Where is Marty Grismer now? Details explored ahead of Dateline on NBC
Marty Grismer is currently serving a 15-year prison sentence at Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla, Washington, for his role in the 2013 murder of Wapato Middle School art teacher Desiree Sunford. Initially considered a burglary gone wrong, the case remained unsolved for over a year until an anonymous tip led investigators to Grismer.
As reported by The Cinemaholic on March 13, 2025, prosecutors alleged that he was motivated by his infatuation with Paige Blades, a woman involved with Sunford’s husband. Authorities claimed Grismer committed the crime intending to frame Scott Sunford, believing it would remove an obstacle between Blades and Scott.
According to the Yakima Herald (December 28, 2017), Grismer entered an Alford plea to second-degree murder, maintaining his innocence while conceding there was sufficient evidence for conviction. NBC’s Dateline will revisit the case in Deadly Entanglement, airing March 14, 2025. The episode will explore key details surrounding Marty Grismer’s conviction and the circumstances leading to his arrest.
Shoes from Marty Grismer’s father’s home matched the crime scene, and stolen items were found at his workplace
Marty Grismer is currently serving a 15-year sentence at Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla, Washington, for his role in the murder of Desiree Sunford. According to The Cinemaholic (March 13, 2025), the case initially appeared to be a home burglary gone wrong, with authorities finding Sunford fatally shot inside her residence in Yakima County on April 7, 2013.
However, the investigation remained stalled for over a year until a tip-off led detectives to Grismer, ultimately revealing a complex motive involving personal relationships and an alleged attempt to frame Sunford’s husband, Scott.
The investigation and breakthrough
Authorities initially found little evidence linking anyone to Sunford’s murder. The victim had suffered multiple gunshot wounds from a 9mm handgun, and the crime scene indicated she had attempted to crawl away from her attacker. Investigators discovered spent shell casings and a bloody footprint made by a boot, as per The Cinemaholic.
The case took a turn in July 2014 when an anonymous tip pointed to Marty Grismer. As reported by Yakima Herald (December 28, 2017), the tip came from Paige Blades, a woman romantically involved with Scott Sunford, who claimed Grismer had confessed to the crime.
Blades told authorities that Marty Grismer had an infatuation with her and acted under the belief that eliminating Desiree Sunford would remove an obstacle in her relationship with Scott, as per NBC News, December 28, 2017. Investigators discovered that Grismer had shared details of the murder with both Blades and another woman, leading them to conduct further inquiries into his potential involvement.
Forensic evidence and arrest
During the investigation, law enforcement uncovered critical forensic evidence connecting Marty Grismer to the murder. Shoes recovered from his father’s home were found to match the footprint left at the crime scene noted in The Cinemaholic. Additionally, authorities discovered stolen items from the Sunford residence had been kept at Grismer’s workplace, further strengthening the case against him as per Distractify, March 13, 2025.
In October 2014, police also recovered gun parts from Grismer’s place of employment, which ballistic tests later confirmed had been used in the murder reported on KIMA TV on January 9, 2018.
Despite this, Grismer denied involvement, claiming Blades had borrowed the firearm before the incident. Law enforcement, however, deemed the evidence sufficient to proceed with charges, leading to his arrest in November 2014, as per The Seattle Times in November 2014.
Trial and conviction
After multiple delays, Marty Grismer was set to stand trial in late 2017. Instead of going to trial, he entered an Alford plea to second-degree murder in December 2017, as per Yakima Herald, December 28, 2017.
Under an Alford plea, Grismer maintained his innocence but acknowledged that the prosecution had enough evidence for a conviction. The original charge of aggravated first-degree murder was dropped as part of the plea agreement.
On January 8, 2018, Grismer was sentenced to 15 years. During sentencing, Yakima County Prosecuting Attorney Joe Brusic stated that the plea deal was based on the strength of the evidence rather than personal beliefs about the case. He stated,
“From a prosecutor’s perspective, we want to maximize the charge, but we have to evaluate the evidence up to and through the trial.” (Yakima Herald, December 28, 2017).
Desiree Sunford’s mother, Connie Kast, delivered a victim impact statement in court, expressing her grief over losing her daughter. She stated,
“Marty, you thought you silenced Desiree by destroying her physical body. Her memory goes on in the hearts of those who loved her, and neither you nor anyone else can destroy that.” (NBC News, December 28, 2017).
The court also ordered Grismer to pay over $14,000 in restitution.
Watch the NBC Dateline episode on March 14, 2025, for more updates.
