Summary4 min read

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Episode: Fugitive Kid Killer Busted Boozing During Spring Break on Daytona Beach (March 27, 2026)

Overview

This episode of "Crime Stories with Nancy Grace" centers on the dramatic capture of Anthony Grove, a child killer and fugitive from Ohio, who was found blending in with spring breakers on Florida's Daytona Beach. The discussion highlights Grove’s disturbing past, his manipulative encounter with law enforcement during his arrest, and additional criminal charges faced in Florida. The episode also covers two other intense cases: a Pennsylvania woman accused of sadistic child abuse and a lawsuit over an alleged violent altercation at a Golden Corral restaurant.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fugitive Child Killer Caught Partying in Florida

(00:00 – 03:04)

Shocking Arrest:
- Anthony Grove, 45, originally convicted for involuntary manslaughter in the 2015 death of his 2-month-old son Zeland (following a domestic dispute), was found drinking on the Daytona Beach seawall while on the run from Ohio.
- Grove violated his parole and illegally crossed state lines, fleeing thousands of miles from Ohio.
- His look was noted as “sporting neon green sunglasses, a silver chain and a bizarre Mohawk.”
Crime Details & Sentencing:
- In 2015, Grove threw a heavy ceramic mug during an argument. It struck his baby instead of his partner, leading to the infant's death.
- Rather than murder, Grove was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and served only 8 years before parole.
Manipulative Encounter with Law Enforcement:
- When approached by Chief Deputy Brian Henderson (Volusia County Sheriff), Grove attempted to evoke sympathy:
  - Quote [03:00]:
    Grove (to Chief Deputy Henderson): “Dude, you lose my son, okay?”
    Henderson (narrating): “You made it sound like your kid died in a car accident.”
- Revelation: Bodycam footage captured Grove's omission of his own responsibility in his son’s death.
- Henderson's Reaction:
  - Quote [03:02]:
    Henderson: “As a father that really pissed me off.”
Additional Charges in Florida:
- Upon arrest, Grove was found with a THC pen, leading to drug possession charges.
- He also failed to register as a convicted felon in Florida.
- He remains jailed in Volusia County, awaiting extradition to Ohio.

2. Pennsylvania ‘Chamber of Horrors’ Child Abuse Case

(03:50 – 07:14)

Maria Roach’s Alleged Abuse:
- Roach, 31, is accused of extreme child abuse, turning her Harrisburg home into a place where children were forced to choose their own weapon of punishment.
- According to police, Roach at one point ordered a child to "retrieve a firearm" and aimed it at a sibling, narrowly missing after pulling the trigger.
- The children also described being struck with belts, suffering marks on their "necks and arms and backs."
- Boyfriend William Witherspoon is accused of being a bystander, finding the display “comical,” laughing as it occurred.
Bravery of Child Victims:
- One child attempted to secretly unload Roach’s firearms to prevent tragedy.
Legal Repercussions:
- Roach is charged with multiple counts including aggravated assault and endangerment of children; Witherspoon faces felony charges for his passive role.
- Both are held on $10,000 bonds; preliminary hearing scheduled for April 8.

3. Golden Corral Lawsuit: Buffet Brawl Goes to Court

(07:14 – 08:15)

Incident Summary:
- Gary Salinger, 59, alleges he suffered a traumatic brain injury, wounds, and was stabbed with a fork after being falsely accused of not paying at a Golden Corral in Henderson, Nevada.
- He claims to have shown the receipt, but was nevertheless attacked by staff who “choked, slammed [him] into a table, and stabbed [him] with a fork.”
- Henderson police made no arrests at the scene.
Legal Action:
- Salinger is suing for negligence and punitive damages against both Golden Corral and the restaurant manager, seeking accountability and compensation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“I'm going to speak for all the Floridians. We don't want child murderers in our state and we definitely don't want child murderers from another state.”
— Chief Deputy Brian Henderson, [00:25]
Bodycam Exchange
- Grove: “Dude, you lose my son, okay?”
- Henderson: “You made it sound like your kid died in a car accident.” [03:00]
- Henderson: “As a father that really pissed me off.” [03:02]
On Roach’s Alleged Sadism:
- “She terrorized them with a twisted game of the gun or the belt, leaving the victims to pick their own poison in a house of absolute atmospheric dread.” [03:50]

Important Timestamps

00:00 — Details of Anthony Grove’s capture and criminal past
03:00 — Grove’s manipulative confession to the officer; Henderson’s reaction
03:50 — Pennsylvania child abuse case: allegations against Maria Roach and Witherspoon’s passive involvement
07:14 — Golden Corral buffet brawl and subsequent lawsuit

Tone & Style

The episode maintains Nancy Grace's well-known no-nonsense, emotionally charged, and justice-driven tone. The storytelling is brisk, relying on vivid language ("stomach-turning display," "twisted game," "absolute atmospheric dread") and dramatic quotes from law enforcement and case details to underline the urgency, horror, and sometimes the absurdity of the cases discussed.

