Shivangi Sinha
In June 2017, Benjamin “Ben” Renick was found fatally shot at his reptile breeding facility in New Florence, Missouri. The investigation initially went cold, but years later, authorities received a tip that led them to Ben’s wife, Lynlee Renick, and her ex-boyfriend, Michael Humphrey. Both were accused of being involved in Ben’s murder. While Lynlee claimed that Michael pulled the trigger, he testified that it was Lynlee who fired the fatal shots. CBS’s ‘48 Hours: The Poisonous Wife’ examines the investigation, the conflicting accounts, and ultimately, who was held accountable and what happened to each of them.
Michael Humphrey Claimed That He Heard Lynlee Renick Shoot Ben Renick
Michael Keith Humphrey had previously dated Lynlee Renick but had not been in touch with her for a long time. He started talking to her when Lynlee and her friend, Ashley Shaw, reached out to him. There was not much suspicion around him when Ben Renick was murdered in New Florence, Missouri, on June 8, 2017. In fact, the only reason the police started investigating him was in 2019 when a man named Brandon Blackwell, who had also dated Lynlee, came forward with the information. He alleged that she had conspired with her friend Shaw and had killed her husband with the help of Michael, a previously convicted felon per records.
In January 2020, the police took Michael into custody along with Lynlee. Investigators noted that Michael had been in contact with Lynlee on the day of the murder and shortly after, but not since then, which raised concerns. He had previously told police that he was helping her with some stereo equipment, but after his arrest, his story changed significantly. Michael claimed that Lynlee had told him her husband was abusing her, adding that he had even helped her obtain a gun. He further testified that on June 8, 2017, Lynlee called him, said she was leaving Ben, and asked for help to move her belongings.
According to Michael’s testimony, when he arrived at Ben’s facility, he saw Lynlee standing there with a gun. He claimed she tried to hand the gun to him and asked him to shoot Ben, but he refused. According to Michael, Lynlee introduced him to Ben as an old friend who was interested in snakes, then followed her then-husband into the facility with the weapon in her hand. He further claimed he heard several gunshots and then saw Lynlee rush out, get into his car, and demand he drive away quickly. He helped the police find the murder weapon as well. In October 2021, Michael stood trial and was convicted of first-degree murder. Despite maintaining that he did not pull the trigger, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Michael Humphrey is Incarcerated Even Today
The legal proceedings continued for Michael Humphrey even after his conviction. In December 2021, during Lynlee Renick’s trial, prosecutors offered him a plea deal in exchange for his testimony. He agreed and reiterated his earlier account, maintaining that he did not fire the fatal shot. Lynlee’s defense team alleged that Michael was under the influence of drugs at the time and claimed she had only asked him to help her escape an allegedly abusive marriage, not to kill her husband. However, with corroborating testimonies, Lynlee was convicted. As part of the deal, Michael’s charge was reduced to second-degree murder. In January 2022, he was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Now 41, he is incarcerated at Jefferson City Correctional Center in Missouri. His parole date has not been publicly disclosed.
