Who Was Desiree Sunford & What Happened to Her? 2026 Update & Profile

Desiree Sunford was remembered by friends, family, coworkers, and students as a compassionate teacher with a creative spirit and a calm personality. Her life and tragic death later became the focus of national true crime coverage, including Dateline NBC’s “Deadly Entanglement,” which revisits the complicated investigation into her 2013 murder in Yakima County, Washington.

What began as a case that appeared to involve a violent home invasion slowly evolved into a disturbing story involving hidden relationships, obsession, emotional conflict, and betrayal. More than a decade later, Desiree’s murder still raises questions for many people who knew her.

• “Deadly Entanglement”: Dateline NBC Revisits Desiree Sunford’s Murder May 23 2026
• Who Is Scott Sunford & Where Is He Now? 2026 Update & Profile
• Who Is Paige Blades & Where Is He Now? 2026 Update & Profile
• Who Is Marty Grismer & Where Is He Now? 2026 Update & Profile

A Life Built Around Teaching and Family

Desiree Sunford grew up in Washington state and graduated from Moses Lake High School in 2000. She later attended Central Washington University, where she earned a degree in education in 2005. Dedicated to her profession, she also pursued graduate studies through the University of Phoenix while working full time.

She became a middle school art teacher at Wapato Middle School in Yakima County. Students and colleagues described her as patient, creative, and supportive. Her classroom was known as a welcoming place where students felt comfortable expressing themselves through art. Friends often described her as thoughtful and caring, someone who tried to see the good in others.

Her Marriage to Scott Sunford

Desiree married Scott Sunford, her high school sweetheart, in 2003. Their marriage survived years of military deployments while Scott served in the Army Reserves. After returning home, Scott found work at a military training center in Yakima, and the couple appeared to be building a stable life together.

Those close to Desiree said she wanted to start a family and was hopeful about the future. Friends later told investigators they believed she was committed to making her marriage work despite challenges that emerged in the years before her death.

The Relationship That Changed Everything

Investigators later learned that Desiree and Scott had become involved with another woman named Paige Blades. Paige had developed a friendship with the couple and at one point lived with them. According to Scott and Paige, the relationship became sexual and involved all three people.

Evidence uncovered during the investigation suggested the arrangement was far more complicated than it first appeared. Text messages showed that Desiree was uncomfortable with the growing relationship between Scott and Paige. While Desiree appeared open to some aspects of the friendship, messages revealed tension and emotional strain beneath the surface.

The texts also exposed growing hostility between Desiree and Paige. In one exchange later discussed publicly by investigators, Paige made disturbing comments about Desiree’s “demise” and suggested she wanted to “do away” with her. Those messages later became a major focus of the murder investigation.

The Murder of Desiree Sunford

On April 7, 2013, Scott Sunford called 911 after returning from a family funeral and being unable to contact Desiree. Deputies were sent to the couple’s remote Yakima County home to conduct a welfare check.

Inside the house, investigators found Desiree dead on the floor. She had been shot seven times, including multiple gunshots to the head. Investigators later described the killing as an execution-style murder. The violence of the attack shocked both law enforcement and the local community.

Initially, there was speculation that the crime might have been connected to a burglary that had occurred at the home days earlier. Scott suggested the intruder could have returned. Detectives quickly became skeptical of that explanation, believing the killer’s primary goal had been to murder Desiree rather than rob the home.

Investigators Uncover a Web of Secrets

As detectives examined Desiree’s personal life, they uncovered the complicated relationship involving Paige Blades. The discovery changed the direction of the investigation and introduced questions about jealousy, manipulation, and hidden motives.

Investigators learned that Paige believed she was pregnant with Scott’s child, although that later proved false. They also discovered that Paige had a coworker and close friend named Marty Grismer, a man investigators later described as deeply infatuated with her.

For a period of time, the case stalled. Authorities had suspicions but lacked physical evidence directly linking anyone to the crime. Cell phone records appeared to support the alibis provided by Scott and Paige, placing them away from the home during the murder.

Marty Grismer and the Break in the Case

In 2015, investigators received an anonymous tip pointing them toward Marty Grismer. The tip was eventually traced back to Paige Blades. Paige later told investigators that Grismer had confessed to killing Desiree because he believed it would allow Paige and Scott to be together.

According to investigators, Grismer had become obsessed with Paige and was willing to do anything for her. Authorities later recovered pieces of a gun hidden at Grismer’s workplace. Ballistics testing connected the weapon to Desiree’s murder.

Grismer was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. In 2017, he entered an Alford plea to second-degree murder, acknowledging prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him while not formally admitting guilt. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Questions That Still Remain

Authorities concluded that Marty Grismer acted alone and stated they found no evidence linking Scott Sunford or Paige Blades directly to the murder plot. Even so, some of Desiree’s friends and family members have continued to question whether the entire truth was uncovered.

The unusual relationship dynamics, threatening text messages, and emotional conflicts surrounding the case left lingering doubts for many people connected to Desiree. Dateline NBC’s “Deadly Entanglement” revisits those unresolved feelings and explores why some still believe justice was incomplete.

Remembering Desiree Sunford

For those who knew Desiree personally, the details of the investigation never overshadowed who she was as a person. Friends remembered her as intelligent, creative, and devoted to her students and loved ones. Former students recalled her encouragement and kindness inside the classroom.

Desiree’s death became a national true crime story because of the shocking circumstances surrounding it, but at its center was the loss of a young teacher whose future was cut short. Her family and friends continue to remember her not for the secrets uncovered after her death, but for the warmth and compassion she brought to the people around her.