Parents always want what is best for their children, and often go to great lengths to support them. Such was the case for Chad and Margaret Amato, who tried everything to help their son, Grant Amato.
Grant, born on May 20, 1989, in Chuluota, Florida, was a bright young man who had dreams of becoming a nurse anesthetist like his brother, Cody.
After struggling with his studies and being fired from his job for suspicion of drug theft, Grant found solace in online gaming and pornography.
This led to an unhealthy obsession with a Bulgarian webcam model named Silvie, whom Grant spent over $200,000 on in virtual tokens.
His family tried to intervene, sending him to a rehabilitation center and setting strict rules for him to follow, but to no avail.
On January 25, 2019, tragedy struck as Grant’s parents and brother were found dead in their home, each shot in the head. Grant was the prime suspect and eventually arrested on January 28, 2019.
After a lengthy trial, Grant was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in state prison without the possibility of parole on August 12, 2019.
He is currently serving his sentence at the Okeechobee Correctional Institute, where he is in Disciplinary Confinement as of April 12, 2024.
Grant’s story is the subject of a three-part true crime docuseries titled Ctrl+Alt+Desire, which explores the dark depths of digital addiction, loneliness, and obsession that ultimately led to murder.
The series, directed by Colin Archdeacon, will be available for streaming on Paramount+ starting on Tuesday, April 16, 2024.
