Small Town Murder – “Murder In The Blood – Grasshopper Junction, Arizona”

Hosts: James Pietragallo & Jimmie Whisman
Date: October 3, 2025

EPISODE OVERVIEW

In this episode, the hosts dive into a gruesome double homicide that occurred in Grasshopper Junction, Arizona—a remote former mining outpost with a population so small, the crime essentially wiped out the entire town. They provide an in-depth exploration of the area, the people who lived there, and the bizarre, tragic events that led two troubled brothers from Alabama to commit an atrocity that shocked the region. As always, James and Jimmie balance meticulous research with dark, irreverent humor.

SETTING THE SCENE: GRASSHOPPER JUNCTION & CHLORIDE, AZ

[04:30]

• The story is set in Grasshopper Junction, Arizona, just outside Chloride (pop. ~296).
• The area: remote, lacking basic amenities, historically a silver mining camp; never abandoned since 1866, making it the "oldest continuously inhabited mining town in Arizona."
• The median household income and home cost is startlingly low, reflecting deep poverty and a “drug-addled vibe.”
• Hosts riff on local traditions (“Old Miner’s Day” with gunfight reenactments and bake sales featuring pineapple upside-down cake), joking about the town’s motto and radioactive history (due to nuclear test fallout from the Nevada Test Site).

Memorable quote:
"Grasshopper Junction at this point has zero population. At the time of the murder... this wiped out the entire town." – James ([05:22])

INTRODUCING THE KILLERS: THE MURRAY BROTHERS

[14:13]

Robert Wayne Murray (b. 1964)

• Troubled upbringing: physical abuse, psychological problems, involuntary bowel movements.
• Married at 16, criminal record includes burglary and armed robbery.
• Allegedly forced to work for his father’s illegal business.

Roger Wayne Murray (b. 1970)

• Even worse criminal trajectory: extensive juvenile record starting at age 9, violence, vandalized cemeteries, obsessed with guns, antisocial tendencies, multiple head injuries.
• Diagnosed with ADHD, brain damage, and aggressive conduct disorder; described as a “time bomb waiting to go off.”
• In and out of youth detention, boot camps, and prison for robbery and car theft.

Memorable quote:
"He’s a better kid. He keeps his shit in his body until he’s ready to expel it, which is excellent. That’s sad when that’s the base level." – James ([18:13])

Quote from a psychologist about Roger:
“Roger is a time bomb waiting to go off. He constantly talks about killing people, especially policemen. He’s very destructive. He needs help that we cannot give him.” ([19:32])

THE KILLERS’ ESCALATING CRIMES & FLEEING TO ARIZONA

[32:14]

• April 30, 1991: In Alabama, the Murray brothers rob and violently assault a 78-year-old woman in her own home.
• Only Robert wears a makeshift mask (“cut from a sweatshirt sleeve... looks ridiculous”), Roger doesn’t—he’s recognized and identified by the victim.
• Upon realizing they are suspects, they flee Alabama in a beat-up Ford Tempo, heading west and amassing weapons, including a sawed-off shotgun purchased in Las Vegas.

THE CRIME: THE SLAUGHTER IN GRASSHOPPER JUNCTION

Timeline: May 12–14, 1991

• May 12-13: The brothers check into the "Holiday House" motel in Kingman, AZ; circle two remote businesses in a road atlas—including Grasshopper Junction.
• Night of May 13/14: They arrive at the home/business of the only two real full-time residents: Dean Reginald Morrison (65, WWII veteran) and Jacqueline Applehans (60).
• The hosts detail the couple’s simple, rural background and their efforts to keep a dying town alive.

The Discovery

[43:14]

• A local friend arrives for his morning coffee, notices the restaurant door open and cash scattered outside, and discovers the bodies of Dean and Jackie in their home.
• The couple was forced to lie down, then executed with multiple firearms: shotgun, .38 revolver, and .22 rifle—suffering close-range wounds.
• The killers ransack the house, leaving items like wallets (despite $800 cash inside), but stealing thousands in cash and coins, which are found on the brothers upon their capture.

