Shivangi Sinha
In November 2015, police responded to a report of a shooting at a home in Rowlett, Texas. Upon arrival, they discovered Laura Grillo had been shot in the head and was pronounced dead at the scene. While many questions remained unanswered initially, investigators soon pieced together crucial evidence and uncovered a timeline that exposed the elaborate plot behind the incident. The case and the investigative efforts that led to its resolution are explored in detail in the episode titled ‘No Tomorrow’ from ABC’s ‘20/20’ limited true crime series ‘Bad Romance.’
Laura Grillo Was Killed Eight Days Before Her Wedding
Laura Ann Aumiller Grillo was born on August 17, 1978, in Baltimore, Maryland. Known for her kind and caring nature, she had a vibrant enthusiasm for life and never hesitated to stand up for herself. This same warmth and strength extended to her children, whom she loved deeply. Laura eventually made her home in Rowlett, Texas, where she maintained a close bond with her two siblings — her brother, Brian Aumiller, and her sister, Liz Frogge. By 2015, she was engaged to John Makris, with whom she shared a child. In addition, Laura had two children from previous relationships and worked hard to give them all a good life.
Brian, who had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, lived with Laura, John, and their children at their home on Americas Cup in Rowlett, Texas. She had always opened the doors of her house to him and had never hesitated to give him the care that he occasionally required. She was also preparing for her upcoming wedding on November 21, 2015, but all of it was cut short. On the morning of November 13, she left to drop her children off at school. She returned home around 8:15 am. However, when John tried to call her at 8:40 am, she didn’t answer.
Concern grew by 11:30 am when the school called John to inform him that Laura hadn’t picked up their daughter. Worried, he reached out to a neighbor and asked them to check on Laura. Just as the neighbor was making their way to the house around 11:50 am, Brian ran out of the house and informed them that a woman was lying in a pool of blood in the kitchen. The neighbor promptly called the police. Upon arrival, authorities discovered Laura, 37, who had suffered a gunshot wound above her left eye. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The police immediately launched a thorough investigation to uncover the truth behind her death.
The Police Observed the Behavior of Laura Grillo’s Close Ones to Solve the Case
The police quickly assessed the crime scene and discovered that a safe in the master bedroom had been broken into. John Makris claimed that the safe contained around $8,000 to $9,000, which was now missing. Additionally, several drawers in the bedroom were left open, and their contents scattered. However, there were no signs of forced entry into the house. Laura Grillo’s purse and keys were found near her body and the investigators concluded that she had been shot almost immediately upon entering the home. The first person they questioned was Brian Aumiller, as he was the only one present at the time. He claimed he had been asleep and hadn’t heard any commotion or gunshots. While this seemed unlikely, the police soon learned that he was deaf in one ear and suffered from major hearing loss in the other. This made it plausible that he hadn’t heard the incident.
The second person the police investigated was John. However, he had an alibi, claiming he had been at Home Depot purchasing supplies for his home remodeling business. His two employees, Jesus Trevino and James Villeda, confirmed his whereabouts. Additionally, forensic tests showed no gun residue on his hands, which confirmed he hadn’t fired the weapon. Despite this, certain aspects of John’s behavior raised concerns for the police. They noted that he didn’t appear particularly affected by Laura’s death and seemed quick to remove her belongings from the house. He used the flowers originally intended for their wedding at Laura’s funeral, a decision that many found unsettling and inappropriate. He also allegedly made jokes about her death and seemed very unbothered.
The Phone Records of Laura Grillo’s Killers Led to Their Arrest
The police decided to investigate John Makris further and obtained a search warrant for his cell phone records. They discovered that in June 2015, Laura had sent him an email expressing her unhappiness in the relationship and her desire to break up. At the time, John was away for work. However, he returned the following month and staged a romantic proposal in front of her children, seemingly reconciling with her. To dig deeper, the police also secured search warrants for the phones of Jesus Trevino and James Villeda. What they found was shocking — both men’s phone data placed them near Rowlett at the time of Laura’s death.
The police didn’t have enough evidence to charge anyone initially. However, they discovered that Trevino had failed to register as a sex offender. Using this as a basis, they obtained a warrant for his arrest in December 2015. By then, he had already left Texas, and the authorities had to issue a public notice seeking tips on his whereabouts. Eventually, Trevino’s former girlfriend, Janet Barron, informed the police that he was in Florida. On April 1, 2016, he was arrested. Two of his acquaintances alleged that he had asked for their help in killing Laura, and they also claimed to have seen him with a black .45 caliber handgun.
On May 9, 2016, the police arrested Villeda for failing to register as a sex offender and re-interviewed him about Laura’s murder. This time, he confessed to being an accomplice. He admitted that he had helped Trevino by driving him to and from Laura’s house on the morning she was killed. He also testified that John had paid Trevino $15,000 to carry out the crime. He provided a description of the getaway car, a silver Kia, which was captured on CCTV footage and later located by the police. Along the route Villeda described, investigators discovered pieces of shoes, a hoodie, and several latex gloves. With this evidence, John, Jesus Trevino, and James Villeda were all charged with capital murder.
Where is John Makris Now?
Ioannis “John” Makris was charged with capital murder, and his trial began in 2018. He was ultimately found guilty of the charge. During the trial, James Villeda testified against him, revealing that, under John’s instructions, he and Jesus Trevino had attempted to kill Laura three times before, but their plans were thwarted due to the presence of neighbors. Villeda detailed how John grew increasingly frustrated as the wedding day approached and pressured them to act quickly. On the morning of November 13, John sent a message to Trevino and informed him that no one was home. Villeda then drove Trevino to Laura’s house, dropped him off at the gate, and later picked him up. He also testified that the gun used in the murder was dismantled and discarded in a dumpster.
Detectives testified that John’s plan was set in motion after receiving Laura’s breakup email. They claimed he killed her to ensure her children would remain with him. Furthermore, they alleged that his romantic proposal was merely a ploy to buy time to execute his plan. John was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He got into a custody battle for his daughter against Laura’s best friend, Heather Nabor-Grace, but it seems like the girl is still with the latter. He appealed his conviction in 2020, but it was dismissed. Now in his forties, John Makris is serving his sentence at the Coffield Unit in Tennessee Colony, Texas.
Where Are Jesus Trevino and James Villeda Now?
The trial for Jesus Trevino began in February 2019, with James Christopher Villeda testifying against him. The latter explained how Trevino gained access to the house using the security passcode, which he knew from previous visits. He also testified that Trevino paid him $1,000 for arranging the getaway car. Additional testimonies from the latter’s friends and former girlfriends further strengthened the prosecution’s case. Some witnesses stated that he had openly talked about the murder plans and had even asked for their assistance.
With substantial evidence and witness statements, Trevino was found guilty of capital murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He has since appealed his conviction multiple times, but each appeal has been dismissed. Now in his thirties, he is serving his sentence at the Ferguson Unit in Midway, Texas. Villeda, in exchange for his testimony, accepted a plea deal of 25 years in prison. He is currently serving his sentence at the J. Dale Wainwright Unit in Lovelady, Texas, and will be eligible for parole in 2028.
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