On July 10, 2022, 13-year-old Dayton Cowdrey was shot and killed by his stepfather, Bo Savage, 35, in a murder-suicide at the family's home in Houghton Lake, Roscommon County, Michigan. Bo Savage also killed Dayton's mother, Tirany Savage, 35, and grandmother, Kim Lynette Ebright, 58, before killing himself. The incident occurred in the context of a deteriorating domestic situation: Tirany had discovered Bo's infidelity and sought to separate from him. She filed a Personal Protection Order on June 24, 2022, citing Bo's threats of violence, mental health issues, refusal to take medication, and recent purchase of a firearm, but the order was denied by a judge on June 27 for insufficient evidence. She filed for divorce on July 7, three days before the killings. Bo Savage was a registered sex offender who had legally obtained the firearm used in the murders.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
The NBC article states: "According to autopsy reports, Tirany Savage, her son and her mother died from gunshot wounds in a homicide. Bo Savage killed himself by gunshot." The sheriff's office also confirmed that "Bo Savage had legally obtained a gun found at the scene." The PEOPLE article corroborates: "All four had apparent gunshot wounds."
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The NBC article states: "According to autopsy reports, Tirany Savage, her son and her mother died from gunshot wounds in a homicide." The child Dayton Cowdrey died from gunshot wounds inflicted by his stepfather Bo Savage.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Both articles explicitly describe this as a murder-suicide. The NBC article headline references "murder-suicide" and states Bo Savage killed Tirany, Dayton, and Kim Ebright before killing himself. The PEOPLE article states: "Four people were found dead early Sunday morning in Roscommon County, Mich., in what police say was a murder-suicide."
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Bo Savage was Tirany Savage's husband but was not Dayton Cowdrey's biological father. The NBC article describes a separate "custody case involving Savage's son, Dayton Cowdrey, 13, and his father," indicating Dayton had a different biological father who was in prison on drug charges. Bo Savage was therefore Dayton's stepfather. Bo Savage is identified as the perpetrator who killed Tirany, Dayton, and Kim Ebright before killing himself.
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The NBC article extensively documents domestic violence. Tirany's relationship with Dayton's biological father was described as "abusive," and "Court records show that he pleaded guilty to a domestic violence charge in 2010 that Gallagher said was against Tirany Savage." Bo Savage was described as becoming "more manipulative, more controlling" and was verbally abusive. Tirany wrote in her protection order petition that Bo was "throwing his fist like he is going to hit me" and was "threatening to kill or physically injure her." Deputies had also "previously responded to calls involving the couple."
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
In her protection order petition, Tirany Savage wrote about Bo: "He has mental health issues (he quit taking his meds)." The PEOPLE article similarly quotes: "He has mental health issues (he stopped taking his meds)."
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
The NBC article states Bo Savage "was listed as a sex offender in the Michigan state registry" and "was convicted of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct in 2005." He was "initially charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct and ultimately pleaded guilty and was convicted in the fourth-degree." Additionally, Dayton's biological father "pleaded guilty to a domestic violence charge in 2010" and is "now in prison on drug charges." These are all prior criminal convictions predating the fatal incident.
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The NBC article states that Dayton's biological father "is now in prison on drug charges, according the Michigan Department of Corrections." Being in prison on drug charges implies substance-related involvement by a parent/caregiver.
Notable Details
Several notable systemic and policy issues are prominently described in the text. The NBC article details that Tirany Savage filed a Personal Protection Order on June 24, which was denied by Judge Troy Daniel on June 27, citing "insufficient evidence" and recommending she "request a restraining order in divorce case." This denial came less than two weeks before the murder-suicide. The article also highlights that Michigan lacks red flag laws that might have allowed authorities to confiscate Bo Savage's legally purchased firearm given his threats and mental health issues. The case is framed as an illustration of systemic failures: the judge's denial of protection, the absence of red flag legislation, and a registered sex offender's ability to legally purchase a firearm. As advocate Renee Beeker stated: "What she wrote in that request is alarming and it shows what happens when judges don't believe women." Additionally, Judge Daniel had been recently appointed by the Governor and was running for election, raising questions about judicial accountability.
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