The Story of Marty Duram's Tragic Death & Bud the Brave Parrot

This is the story of Glenna and Martin Duram, who everyone called Marty. They were a married couple living in Ensley Township, Sand Lake, Michigan, and had been together for 11 years when they passed away in 2015.

Together, Marty and Glenna had five children from previous marriages—Marty had three, and Glenna had two. In 1995, Marty was in a car accident that badly injured the left side of his body and caused some brain damage. Because of this, Marty couldn’t work and received disability benefits. Glenna took care of him and got government support for being his caretaker.

Over the years, Glenna spent a lot of their money on gambling. She struggled with a gambling addiction, which led to serious money problems. This was a shock to Marty, who was careful with money and liked to save. Marty’s habit of saving and Glenna’s gambling often led to big arguments between them.

Despite these issues, the couple was known for being inseparable. Friends say they were happy together and truly loved each other. Glenna was attentive to Marty’s injuries and disability, caring for him both as his official caretaker and as his wife. For them, their arguments were just a regular part of their relationship.

Around 2010, Marty’s health started getting worse, and so did Glenna’s gambling addiction. She began going to the casino once or twice a week, sometimes even more. Marty would join her at local casinos, but when they traveled, Glenna would often go to casinos on her own, spending their vacations gambling. She also regularly spent money on scratch-off tickets and other small gambling games.

In 2015, the couple’s car was taken back by the bank because they hadn’t made the payments. Glenna told Marty it was just a mistake and that she’d sort it out. But before she could “fix” this supposed mistake, their home address showed up in the newspaper in a list of houses about to be auctioned by the bank. Marty’s mom saw it and asked him about it, but once again, Glenna promised it was just an error and that she’d handle it. Marty believed her—he trusted her.

Then, tragedy hit. On May 13, 2015, the police got a call from the Durams’ neighbor, who had found Marty and Glenna with gunshot wounds. She went over to check on them after not seeing any movement or hearing from them for a couple of days. (By this time, only Marty, Glenna, and their African Grey parrot, Bud, were living in the house—the kids had all grown up and moved out.)

When the police arrived, they found Marty in the couple’s living room, already dead from five gunshot wounds. He was lying on his side in his underwear. Glenna was nearby, fully clothed. She had also been shot but fewer times—twice, including once in the head.

As the police checked for signs of life, thinking both Marty and Glenna were dead, they noticed a faint breath coming from Glenna. They leaned in closer and realized she was still alive. Glenna was quickly rushed to the hospital with a weak pulse and slow breathing. The bullet that grazed her head had only skimmed her, so she was injured but would survive. Everyone wanted to know: what happened, and who shot the couple?

Glenna couldn’t remember anything—she had no idea who had shot them or what had happened before. Investigators searched the Duram home for clues but didn’t find much. There was no sign of a break-in or any other leads. They believed that someone outside had come into the house and shot the couple. They found the murder weapon under the couch in the living room. After that, the police hit a dead end in the case.

A day or so later, Marty’s children came to the house to investigate. Many reports say they entered quietly because they were suspicious about their father's death. While looking around, they discovered some unopened manila envelopes that the police had left behind.

Inside the envelopes, Marty’s children found letters addressed to Glenna’s children, her ex-husband, and her mother. Glenna apologized to her kids for "being a bad person," and in the letter to her ex-husband, she asked him to take care of her children "after she was gone." These letters seemed like suicide notes.

The children quickly informed the police, who were immediately suspicious. This discovery made investigators shift focus to Glenna as a possible suspect. They uncovered that she had recently searched her phone for information on Ruger pistols—the same type of gun used in the shooting. When asked about the letters, Glenna claimed she didn’t remember writing them. She also denied looking up guns, saying she only used her phone to play games, and insisted she had no role in Marty’s death.

Friends of the couple added that Marty and Glenna argued frequently, with Glenna often joking about waiting for Marty to die so she could collect money. This additional information raised suspicions, but letters and a search history weren’t enough for an arrest, so the case stalled.

A year later, a video went viral and reignited interest in the case. Marty’s family released footage of the Durams' parrot, Bud, who was now living with Marty’s ex-wife. In the video, Bud seems to mimic two voices, as if reenacting an argument between two people, thought to be Marty and Glenna. The bird ends with a chilling phrase, “Don’t f***ing shoot,” believed by many to be Marty’s final words.

The video spread online, sparking public interest and putting pressure on police to revisit the case and consider arresting Glenna. In the video, you can hear Bud repeating phrases like "No, no," "Shut up," and “Get your stuff over here now,” before shouting, “Don’t f***ing shoot.” Marty’s ex-wife says she feels a chill in the room when Bud does this, believing it’s the parrot repeating the last argument Marty and Glenna had.

Some questioned if Bud was truly mimicking what he’d heard or just repeating something from TV. Experts noted that parrots often bond deeply with their owners and tend to repeat high-energy exchanges. They agreed that Bud was likely imitating his two owners and possibly echoing the argument that led to the tragedy.

With this circumstantial evidence, police eventually arrested Glenna, charging her with Marty’s murder. After her arrest, they learned that the couple’s home was scheduled for bank auction on the day of the incident. Investigators believe Glenna saw a murder-suicide as her only way out of their financial and marital struggles.

In the end, a jury found Glenna guilty of murder, sentencing her to life in prison without parole.Start writing..