From: jcs
Grant Amato’s Background and Dependence
In mid-2018, 29-year-old Grant was unemployed and lived rent-free in his parents’ guest house in Chuliota, Florida [00:00:00]. He had never lived independently and had recently been expelled from anesthesiology school for poor attendance and fired from a nursing job for stealing medication [00:00:10].
Financial Ruin and Family Intervention
Around this time, Grant began spending money on online cam models [00:00:19]. Using his brother’s credit card, he spent an average of 20 minutes on each model [00:00:37]. Beginning on June 5th, he became obsessed with a performer named Sylvie [00:00:43]. Over six months, Grant spent over 60,000 from his brother’s credit card and a $65,000 loan taken out on the family home [00:01:02]. Grant later admitted to lying to his family, claiming the money was for his Twitch streaming advertising [00:16:53].
Instead of contacting the police, Grant’s family sent him to a behavioral rehabilitation facility for online porn addiction [00:01:09]. Grant stated that he did not agree to go, but his father insisted, with his mother and brother also agreeing [00:13:54]. The clinic diagnosed it as an isolated event and found he didn’t need medication, attributing his issues to being out of work and having PTSD from an earlier arrest [00:17:29]. Grant’s brother Cody paid the $15,000 cost of the rehabilitation [00:17:46].
Post-Rehab Rules and Renewed Conflict
Upon Grant’s return from rehab on January 4th, his father presented him with a two-page list of rules, including ceasing all communication with Sylvie [00:01:27]. However, within three weeks, the family discovered Grant had re-established contact with Sylvie via Twitter [00:01:40]. His mother had reportedly allowed him to use her cell phone for this communication [00:18:48]. Grant felt an emotional connection and relationship with Sylvie and didn’t want to stop “cold turkey” [00:19:07].
On January 24th, Grant’s father, Chad Amato, confronted him, leading to a heated argument that almost became a physical altercation [00:01:47]. Grant was then kicked out of the house, living on his own for the first time [00:01:57]. He later claimed his father had pulled him from the couch and yelled at him to pack his belongings [00:20:24].
Grant’s Perspective on Family Relationships
During his interrogation, Grant described his relationships with his family members:
Relationship with Cody Amato (Brother)
Grant and Cody were very close, having decided to go to nursing school and nurse anesthesia school together [00:09:16]. Grant stated, “a lot of people thought that it was weird because we did everything together and because we were so close” [00:09:21]. He emphasized Cody’s constant support: “he was can take care of everything, it’s always there for you, always there to support you” [00:09:37]. While their relationship had been trying during the last six months due to the financial issues, Cody’s anger never turned violent towards Grant, though he once dented a wall by pushing a cabinet [00:09:51]. Grant felt Cody would always be there for him “whatever it takes” [00:10:10].
Relationship with Margaret Amato (Mother)
Grant described his mother as someone who “always been the one that focused on me” [00:10:35]. He stated they “yelled at each other a grand total of like three or four times my whole life” and “never any issues” [00:11:26]. He always felt he could talk to his mom if Cody wasn’t available [00:11:34]. His father would tell him, “you’re her favorite, I mean she would do anything for you” [00:11:13].
Relationship with Chad Amato (Father)
Grant characterized his father as “a very like angry violent type person” and “overbearing” [00:11:56]. He recounted instances from childhood, like five-hour baseball practices where his father would hurl balls at him while he was in seventh or eighth grade [00:12:02]. His father would “belittle me when I was younger” [00:12:14]. The last time his father allegedly put his hands on him was in mid-December 2018, prior to Grant’s rehab stay [00:12:56]. This was due to the money being spent and his father perceiving Grant as unconcerned [00:13:04]. Grant felt his father’s constant criticism and focus on money was “overbearing” [00:18:10]. His father also reportedly threatened to kill him if he continued to cause financial problems [00:41:17].
The Murders
The morning after Grant was kicked out, Cody’s girlfriend called police when he failed to show up for work [00:02:03]. Police found Chad, Margaret, and Cody dead from gunshot wounds to the head [00:02:21]. Grant became the prime suspect [00:02:28].
Forensics later proved that Grant shot his mother Margaret in the back of the head while she was at the computer [00:21:34]. He then waited for his father Chad, shooting him twice in the head upon his entry to the kitchen [00:21:40]. Cody received a text from his father’s phone asking him to come home urgently [00:21:45], and was found in the fetal position with a gunshot wound to the face after entering the front door [00:21:51]. Grant then stole Cody’s credit card and used it to purchase $600 worth of cam model services about 30 minutes later from a Publix parking lot using their Wi-Fi [00:21:58].
During his interrogation, Grant maintained his innocence and attempted to frame Cody, suggesting Cody would “take care of it” and that a shooting occurred between Cody and his dad to protect him [00:36:13].
Grant’s trial began on August 12, 2019 [00:37:32]. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole [00:52:55]. The prosecution argued the case was about Grant’s “blind obsession with this woman” and his “absolute contempt for those that he held responsible” [00:52:30].