The Murders of Roger and Melissa Bluml
For this case, I watched an episode of Snapped. It’s season 25 episode 11.
A loving couple is killed in their car, just outside their home.
Background
Roger and Melissa Bluml got married in the 1990’s. Melissa, 53, worked as a bank teller, and was eventually promoted to Vice President. Roger, 48, was a Bobcat salesman, who eventually started his own business.
The couple tried for many years, but learned they couldn’t have kids of their own. In 2001, they looked into adoption, and were contacted by a social worker. A woman named Kisha Schaberg had two sons that she had given up for adoption. The Bluml’s adopted Tony, and his younger brother, Chris.
Tony and Chris did well with the Bluml’s, and they were all very close. The boys grew up to be star athletes, and were described as very polite.
Roger Bluml
Melissa Bluml
The 911 Call
On November 15, 2013, Chris, who was now 16, called 911.
Chris said he had arrived home, and found his parents unresponsive in their truck. Chris said that Roger was coughing, and that Melissa’s head was bobbing up and down. He said they were alive, but barely moving.
The dispatcher asked Chris to put them on their backs to try to administer CPR. Chris told the dispatcher that he realized that there was so much blood in the truck. A .25 caliber shell casing was also found.
Roger and Melissa had both been shot in the right side of their heads. They were rushed to the hospital.
A Troubled Child
The police noticed that Chris was acting strangely. He wasn't showing much emotion, despite what he had just seen.
The police asked Chris what he thought had happened. Chris said the only person he could think of that would’ve done something to their parents, was his brother, Tony.
The Bluml’s began having issues with Tony during his senior year of high school. Tony constantly smoked marijuana, and he didn’t like that his parents gave him a curfew, or rules to follow.
Melissa was also afraid of Tony, who had issues controlling his anger, and was very strong.
After he graduated, Tony was arrested for a DUI. He had talked about wanting to go into the Air Force, but the Bluml’s believed that dream was over after his arrest. They made the decision to tell Tony he couldn’t live with them anymore.
Tony left to go to California in September of 2013, but came back into town, and asked his parents if they wanted to meet him for dinner. This was on November 15, and a few hours later, they were fighting for their lives in the hospital.
Chris was taken to the police station for another interview, but refused to say anything else.
Possible Theories
Back at the crime scene, the police noticed that the door in the garage had been forced open.
Inside the home, there were items all over the house. In the master bedroom, the drawers had been pulled out.
The police looked into Roger’s business dealings, and wondered if a client had been upset with him. However, this was eventually ruled out.
Sedgwick County in Kansas, was known to have several break ins. The police wondered if the Bluml’s had arrived home to find a break-in in progress. This was eventually ruled out as well.
The Birth Mom
The police wanted to find Tony. He had also been looking to speak with them, and went into the police station for an interview.
They learned that Tony had reconnected with his birth mom, Kisha, in the spring of 2013. Kisha had spent messages to both him and Chris, but Chris wanted nothing to do with her.
Tony said he had went out to California in September 2013, and had stayed with Kisha, her 7-year-old daughter, and her girlfriend, Shawn. Tony said he stayed for a few weeks, but missed his adoptive family. In October 2013, he went back to Kansas with Kisha, and his half-sister.
Tony said he was staying in a hotel with Kisha and his sister, and had arrived back at the hotel around 8:00pm on November 15, after dinner with the Bluml’s.
Tony’s timeline was corroborated by the hotel staff. Chris’ timeline was also checked out. He had been at a dinner for his wrestling team, and arrived home, to find his parents had been shot.
A Witness
On November 16, Melissa died at the hospital. Roger was still fighting for his life.
On November 17, another police department called the Sedgwick County police, and said that they had someone with information about the case.
A man named Dalton, said that his friend, Braden Smith, was involved. Dalton had a background in selling firearms to people. Braden had texted him that he needed a gun to do a job. Braden was insistent, but Dalton said no, as he was trying to get out of that lifestyle.
Dalton said that once he heard about Roger and Melissa’s shooting, he knew that Braden was involved.
A background check was done on Braden. Braden was known to do and sell drugs, and had been friends with Tony Bluml.
The police did surveillance on Braden, and saw him throw an item into a pond at a park. He was brought in for questioning on November 19.
The Murder for Hire Plot
Braden immediately confessed to being involved. He said that he knew Tony and Kisha had reconnected. Tony had told him that they could go to California, live with Kisha, and grow marijuana legally.
Braden traveled with Tony in September 2013. They stayed in Shawn’s one bedroom apartment for a few weeks until Shawn told them all to leave. Braden, Tony, Kisha, and Kisha’s daughter then went back to Kansas.
While they were traveling back, they made a plan to kill Roger and Melissa. Tony said that he would get a significant amount of money with them gone. They could use the money to grow their drug business.
Braden said he started having doubts about it, and hired his friend, Drew Ellington. Drew apparently had aspirations to be a hitman, and agreed after Braden told him he would get $1,000.
On November 15, Braden gave Drew two firearms, and was told about the plan.
Braden also admitted to throwing two firearms in the pond, but said neither was the murder weapon. The two firearms were found in the pond. One was a .25 caliber, but it was determined not to be the murder weapon.
The Arrests
Drew Ellington was arrested. He confessed to being involved, but said Kisha was the shooter.
Drew said that Tony had taken his parents out to dinner, so that he and Kisha could wait for them to return home. Tony called them around 8:15pm, and said that they would be arriving home soon. He said that they staged the house to make it look like a robbery.
Once they returned to the hotel, Kisha wrapped the gun in a long sleeved shirt. She also had taken Melissa’s purse, and told Drew to get rid of both items. Drew had driven out to a residential area, and dumped the items in a creek. The gun was determined to have been the murder weapon.
On November 19, Drew was charged with capital murder and aggravated robbery.
Kisha and Tony were arrested at the hotel the same day. Tony confessed to his part, but Kisha denied being involved. Tony had even been brought into Kisha’s interrogation room, and said he told the police everything. Kisha still denied it.
Kisha had apparently wanted an open adoption, but the Bluml’s said no. Kisha had stayed angry with the Bluml’s for years. Kisha thought that with them gone, she would be able to reconnect with Chris, too.
Tony learned that he had not even been in the Bluml’s will anymore. He had made the comment that they had done this for nothing.
Tony, Kisha, and Braden were all arrested, and charged with capital murder and aggravated robbery.
The Convictions
On December 21, Roger succumbed to his injures, and passed away.
On May 15, 2015, Tony and Kisha, in exchange for a life sentence without parole, they both pleaded no contest.
Braden Smith pled guilty to second degree murder. He was sentenced to 24 1/2 years.
Drew Ellington was convicted of first and second degree murder. He was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after 25 years and 155 months.
Kisha’s daughter was sent to foster care.
Braden, Tony, Kisha and Drew
FINAL THOUGHTS
It seems that both Tony and Kisha had a lot of anger toward the Bluml’s. They seemed like very loving people and parents, and didn’t deserve what happened. I’m sure they didn’t want to kick Tony out of the house, but he wasn't listening. It seems that both Tony and Kisha were manipulative, and they both made a decision that ruined both of their lives. Chris made a good decision in not reconnecting with Kisha. It seems like he went on to live a good life, despite everything he has been through.
Sources
https://www.oxygen.com/snapped/crime-time/anthony-bluml-kisha-schaberg-murder-adoptive-parents
https://casetext.com/case/schaberg-v-state
https://www.kansas.com/news/local/crime/article24610234.html
https://www.ksn.com/news/schaberg-bluml-sentenced-to-life-for-death-of-valley-center-couple/
