On the night of December 2nd 1993, Mike Grasa tucked his three children into bed, kissed his wife goodnight, and snuggled in for a good night’s rest like he had countless times before. Unbeknownst to him, his wife had smiled to his face, knowing that at the time, her boyfriend Ronald Branham was hiding in the basement, ready to murder him in cold blood with a weapon that she had bought him. She’d planned each detail of his death, well in advance, and was taking action that night.

Are you familiar with the “Crossbow Killers” in Liberty Township of Butler County? This was one of the most notorious, and exceptionally horrific crimes to impact and affect this small, tightknit residential area. Mike Grasa, a local businessman, a well-loved neighbor and member of his community, was brutally murdered just doors down from his own father. He was shot point blank in the head and neck with a crossbow, while he slept in his own bed.

Rocking this region to its absolute core, the details of this crime and the trials that followed played out in all forms of media: radio talk shows, local news channels, and newspapers alike reported vivid details about the crime, and details about Mike, the victim of this disgusting crime, and his wife, who not only had an affair and worked with her boyfriend to murder her husband, robbing her children of their father. Their lives, as well as mine, and my grandfathers have been forever altered and tarnished by her selfish, cruel, yet planned and intentional actions.

Naturally, following her crime scene confession, a trial ensued for both Melissa Grasa (inmate W034713) and Ronald Branham (A289093), the trigger-man who co-conspired with her to murder my dad. The evidence in this case was not circumstantial, nor was it able to be misinterpreted. It was clear and blatant to those who paid attention: this was a planned execution. Any defense they attempted to use was clearly and factually disproven. They were both swiftly convicted of Aggravated Murder, and given a life sentence to match the charges. To date, Melissa Grasa’s guilty conviction remains the fastest jury determination in Butler County history. The timing of this horrific crime is the only reason I have to write this letter today. Had this happened in modern day, she would have no chance at parole.

For 20 years, Mike’s family and Friends relive the trauma of this loss repeatedly as Melissa and Ronald are considered for parole. We painstakingly collect signatures on petitions, victim impact statements, letters from friends and family who still miss Mike’s smile and laugh. This charge for years has been led by Mike’s father and family, who has now lived more than 30 years without his only son. For years, we’ve pushed to see Melissa and Ronald both serve their maximum sentence, LIFE. This year was no different, with the exception of the numbers. This year we secured MORE signatures, MORE letters, and even validation from the prosecutor’s office that she should never be released from prison, and that calculated murderers like her remain a threat to society. The parole board themselves informed us that they almost never grant release to a prisoner when the previous parole was denied for at least five years. Melissa falls into this category, and we found mild comfort and hope that she would remain in prison.

As our hearing date came closer, Covid-19 became increasingly concerning for the general population. As a result, we were informed that our “in-person” hearing was instead reformatted for social distancing and would become a teleconference instead. As a result of this change, only two people would be allowed to speak and give their statements. Two. Mike Grasa had four children, two parents, a sister, and countless other friends and family whose lives would be forever different. In what universe can we be expected to convey all that hurt and loss with only two voices via telephone? Undeterred, on the day of the hearing, while dialed in with the representative, Mike’s father and oldest daughter both made themselves relive the trauma and speak candidly about our ongoing heartbreak, anxiety, and emptiness that we live with on a daily basis as a result of Melissa’s actions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE MURDER 

Mike was murdered by his wife, Melissa Grasa and her boyfriend, Ronald Branham, on December 3, 1993. He was murdered while he slept in his own home. Melissa had hidden her boyfriend in the basement for several hours so he could be there when Mike came home from work. Mike was going out of town the next morning for business and would be gone for three days. He went upstairs to lie down about 10:00 pm. Melissa went downstairs a short time later to tell Ron that she thought Mike was asleep so he could come up and bring the weapon that she gave him money to buy a few days earlier. He shot Mike in his sleep while she made the children stay in a room not 10 feet down the hall from where their father was being murdered. After Ron shot Mike, he came to Melissa and told her that he didn't think that he was dead. She told him to go back and shoot him again. She then waited until 6:00 am to call 911 and claim she just found his body, keeping the kids in the house all night. Both killers were convicted (hers being the fastest guilty verdict in county history) and sentenced to 20 years to life. They will be eligible for parole hearings after (good time credits) 13 years. Both the lead detective on the case and the prosecuting attorney said it was the coldest, most evil murder they had ever seen. At trial, neither person showed any remorse.