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Transcript6 lines

[00:00]
A
Crime alert Hourly update Breaking crime news now. I'm Jennifer Gould. A stomach turning display of sociopathic cool ended in a high stakes takedown on the sands of Daytona Beach, Florida, after a convicted child killer was caught partying with unsuspecting spring breakers while on the run from Ohio authorities. Chief Deputy Brian Henderson of the Volusia County Sheriff's Department spoke to ABC News 5. I'm going to speak for all the Floridians. We don't want child murderers in our state and we definitely don't want child murderers from another state. Anthony Grove, 45, a man branded armed and dangerous by Ohio parole officers, was snatched by Volusia county deputies during a massive proactive sweep of unruly vacation crowds on the beach. Sporting neon green sunglasses, a silver chain and a bizarre Mohawk, Grove was found nonchalantly boozing on a seawall thousands of miles from the state lines he was legally forbidden to cross. The details of Grove's original depravity are horrifying. In February 2015, during a heated domestic dispute over smoking in the home, Grove launched a heavy ceramic coffee mug at his baby mama. He missed his target, instead striking his two month old son Zeland directly in the head. The infant died the next day at Akron Children's Hospital. Despite the fatal brutality, Grove dodged a murder charge and served only eight years for involuntary manslaughter before being paroled. And in 2023, when Chief Deputy Henderson approached him on the beach for a general icebreaker, Grove allegedly baited the officer into a sympathy trap, claiming he had, quote unquote, lost a child while intentionally omitting that he was the reason that little boy was dead. It was caught on body cam. Dude, you lose my son, okay? Yeah, that's when go sit in the car. You made it sound like your kid it a car accident. Henderson recalled how the kill tried to manipulate his emotions, stating quote, as a father that really pissed me off. End quote. Grove's ruse disintegrated, though as a background check revealed an active October 2025 warrant for his arrest. In addition to the parole violation, Florida authorities slapped Grove with charges for failing to register as a convicted felon and drug possession after a THC pen was found in his backpack. He's currently held in the Volusia County Jail awaiting extradition back to Ohio. More crime and justice news after this
[03:04]
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[03:50]
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A Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, woman transformed a cloverly road home into a sadistic chamber of horrors, allegedly forcing her children to choose the very weapons she would use to beat them while her boyfriend sat back and did nothing. Maria Roach, 31, was hauled off to the Dauphin county prison facing a litany of felony charges after a 12 year old victim's desperate plea for help exposed a domestic dungeon. Prosecutors say Roach did not just discipline the kids, she terrorized them with a twisted game of the gun or the belt, leaving the victims to pick their own poison in a house of absolute atmospheric dread. The allegations are demonic. According to the Harrisburg Bureau of Police, Roach once ordered a child to retrieve a firearm before she allegedly aimed at another sibling's head and then pulled the trigger. The bullet narrowly missed that child, slamming into a nearby wall. In another occasion, survivors claim she shoved the cold barrel of a gun directly between the eyes of another child, while Roach allegedly rained down blows with a belt that left marks across the victim's necks and arms and backs. Her boyfriend, William Witherspoon, reportedly found the violence comical, watching the abuse unfold with a sadistic smile and audible laughter. The investigation took a forensic turn when one child revealed that Roach kept her arsenal hidden beneath her bed. The brave survivor even admitted to trying to secretly unload the weapons to prevent a tragedy. Roach is now facing multiple counts of aggravated assault on victims under 13 and child endangerment, while Witherspoon has been slapped with felony counts for his role as a spectator to all that brutality. Both are being held on $10,000 bonds, with a preliminary hearing set for April 8th. And finally, talk about getting forked over. Now an all you can eat nightmare is turning into a high stakes courtroom menu. Gary Salinger, 59, filed a blistering lawsuit claiming Golden Corral staffers in Henderson, Nevada, skewered him over a false accusation of skipping the bill despite allegedly holding a receipt. Sellinger says he was choked, slammed into a table and stabbed with a fork by aggressive employees. The buffet brawl reportedly left Salinger with a traumatic brain injury and wounds across his body while Henderson police made no arrests at the scene. Salinger is now serving up a negligence suit against the corporate giants and the manager. He's seeking punitive damages to reimburse his pain. It turns out when you dish out violence instead of dinner, the law may carve out a massive settlement. We shall see. For the latest crime and justice news, follow the Crime Alert hourly update on your favorite podcast app. With this crime alert, I'm Jennifer Gould
[07:14]
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[08:15]
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[08:48]
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