Murder of Linda Damm by daughter Tess Damm and Bryan Grove examined on Seduced to Slay on ID

Seduced to Slay on ID is investigating the murder of Linda Damm, who was stabbed to death at her home in Lafayette, Colorado, by Bryan Grove.

Grove was the 17-year-old boyfriend of Linda’s 15-year-old daughter Tess Damm, and he had been instructed to kill the single mom by Tess.

In February 2007, Tess, Grove, and their friend, 16-year-old Jared Smith, discussed killing Linda. They drove to the Damm household, and while Tess and Smith continued to drive around, Grove went inside and stabbed 52-year-old Linda 18 times.

The trio of teenagers then stuffed Linda’s body into the trunk of her car.

The police would later state that Tess admitted to asking her boyfriend to kill Linda because she was neglectful and an abusive alcoholic.

Tess, Grove, Smith, and a fourth friend, Jared Guy, 18, attempted and failed to dispose of the body twice. They first tried to dump the remains at an Erie landfill and then tried to bury them in a shallow grave at a Boulder cemetery.

Police quickly arrested Tess Damm and Bryan Grove for Linda Damm murder

Eventually, on February 28, the cops discovered Linda’s remains still in the trunk of her car. All four teenagers were arrested a short time later.

Grove was initially charged with first-degree murder, but he accepted a plea deal and confessed to second-degree murder. He was sentenced to 40 years behind bars.

At his sentencing, an apologetic Grove told the court, “I apologize for the pain and tears and grief I caused. I lay myself at your mercy and ask for it.”

Tess Damm pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 23 years. She served the first five years at a juvenile facility.

Tess Damm already granted parole in Linda Damm killing case

In 2020, Tess was granted parole after serving just over ten years. She was released at age 28.

At the time of her hearing, she wrote to the parole board, stating, “The person I am now at the age of 25 is drastically different. The past 10 years, thanks to the various treatment opportunities I was afforded, have opened my eyes to the person I used to be. I am able to see my thought process that led to my crime and I know that I will never find myself back at that place.”

Jared Smith pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the crime and was sentenced to two years in juvenile jail followed by six months parole.

Jared Guy also pleaded guilty to his role in covering up the murder and was sentenced to six months in prison.

Seduced to Slay airs Monday at 10/9c on Investigation Discovery.