Rusty Larison

Rusty Larison, a 59-year-old White man from New Richmond, Ohio, was known by his family as a jokester who loved his grandchildren and cooked the best burgers. His daughter described him and his son, 34-year-old Ryan Larison, as “amazing… The most kind and giving people that you could ever possibly meet.” Rusty was a former employee at the Front Street Cafe, and both he and Ryan were well-known members of their close-knit community.

In the early morning hours of July 14, 2022, a neighbor at the Richmond Estates Mobile Home Park heard gunshots. Seeing the lights on at the Larison home around 2 a.m., she sent her son to check on them. He looked inside and made a devastating discovery: both Rusty and Ryan Larison were dead. Paramedics and deputies from the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office arrived to find both men had been shot to death inside their home.

An investigation quickly revealed that the father and son were killed during a planned robbery. According to the Clermont County Prosecutor’s Office, a group of individuals intended to rob Rusty Larison of a small amount of marijuana. During the robbery, one of the intruders shot and killed Rusty. When Ryan came to his father’s aid, he was also shot and killed. The investigation led to the arrests of six people, including four teenagers and two young adults. The alleged shooter was identified as 17-year-old Christian Montgomery.

In November 2023, a Clermont County jury found Christian Montgomery, by then 18, guilty of numerous charges, including two counts of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, and aggravated burglary for the killings of Rusty and Ryan Larison. During the trial, prosecutors noted Montgomery’s complete disregard for human life and his continued violent acts while incarcerated.

The following month, in December 2023, Montgomery was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 66 years. The prosecuting attorney expressed his hope that the sentence would bring the Larison family a sense of peace and justice.

Other individuals involved also faced legal consequences for their roles in the fatal robbery. One co-defendant, Phoenix Sparks, pleaded guilty to charges related to the incident. In the case’s latest development, another co-defendant, Roger Boehm, pleaded guilty in court in May 2024 for his part in the killings.