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Jan 2025
37m 54s

73: MURDER: Shelbey Thornburgh

Derrick Levasseur
About this episode
On the evening of November 4th, 2015, 20-year-old Shelbey Thornburgh made arrangements to meet a man at her high-rise Houston apartment. The man was scheduled to arrive around 8:30 PM and by 10 PM Shelbey was discovered viciously murdered. Police began an immediate investigation, but despite viewing the suspect in the lobby entering and exiting around the time of the murder on surveillance, the man’s identity remains a mystery. 

It’s been over nine years since Shelbey was killed and her sister and law enforcement are still searching for her killer…

20-year-old Shelbey Jean Thornburgh-Crocker last contacted her boyfriend at 8:40 PM via a text message saying “gud” on the evening of November 4th, 2015. The message was sent while she was meeting with a client. Roughly 90 minutes later, her body was discovered, naked atop the twin bed in her apartment at the Conquistador located at 7575 Bellaire Boulevard in Houston, Texas. Her throat had been slashed, deep enough to cut bone. 

Police have honed in on an unidentified suspect on surveillance camera from the apartment building. The man – a white male wearing a light-colored long sleeved shirt, shorts and tennis shoe – entered the building at 8:34 PM and left at 8:57 PM. Law enforcement believe the man – between 5’11” and 6’1” and between 150 to 170 pounds – could be a serial killer. 

Anyone with information on Shelbey Thornburgh’s case is encouraged to contact Houston Crime stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (713-222-8477). You can also email the FBI at ViCap@leo.gov. There is a $5,000 reward via Crime Stoppers in Shelbey’s case.

Editor: Shannon Keirce
Research/Writing: Polly Kowtowski and Haley Gray

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