Miguel Melendez-Torres is slated to face a Taney County jury in August for the alleged double homicide and robbery of two Famous Dave's employees, a 2021 incident that took place in the parking of the Branson restaurant after the victims' shift.
The families of Krystle Buhl and Richard McMahan — two Merriam Woods residents who worked as servers — recently filed a Missouri wrongful death lawsuit against both Melendez-Torres and the restaurant franchise seeking damages.
Their mothers, Debra Keener and Charlotte Cordova, believe Jones Restaurants Missour/LLC dba Famous Dave's did not provide adequate protection for their employees at the West Country Boulevard location, which the lawsuit describes as a heavily traveled roadway, with a great number of restaurants, hotels, motels, and other businesses and attractions, which made it more likely to be target of criminal activity, to include but not limited to, armed robbery.
The lawsuit states that Buhl and McMahan were in the parking lot the evening of the shooting because they were waiting for the restaurant manager to close, a safety precaution so the manager isn't working alone on site. Due to a high volume of robberies in the tourist town, according to the lawsuit, employees should have had been provided adequate security.
"(Jones Restaurants) knew or should have known of the potential for imminent and substantial risk of injuries and death from criminal activities during nighttime closing at its restaurant location, to include but not to be limited to, an attempted robbery such as occurred in the subject incident."
Eight days before Melendez-Torres allegedly attempted to rob the the Famous Dave's servers before opening fire, the lawsuit said he robbed someone else in the same area and that employees were not made aware of the incident.
The lawsuit filed May 25, 2024 did not list a monetary figure for the damages being sought, but something to "justly compensate Plaintiffs for their losses and damages, and for the pain and suffering of Krystal and Richard before their deaths, in an amount in excess of the jurisdictional limits of this Court, for their costs incurred herein, for post-judgment interest at the maximum rate allowed by law, and for such other and further relief that this Courtmay deem just and proper in this matter."
What police said happened the night of the shooting
Melendez-Torres, 36, faces two counts of second-degree murder and armed robbery after investigators said he was walking around the area of Highway 76 and looking for someone to rob when he approached Buhl and McMahon.
When they didn't heed the man's request for their money, an argument ensued, and police say Melendez-Torres allegedly shot each of the victims in the head. Melendez-Torres fled the scene and was arrested months later in Boston and transported back to Missouri.
The nature of the double homicide shook the southwest Missouri tourist town.
"These crimes have impacted the families and our community and our sense of safety," then-Branson Police Chief Jeff Matthews said after Melendez-Torres was arrested.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Parents of Branson Famous Dave's shooting victims sue company for lack of security
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