Fatal Family Feuds on Oxygen: What happened to Joseph, Michael, and Marlene Colegrove?

The Colegrove family murders were the focus of the latest episode of Oxygen's Fatal Family Feuds. Joseph and Marlene Colegrove along with their son, Michael were shot to death, by one of their other sons in 2007. The devastating case from 2007 remains one of the most brutal family feuds of all time.

The family massacre, which took place in Laceywville, was a direct result of greed and a dysfunctional family environment. The case gained a lot of popularity back in the time.

The synopsis for the recent episode of Oxygen's Fatal Family Feuds, which aired on January 27, 2024, at 9 pm EST, reads:

"The Colegroves are beloved in their small town, but when they're brutally murdered in what appears to be a targeted attack, a bitter dispute within their family is revealed, pitting the surviving brothers against each other."

Steven Carl, who was ultimately convicted of the murder of all three of the victims, was sentenced to life in prison.

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How did Joseph, Michael, and Marlene Colegrove die?

The Colegrove family, hailing from Pennsylvania, had five members, Joseph and his wife Marlene, and their three sons, Michael, Robert, and Steven.

A family with no outward issues visible to neighbors and friends, the Colgroves lived a quiet life in Laceyville. Joseph Colegrove was 60 years old and worked as a barber. He was also a former fire chief in Laceyville. Meanwhile, 56-year-old Marlene worked as a school bus driver.

Their son, Michael, who was 36 at the time had multiple medical and health issues which prevented him from working. He lived with his parents.

The three family members were attacked in their Wyalusing home on August 8, 2007, by Steven Colegrove, who was younger than Michael. They were all shot twice, which also included one bullet to the head. It was clear that the perpetrator did not want to leave them alive.

Right after the murder, the police learned from Steven that their mother had apparently written Robert out of her will. He claimed that only he and Michael, who was slain a day before, were the beneficiaries of her $100,000 life insurance policy. Steven also said that he was at his New York apartment when the murders took place, diverting the blame to his brother Robert in the process.

However, Steven's plan didn't work as the police soon began suspecting him of the murder. Upon searching his house, they found enough evidence in a case against him, including the shotgun used to kill his family. The police also found out that Steven had told multiple people before the murders that he was going to come into money.

All this combined led to a strong case against the accused, which ultimately took the form of a trial in 2009. The prosecutors were able to use multiple pieces of evidence, including DNA samples, to prosecute Steven.

Steven was sentenced to life in prison in 2009, which he continues to serve to this day. Robert, the only surviving son of the family, died in 2013 in an accident.

Details about the case were shown on the recent episode of Fatal Family Feuds on Oxygen. Stay tuned for more updates.