Shelby bookstore murders
Shelby bookstore murders | |
---|---|
Part of | |
Deaths | 3 |
Injured | 2 |
Accused | Douglas Sheets, Robert Jackson |
Verdict | Not guilty (Sheets), charges dropped (Jackson) |
On the night of January 17, 1987, three men were killed and two more were seriously wounded in a
The shooting
On January 17, 1987, three or four masked gunmen entered the Shelby III Bookstore in
Before the gunmen fled the scene, they stole from the store's cash register and rigged gasoline-filled plastic jugs with detonators and set the bookstore on fire. Parris and Anthony managed to escape the bookstore as the fire began to spread. Parris and Anthony reached their vehicles and were able to alert a passing motorist on U.S. Route 74 to call police.[2]
Investigation
Initially law enforcement investigated a number of possible motives for shooting, including a
Trial
Sheets and Jackson were set to be tried separately in 1989. Sheets was tried first in April and May 1989. During Sheets' trial, Miller testified that Sheets and Jackson had bragged to him about committing the murders.
During Sheets' trial attention began to turn to Miller as a suspect in the murders. Unlike Sheets and Jackson, Miller did not have alibi for the night of the murders. Miller testified about a two-way mirror inside the bookstore, a feature he likely would not have known about unless he had visited the bookstore.[3] Sheets testified that Miller had told him he "made a big boom in Shelby" and one of Sheets' lawyers alleged that in pretrial detention Miller had told Sheets and Jackson "I'm going to be pointing the finger at you, but don't worry. You can't be convicted because it's all hearsay evidence".[2]
Aftermath
While Douglas Sheets and Robert Jackson were not convicted in the Shelby murders, they both received 20 year sentences on weapons charges relating to the weapons cache in Ozark, Missouri. Miller was sentenced to a reduced sentence of 5 years in exchange for his guilty plea and testimony and was released after serving 3 years.[3]
On April 13, 2014, Miller
See also
- Leaderless resistance
- Murders of Gary Matson and Winfield Mowder
- Murder of Blaze Bernstein (2018)
- Orlando nightclub shooting(2016)
- Overland Park Jewish Community Center shooting
- The Order
References
- ^ Comer, Matt; Heywood, Todd (25 April 2014). "Shelby Murder Mystery Revived: Kansas shooter has ties to 1987 bookstore murders". qnotescarolinas.com. Wayback Machine: Q-Notes. Archived from the original on July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Heywood, Todd; Comer, Matt. "Frazier Glenn Miller's ties to a 1987 triple slaying: Did the feds protect a killer?". rawstory.com. Raw Story. Archived from the original on July 19, 2014. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ Daily Beast. Archived from the originalon July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
- ^ "Authorities Investigating Background Of Store Where 3 Killed". apnews.com. Wayback Machine: Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 13, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "Trial set to begin in bookstore deaths". The Daily Independent. Associated Press. April 30, 1989. p. 2.
- ^ a b c "Jury Indicts 2 Sooners". oklahoman.com. Wayback Machine: The Oklahoman. Archived from the original on July 13, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ Wilson, Chip (May 12, 1989). "Ex-White Patriot Says 2 Bragged Of Killings". The Charlotte Observer. pp. 20โ21.
- ^ a b Wilson, Chip (May 25, 1989). "Bookstore Killings Recalled". The Charlotte Observer. pp. 47โ48.
- ^ Hansen, Paige (24 April 2014). "Accused KC shooter may have answers in NC cold case". www.wsoctv.com. Wayback Machine: WSOC-TV. Archived from the original on July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
- ^ "History of hate? Alleged mass shooter testified in Shelby murder trial". shelbystar.com. Wayback Machine: The Shelby Star. Archived from the original on July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2022.