The second season of the true-crime documentary series Bad Romance was released on March 25, 2025, with the first episode, No Tomorrow. The episode discusses the murder of Laura Grillo, a three-time mother who was murdered eight days before her wedding in Rowlett, Texas.
The episode of Bad Romance exposed a murder-for-hire conspiracy masterminded by her fiancé, John Makris, who enlisted the services of two accomplices to execute the heinous crime. The episode unravels the series of events culminating in the death of Laura, the ensuing investigation, and the closure of the case.
About the Crime on Bad Romance: Investigation and Resolution
Bad Romance season 1 captured public attention due to its engaging tales, leading to the release of Bad Romance season 2. The first episode, No Tomorrow, investigates Laura Grillo's case and how her relationship with John Makris concluded in tragedy.
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According to the court documents, Laura Grillo was a 37-year-old mother who resided in Rowlett, Texas. She had three children—two from a previous relationship and one from her fiancé, John Makris. On November 13, 2015, Laura was discovered dead in her kitchen with a gunshot wound to her left eye.
Her feet were bare, and she was still clutching her purse and keys, indicating that she was assaulted immediately after arriving home. The investigators first suspected a botched burglary since a safe in the master bedroom had been burgled and $8,000 to $9,000 had been stolen. But there was no indication of forced entry into the house.
Laura's brother Brian Aumiller, who lived with her because of his autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, said he had been asleep at the time and hadn't heard anything. This was possible due to his hearing impairments. According to WFAA+, John Makris gave an alibi that he was at Home Depot during the time of the murder—a claim for which there existed surveillance video.
Investigation
According to WEIS Radio, the investigation quickly narrowed its focus to John Makris due to his behavior after Laura's death. Detectives observed that he showed no concern after her murder and made disturbing choices like using wedding flowers for Laura's funeral and requesting a neighbor to remove blood from the kitchen floor using Laura's toothbrush.
According to the court documents, police got search warrants for Makris' cell phone records and found disturbing information regarding his conversations with Jesus Treviño and James Villeda—two workers later found to be accomplices in Laura's killing.
According to the court documents, Treviño escaped from Texas following the murder but was found in Florida on April 1, 2016. At first, he did not cooperate with investigators but was implicated in the crime via phone records and witness statements.
Villeda confessed when questioned on May 9, 2016, acknowledging that he had taken Treviño to Laura's residence on the day of the murder. He disclosed that Makris had paid Treviño $15,000 to murder Laura.
Resolution
According to the court documents, evidence compiled by the investigators resulted in the indictment of John Makris, Jesus Treviño, and James Villeda on a charge of capital murder. Throughout trial proceedings, Villeda testified against Treviño as part of his plea agreement.
Prosecutors offered phone records establishing communication between Makris and Treviño in the days before the crime. They also revealed how Makris had organized each aspect of the murder—time to routes for escape—with Treviño and Villeda.
According to WFAA+, Treviño was found guilty in February 2019 and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. According to the court documents, Makris was also given a life sentence for masterminding Laura's murder. The trials revealed the financial reasons behind Makris' actions and his wish to break up with them without having to pay child support.
Aftermath
As reported by WFAA+, Laura Grillo's death left her family heartbroken. Her three kids had to grow up without their mother because of this senseless act of brutality.
According to Moviedelic, the case served to expose how domestic relationships can sometimes conceal deadly secrets. Bad Romance applies this story not just to retell the occurrences but also to serve as a warning about being aware of telltale signs in relationships.
Background of Bad Romance
Bad Romance is an ABC News-produced limited true crime series under the network's 20/20 show. The program explores instances where relationships and love turn evil, leading to betrayal and violence. Host Ryan Smith narrates the real-life experiences of victims' families, detectives, and key individuals involved in the cases.
For a detailed insight into Laura Grillo's case, watch Bad Romance season 2.