3 people face charges after search warrant served at Cape Girardeau Co. home

Search for suspect leads to four in police custody.
Published: Jun. 13, 2023 at 4:52 PM CDT|Updated: Jul. 14, 2023 at 5:37 PM CDT
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CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY, Mo. (KFVS) - The search for a shooting suspect led to a scary scene in a Cape Girardeau County neighborhood.

Neighbors described more than a dozen officers at a home on Windwood Lake Drive. We now know they took four people into custody.

Inside that home, Cape Girardeau County authorities say they found 18-year-old Christian Knotts. He was wanted in Bollinger County on assault, robbery and armed criminal action charges in connection with a shooting on June 5.

Three other people, a husband, wife and their son, all face charges in connection with activities that allegedly happened inside that home.

Rebecca Graziano, 57, faces a felony charge of hindering prosecution. She’s accused of allowing Christian Knotts and an unnamed woman to stay at her home. Her bond was set at $15,000 surety.

According to the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office, she posted bail on Wednesday morning and was released.

Her husband, 62-year-old John Graziano, faces drug trafficking and weapons charges. His bond was set at $50,000 cash.

Their son, 31-year-old Antony Graziano, faces a total of eight charges, including drug trafficking, hindering prosecution and weapons charges. His bond was set at $100,000 cash. On July 14, Deputies executed a Federal warrant for Antony’s arrest. He taken into custody without incident and was turned over to Federal authorities.

According to court documents, a witness told investigators Knott had been allowed to stay with the Grazianos after the June 5 shooting. The witness also told investigators they saw illegal guns inside the home.

At the house on Windwood Lake Drive on Tuesday, a search warrant was seen taped to one of the double front doors.

Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, Cape Girardeau County Sheriff Ruth Ann Dickerson explained what happened.

“Due to a case that happened in Bollinger County, working with Bollinger County, information was gathered that the possible suspect from their case was in Cape Girardeau County. Therefore, a search warrant was applied for, we executed the search warrant yesterday evening and that’s why we were in the area,” she said.

While serving the search warrant, investigators say they found more than two dozen weapons, more than 600 grams of cocaine and $40,000 in cash in a safe inside the basement.

Neighbors said they are concerned and scared for their safety.

We asked the sheriff if there was any reason residents should be concerned.

“When the search warrant was executed, as a result of that, other criminal activity located in the house and other residents of the house, there were additional arrests made on the residents of the house,” Sheriff Dickerson said. “They are in custody pending further charges.”

The John and Antony Graziano are currently in the Cape Girardeau County Justice Center. All three Grazianos are expected to make court appearances later this week.