RAY COUNTY, Mo. — A Hardin couple is facing life in prison after being accused of stealing millions of dollars and a 174-acre farm from an elderly couple who suffer from memory issues.
According to court records filed on July 13, Trenton Hansuld, 30, and Kirsten Hansuld, 33, have been charged with stealing over $3.3 million from two elderly victims between November 2022 and July 2025.
The Missouri Office of Special Investigations began looking into the couple in June 2024, following a report of possible financial exploitation. Investigators discovered that Trenton Hansuld had been added to the victims’ bank accounts in late 2022, and over time, approximately $800,000 disappeared.
Further investigation revealed a total of $1.6 million in cash stolen, with funds transferred directly to the Hansulds’ personal accounts and multiple checks signed by Trenton. Property records also show the couple filed Quit Claim Deeds to unlawfully transfer ownership of the elderly victims’ 174-acre farm into their names.
Authorities say the victims are unaware of the theft due to cognitive impairments and do not realize they’ve lost the majority of their life savings.
Both Trenton and Kirsten Hansuld now face:
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2 counts of financial exploitation of an elderly or disabled person
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2 counts of stealing over $25,000
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2 counts of filing false documents
Trenton also faces additional charges of forgery and filing a false document.
If convicted, both could be sentenced to life in prison under Missouri law. A judge issued warrants for their arrest on Monday, with $250,000 bond set for each. As of Wednesday, both were in custody at the Ray County Jail, with a bond hearing scheduled for July 23 at 11:30 a.m.
Per county policy, mugshots have not been released to the public.
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