Memorable moment:
"Drawers in the living room. All the drawers in any kind of cabinets had been pulled out and pulled open. The contents strewn about... one of the two cushion coverings was missing from the couch." – James ([44:55])

THE CAPTURE: CHASE ACROSS ARIZONA

[13:10, 35:09]

• May 14 (morning): The Murray brothers are spotted in Arizona in a white Ford Tempo with Alabama plates; a routine check reveals warrants for their arrest.
• High-speed pursuit ensues, ending when they attempt to flee across the desert—throwing guns out the windows, only to crash in a wash.
• Police recover weapons (sawed-off shotgun, revolver, semi-autos), receipts, the victims’ property, and the murder cash.

Memorable banter:
"We're going to do Baja in a Ford fucking Tempo... the desert, you might look at it and think it's even, but there's so many big dips and washes... It's terrifying." – James ([36:01])

On Roger's fate:
"Roger tosses a fully loaded .25 semi-automatic as well out the window... they're behind them in the desert, they're watching guns fly out." – James ([36:33])

INVESTIGATION, EVIDENCE & FOOTPRINTS

[46:24]

• Detailed footprint analysis ties the brothers (one in cowboy boots, one in sneakers) to the scene—along with blood, possessions, and matching ammunition.
• Their attempt to mislead police (abandoning a tow truck facing west while fleeing east, pointing blame elsewhere) is easily thwarted by robust forensics and common sense.

Memorable quip:
"We'll walk in the desert, make footprints and then walk backwards in all them footprints, so it looks like we just disappeared… Looks like aliens took us in the desert." – James ([54:08])

TRIAL, DEFENSE & SENTENCING

[63:57]

• Both Robert and Roger are tried together; Robert briefly considers representing himself.
• The hosts riff on the brothers’ desperate legal maneuvers, including requesting “a jury of my peers” (i.e., "I need pants-shitters if you can get them" – James, [68:07]).
• The defense's best (and failing) argument: they "just happened to be there," despite all evidence to the contrary.
• Jury is shown graphic crime scene photos; overwhelming evidence leads to convictions for both on multiple counts of first-degree and felony murder.

Quote:
"The evidence is overwhelming. It’s like, dude, Jesus Christ, man. You might as well have been carrying one of their heads in your backseat." – James ([56:31])

• Both brothers are sentenced to death.

EPILOGUE: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BROTHERS

[78:02]

• Numerous appeals fail; Robert (the older brother) dies of “natural causes” in prison at age 49 in 2014.
  "He died at 49 of natural causes. The fuck is natural about that?" – James ([78:18])
• Roger remains on death row, penning philosophical essays about evil and blaming prosecutors for his fate.

QUOTES & MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• On the tiny town riddled with murder:
  "We've never done a murder where the whole town died." – James ([05:22])
• On Roger’s criminality:
  "If we don't fix this now, he is going to be a mess later. We’re going to have to deal with him later… when they're doing bad shit and they're on our show." – James ([20:54])
• On the crime scene:
  "It's like Sonny Corleone at the tollbooth. This is crazy." – James ([44:31])
• On legal defenses:
  "The fecal defense—throwing anything up against the wall and hoping it sticks." – James ([77:50])

IMPORTANT SEGMENTS & TIMESTAMPS

• Intro to Grasshopper Junction: [04:30]
• Bios: The Murray Brothers: [14:13]
• Alabama Crime & Flee: [32:14]
• Chase and Arrest in Arizona: [35:09], [36:33]
• Discovery of the Murders: [43:14]
• Forensic Evidence Discussion: [46:24], [54:08]
• Trial and Sentencing: [63:57], [74:03]
• Final Outcome & Aftermath: [78:02]

CONCLUSION

Wrapping up, James and Jimmie reflect on the senselessness of the crime, lamenting the tragic, total erasure of a tiny town at the hands of two volatile drifters. Their trademark blend of research, outrage, and gallows humor turns this rural horror into an engrossing, macabre tale—tailor-made for fans of dark, true crime storytelling.

End note:
"Don't shit your pants." – Jimmie ([81:16])