Murder for a good cause, a killer way to give back

An investigation into a murder on Netherland Avenue is kicking off on March 29. With no suspects in sight, authorities are requesting your help to crack the case – but there’s a twist. It’s all part of a game.

Dust off your detective hats. Scott Cramton, the mastermind behind Murder Mystery Co. (MMC), is sending his killer team to The Center for Ageless Living, transforming the space into a prohibition-era speakeasy in a gripping whodunnit fundraiser. 

Fans of Shark Tank may recognize MMC from the electrifying pitch that secured a six-figure investment from horror enthusiast Jason Blum, in exchange for a 10 percent stake in the business.

“I actually could not memorize my pitch,” Cramton told The Press. “And I didn’t. I had never fully been able to get through it memorized until the day of.”

The immersive experience transports participants to a bygone era, where they must work together—and against each other—to unmask a rogue murderer through clues, bribes and lies.

Since the Shark Tank episode aired in March 2024, the clue-style event has skyrocketed in popularity, adding names like Netflix to Cramton’s roster of clients.

The road to success wasn’t easy. Cramton credits more than two decades of hard work – and good fortune – for his rise to fame.

Born with a severe cleft palate in 1980, a speech therapist told the Detroit native he could pursue any career – except acting or public speaking. Cramton defied all odds, enduring years of corrective surgeries and therapy, fueled by a drive to help adults reconnect with the childlike joy of play again.

By 1999, he enrolled in Grand Valley State University’s theater program. Over the next several years, working in the haunted house industry was his bread and butter. But it wasn’t until 2002 that he would find his true calling – all thanks to a chance encounter.

While strolling the streets of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Cramton ran into an acquaintance who asked a question that would change his life: “My boss wants to do a murder mystery dinner, do you know anyone who does those?”

He didn’t. But it was right up his wheelhouse.

“I gave him reasons why I would be good at it like I had watched every episode of ‘Murder, She Wrote’ with my mom,” Cramton explained. “ We probably watched hundreds of hours of detective shows. Then when my dad got home, he would put on things like ‘NYPD Blue’ or ‘Hill Street Blues.’”

With his first murder mystery event booked, Cramton turned to his roommate, Michael O’Hair for help. Over the next few years, they put on six shows a year with a team of 11 actors, each earning $20 a show.

“I’m what you might call eccentric,” he said. “I just believe in trying to live your life to the fullest, chase your dreams, and do what you want to do.”

In the company’s fifth year of chasing dreams, it finally caught a white whale.When a phone call from “Blair with McDonald’s,” came in, Cramton, was nearly sure it was a scam – until he realized it wasn’t. When asked if he did any private events, Cramton said yes, despite not knowing what a private event entailed or how much it paid.

He quoted Blair a $200 fee for his 11-person team. The moment he hung up the phone, he realized that at $20 an actor, he had forgotten to pay himself.

At the time, Cramton was working 12-hour days, five days a week, at Art Van Furniture. He estimates he only helped customers about two hours a day and spent the other 10 diving into the details of his murder mystery venture.

In 2009, Cramton decided to go all in. He quit his job, hired a team of salespeople and scriptwriters. They were still working out of Cramton’s basement when a murder mystery Groupon took the business to new heights.

Over the next decade, the team tirelessly worked to grow the business, eventually landing clients like the Houdini Estate, where they executed a large-scale, fully immersive murder mystery experience.

In 2023, an email from Shark Tank appeared in Cramton’s inbox. Initially skeptical, he didn't respond for months – until one day, he grew curious. Turns out it wasn’t a scam; Shark Tank was doing a Halloween episode and MMC was the perfect fit.

This opportunity also led him to meet his now-fiancée, India Palmer. Hired alongside a small group of actors to play a maid in his pitch, the two like to say their first date was on Shark Tank. Cramton practiced his pitch everywhere he could and to anyone who would listen – even while in line for Disneyland rides.

On show day, Cramton executed a pitch complete with clues, fatalities, and a few laughs from the investors. Even Mr. Wonderful cracked a smile. Once it was time to talk money, the rest of the actors exited the set, leaving just Cramton in the spotlight.

Palmer said he spent about an hour on set with investors, but when the segment aired in March 2024, eight months after filming, it was cut to under 13 minutes.

“He had such a sigh of relief when he came out [from the Shark Tank pitch room],” Palmer said. “I remember he did a happy dance. That’s just Scott’s personality, and he was just so thrilled about it.”

With Jason Blum as an investor -- CEO and founder of Blumhouse production company -- the sky was the limit. MMC now boasts more than 2,000 trained actors in 23 cities across the U.S.

"From the moment he introdcued himself in the Shark Tank, Scott has impressed me with the passion for what he does, his creativity and his dedication to his dream," Blum said. "Audiences are hungry for real-world, immersive experiences and Scott is leading the field."

These days, Cramton and Palmer’s focus is on the business side of MMC, although they still enjoy the occasional on-stage role. Most recently, the powerhouse pair organized an event at South by Southwest, creating an immersive experience for the new movie, "Drop."

“I’m getting to do some of the stuff I really wanted, which is these more eye-level experiences that are more promotional and allow us to be more experimental,” Cramton said.

MMC performs thousands of shows a year, like the murder mystery dinner at the Center of Ageless Living on March 29. Sales from this 21+ experience are going to Riverdale Senior Services’ programs, including mental health services. When asked about the RSS event, Cramton said seniors are an important demographic to him. 

“We don’t stop playing because we get older, we get older because we stop playing,” Cramton said, reciting his favorite quote.