Ray County husband and wife accused of stealing millions from elderly couple
By Matt Flener
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RAY COUNTY, Missouri (KMBC) — Prosecutors have charged a Ray County couple with multiple felony counts in connection with a multi-million-dollar elderly fraud scheme.
Trenton and Kirsten Hansuld are facing decades in prison for allegedly stealing more than $3.2 million in money and land from an elderly couple they knew, according to court documents filed Monday in Ray County.
Ray County Prosecutor Camille Johnston brought charges after an investigation by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services’ Office of Special Investigations.
Court documents say state investigators received a fraud alert from Bank Midwest in June 2024 warning about possible financial exploitation.
Investigators say Trenton Hansuld added himself to one victim’s account at Bank Midwest and has taken more than $800,000 since November 2022, including $5,000 in monthly payments.
Prosecutors also say Trenton Hansuld went to the courthouse and changed the deed for the elderly couple’s home and farmland into his name.
The Hansulds owned the TKH Exotic Pet Shop in Lexington.
Prosecutors say they used some of the money for the business and their personal accounts.
Johnston said now that the Hansulds are charged, investigators will continue to look for the money.
“If the bank hadn’t caught it, they would still be probably doing this,” Johnston said.
The Hansulds are currently in the Ray County Jail on $250,000 cash bonds after an arraignment on Tuesday morning.
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