregnant with Brandon’s child, but the relationship turned toxic.
During one argument, Brandon was arrested for assault, and Lynlee was granted an order of protection. Then, he violated the terms of the order and was jailed for felony stalking. Brandon denied the allegations.
After the couple split, investigators hoped that Brandon would shed new light on Lynlee. Fortunately, he wanted to talk.
Lynlee Renick and Michael Humphrey Accused of Murder
More than two years passed, and detectives were no closer to solving the case when Brandon made a shocking claim: Lynlee had planned Ben’s murder.
According to Brandon, Lynlee had shared that Ben wanted a divorce, and she feared losing custody of their children, so she convinced her ex-boyfriend Michael Humphrey to help kill Ben, though, Brandon said, Lynlee pulled the trigger.
Detectives found Brandon’s story credible and charged Lynlee and Michael with murder.
In Oct. 2021, Michael was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. However, by agreeing to testify against Lynlee, he was granted the possibility of parole.
During Lynlee’s trial in Dec. 2021, prosecutors introduced Lynlee’s alleged accomplices: spa manager Ashley Shaw and employee Rachel Hunt were offered full immunity in exchange for testifying against their former boss.
Ashley claimed that Lynlee shot Ben. The initial plan was to poison Ben’s protein shake with prescription pills, said Ashley, however, when he recovered, the women asked Michael for help.
When Michael testified, he said he accompanied Lynlee to the farm for moral support while she confronted Ben about their marriage, but instead, Lynlee opened fire on Ben.
Lynlee’s legal team told Dateline that no fingerprints, gunshot residue or DNA had been recovered at the scene. They also pointed out that Michael, Ashley and Rachel all had something to gain by cooperating with authorities.
Then, in a surprise move, Lynlee took the stand.
She pointed the finger at Michael, claiming that she was shocked when he allegedly pulled out a gun and shot Ben.
The jury ultimately found Lynlee guilty of second-degree murder. She was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Lynlee denied killing Ben during a prison interview with Dateline.
“Out of everybody here, I had the most to lose,” she said. “I lost everything with Ben dying.”
