Anita Dunn Murder Who Was The Killer?

Publish date: 2024-05-21

On May 30, 1992, 16-year-old Anita Dunn was reported missing by her family in Belle Center, Missouri. Anita’s disappearance garnered little attention from law enforcement at the time, who believed she had simply run away from home. 

However, their investigation took a turn when her body was discovered in an abandoned mineshaft several months later. The case captured national attention when it was featured on the TV series Murder in the Heartland: Truth Will Kill.

The show’s team of investigators retraced the steps of the police officers who worked on the case, ultimately finding new evidence that led to the arrest and conviction of Anita’s killer. While the case is now solved, it serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by law enforcement in solving crimes.

How Did Anita Dunn Die?

On May 30th, 2016, Anita Dunn was reported missing by her landlord and his wife to the Joplin Police Department in Missouri. A detective was assigned to her case and worked tirelessly to find evidence of her whereabouts. 

On August 5, 2016, after tracking her mobile phone location data, the detective and his team arrived at an abandoned mineshaft full of water. The camera they sent underwater revealed a human body weighted down by stones. The autopsy report later confirmed that the body was Anita Dunn’s and she had died. 

Through their investigation, the police were able to identify a suspect and on August 10, 2017, they arrested Anita’s neighbor, Jerry Branson, for her murder. Branson was charged with first-degree murder and is currently awaiting trial.

After police completed their investigation, they suspected her landlord, Todd. According to him, it was Anita’s visit to her home, and they had both been involved in a serious relationship for some time. 

Later, the two had an argument, where Anita threatened him, she revealed everything about their relationship in front of his wife, and she tried to go to his wife, then Trodd begged her not to but she never listened. 

Then Anita took a pistol from the counter and gave a threat to him, which Todd quickly took from her hand and threatened her that if she did not stop, he would kill her and he would do whatever he said to her. He killed Anita without thinking for a minute. 

When Anita lost her life, Todd Greathouse put her in the back of her car, threw her body near the abandoned mine shaft, and disposed of her body there.

Where is Todd Greathouse now?

Todd Greathouse was convicted of the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Anita Dunne, in 2017. 

Greathouse had originally claimed that he killed Dunne in self-defense but later admitted that he had been lying and that the real reason he killed her was that she had threatened to tell his wife about their previous relationship. 

Anita’s family disputed Greathouse’s claims, saying that she had not been involved in any sort of affair. Regardless of the truth of the matter, Greathouse was sentenced to 50 years in prison without parole and continues to serve his sentence today.

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