Grant Amato's
story is one case that gripped Chuluota, Florida and beyond. He murdered his family over an obsession with an online model he had never met.
Who Was Grant Amato?
Grant Tiernan Amato was
born on May 20, 1989, in Orlando, Florida.
He grew up in a seemingly ordinary household in Chuluota with his parents and brother.
His parents, Chad and Margaret Amato, held respectable careers.
Chad worked as a clinical pharmacist and Margaret as a senior operations manager.
Grant Amato, alongside his brother Cody, studied nursing at the University of Central Florida.
While Cody excelled, Grant's nursing career took a troubling turn in 2018.
He was suspended on allegations of stealing and improperly administering medication to patients.
Although the charges were later dropped, the incident marked the beginning of Grant Amato's downfall.
Without a job or purpose, Grant turned to online gaming to pass time.
He later discovered cam modeling sites, where he met Silviya Ventsislavova, a Bulgarian webcam model who used the alias "Silvie."
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| The Amato family |
The Obsession with Silviya Ventsislavova
Grant Amato's infatuation with Silvie quickly escalated into a destructive addiction.
Over several months, he spent $200,000—much of it stolen from his family—to maintain a facade of wealth and buy Silvie’s attention.
According to prosecutors, he sent her extravagant gifts, including lingerie and sex toys, while paying for her private webcam sessions.
This obsession caused serious problems between Grant and his family.
Desperate to help him, they sent him to a rehabilitation center for pornography and internet addiction, costing them $15,000.
Upon his return, Chad Amato issued strict rules: Grant had to get a job, attend therapy, and cut off all contact with Silvie.
However, Grant ignored these rules.
He continued his secret communication with her using his mother’s phone.
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| Grant Amato and his mother Margaret Amato |
The Day of the Murders
On January 24, 2019, tensions at the Amato household reached a breaking point.
After discovering Grant's continued contact with Silvie, Chad ordered him to leave the house.
This made Grant very angry and he murdered his parents and brother that night.
Grant first shot and killed his mother, Margaret, as she worked at her computer.
He waited for his father to return home, ambushed him in the kitchen, and killed him.
Finally, Grant lured Cody back to the house by sending a text message from Chad's phone.
Upon Cody's arrival, Grant shot him as well.
Grant attempted to stage the crime scene as a murder-suicide, placing the gun near Cody’s body.
The next morning, when Cody failed to show up for work—a rare occurrence—his coworkers called the police for a wellness check.
Authorities discovered the gruesome scene after they arrived the Amato home in Chuluota, Florida.
All three victims had been killed execution-style, shot at close range.
The Investigation and Arrest
The investigation into the murders of the Amato family began immediately after the grim discovery.
While processing the scene, investigators realized that one family member, Grant Amato, was unaccounted for.
Initially, they were concerned for his safety.
However, this quickly changed when they uncovered troubling details about his recent behavior.
Friends and family members reported growing tensions in the household, mostly due to Grant’s obsession with his online Bulgarian cam model
As detectives looked further into the case, they uncovered just how much Grant's addiction had strained the family's finances.
He had stolen over $200,000 from his family to fund his virtual relationship.
This included draining his father’s retirement savings and taking out loans in his brother Cody’s name.
Authorities quickly began searching for Grant, who was located at a nearby hotel two days after the murders.
During his interrogation, Grant displayed a chilling lack of emotion.
When questioned about the murders, he denied any involvement.
He claimied he had left the family home after an argument with his father.
However, his statements were inconsistent.
Additionally, investigators noted his detached demeanor, which only raised suspicions.
Arrest, Trial and Conviction
Despite his denial, the evidence against Grant Amato was overwhelming.
He was eventually arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder.
Ballistic testing linked the weapon used in the murders to a handgun that Grant had access to.
Additionally, text messages recovered from Cody’s phone revealed more incriminating evidence.
Grant Amato’s trial began on July 15, 2019, drawing nationwide attention.
Prosecutors argued that Grant’s desperation to maintain his virtual relationship with Sylvie outweighed any sense of loyalty or love for his family.
They presented compelling evidence, including Grant’s financial thefts, his obsession with Silvie, and the staged crime scene.
Family members also testified about Grant’s troubled relationship with his parents and brother.
Despite the prosecution seeking the death penalty, the jury did not unanimously agree.
On August 12, 2019, Grant Amato was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
When asked if he felt remorse, Grant responded coldly:
"My family has been blaming me for months for ruining their lives, stealing, and not following the rules of the home, so I might as well be blamed for this too."
Chuluota, Florida, still feels the weight of what happened in January 2019, while Grant Amato will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
In another case, an 18-year-old was sentenced to life after he killed his mother and raped her corpse.
See details of that case
here.
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