KY KY - Claude Shelton, 37, & Martha “Sue” Shelton, 27, Corbin, 1971

[Alleykins]

What little information about the searches I found was in one of the articles posted. It said ground and air searches, but no mention of locations or if dogs were used.

 

[Diavola]

Adventures with purpose is a diving team which often searches for vehicles and missing people in waters. Perhaps they could help here?
I'm not sure if they could be contacted by strangers, I think family or LE have to reach out first.

 

[Houndy]

I saw this pic on some google searches but it does not look like the same person as the photo with Claude. Anybody know?

 

[Bit of hope]

I saw this pic on some google searches but it does not look like the same person as the photo with Claude. Anybody know?

Hi @Houndy welcome. I don't see a pic. Could you post it here. Sometimes if you google on names with pictures other peoples pictures will be shown. For instance when I google there names this picture came up,. I can't read the article myself. Oregon body could be match



But also all kinds of pictures who have no relation to this missing case.

 

[KBL100]

Google Maps

mobile home park is still there to the best of my knowledge

 

[Porshe71]

Updates , Tidbits, and Inconsistencies:

The Shelton's had three kids, Shelia, Ronnie and Debbie. (Shelia was the oldest at 10. the others were about a year or two apart.)

Based on the actual newspapers that I have seen on the case, the correct date is May 28, 1971, not May 21, 1971.

Some accounts call the oldest daughter Sherri and make her 11 instead of 10.

As stated above, some accounts say that the $600 vanished the same time Claude and Sue did. Others say that it was found missing later.
Since Sue left without her purse, I personally believe that the parents assumed they would be back quickly.

One newspaper article says a family friend found the kids without food the afternoon of the incident.

Some accounts say that the police took the kids to their grandmothers' in Tennessee shortly after, Others say that the kids stayed with family friends for about a week in order to finish the school year. I believe the latter. It is known for certain that the children were raised by their grandmother.

According to map sources, three of the four routes that the Sheldon's could have taken to "King's Truck Stop" had bodies of water in the vicinity. Could they have swerved to avoid colliding with a speeding car, and wound up in the lake? Why weren't the lakes searched back then? Or would that be too much of an exhaustive effort?

Family gatherings ALWAYS have food, from appetizers to full meals. The Shelton's were visiting Claude's parents that evening. Let's say it was a 4-8pm thing. The food served there, unless it was just small appetizers would probably hold them over til morning. Families, especially in the South, who have parties and socials, food is a HUGE part of family gatherings. You don't go that far away for food (5 miles out.) once you are already home. Low on food in the house? You go to the store when it opens in the morning . Best case, you eat a sandwich when you get home, and go to bed until morning,

Guys, I am seriously doubting the going to King's Truck Stop being told to the kids more and more. I am getting to the point where I don't even think that part of the story is true. What about the rest of you?
Percentage wise, what do you believe happened to Claude and Sue Shelton? My thoughts:

50% They are in a lake due to an accident.
40% They were conned by a passing motorist for help or picked up a hitchhiker who killed them, bodies could still be in a lake. Or some drug deal gone bad, IF they took the $600 with them.
10% They decided to abandon their kids and home.

If the car and their bodies are in the lake, how long would it take the car to sink? For the lake to be searched?

Satch

 

[Porshe71]

If the couple was curious about the new construction happening at the Laurel Dam, they may have traveled Hwy 312 on their way to King's. From my understanding, the current bridge was under construction at that time. If they left the road there is one thing that one can view from current photos the river is lined with limestone cliffs. If their car went over the edge, there is dense vegetation along the edge. Now...as others have noted, that after the dam was completed the water backed up in that location. I am curious if with the construction going on if they could have missed a turn then entered the water. I will try to upload an old photo of the first bridge to cross the river so you can see the topography of the area in question.

 

[Alleykins]

What would draw people out of their house at 2 am and do something they wouldn't normally do, like leave their children alone?

 

[Oakie]

What would draw people out of their house at 2 am and do something they wouldn't normally do, like leave their children alone?

That's the nagging question here. One is drawn to speculate that it must have been some illegal activity....perhaps bootlegging, narcotics transfer, or some other activity that would arouse suspicion if witnessed during the day. No one goes out at 2AM to do something that can be done without difficulty in the day....except frog-gigging, which I doubt they were attempting.

 

[Alleykins]

That is a nagging question, the why/what for.
Whatever it was, it had to be urgent or compelling enough to make them risk putting their children in potential danger by leaving them alone. Based on the fact Sue's purse was left behind, I suspect they planned on a quick trip, out & back, within minutes. This would minimize the risk and make it easier to rationalize as it being okay to do. Going out to eat or even meeting up with someone for business at 2 am doesn't sound that quick to me, or believable, or pressing. The fact that it appears Claude gave Sue the option to go or stay, makes it sound like it was urgent enough to entice her along, too. I would have opted for bed instead, I can't think of anything that would have enticed me to go at that our, but that's me.

 

[Satch]

That is a nagging question, the why/what for.
Whatever it was, it had to be urgent or compelling enough to make them risk putting their children in potential danger by leaving them alone. Based on the fact Sue's purse was left behind, I suspect they planned on a quick trip, out & back, within minutes. This would minimize the risk and make it easier to rationalize as it being okay to do. Going out to eat or even meeting up with someone for business at 2 am doesn't sound that quick to me, or believable, or pressing. The fact that it appears Claude gave Sue the option to go or stay, makes it sound like it was urgent enough to entice her along, too. I would have opted for bed instead, I can't think of anything that would have enticed me to go at that our, but that's me.

Exactly,

What did they have to do that was so important at 2AM? (If that time is right.) Yet a fast enough outing that Sue leaves her purse behind? Wear the parents lives in danger if they didn't do what they felt they had to do that night? Some loan shark or drug deal thing, sounds more plausible than going to King's five miles away and leaving the kids. It stands to reason that if it was illegal activity, they had to wait until the kids were asleep, so that the kids did not know about it. What would have happened if they stayed home and just went to sleep that night?

Unless this was some totally secret thing, the people at Claude's parent's gathering might know something about Claude and Sue's late-night plans. Did LE interview people at the gathering?

Satch

 

[Alleykins]

@Satch
Based on the news articles and the fact that the kids were raised by grandparents, I think LE would have spoken with the folks at the gathering. They certainly knew about it, if the news did.
If not, I would hope family members who were there would have voluntarily gone and spoke to them.
As a parent, I can't think of one think that would urge me out of the house at 2 am. and leaving the kids alone, except a medical emergency. And in that case, I would have left a note or woke up the oldest to tell them what was going on. Also, I'd bring my purse, unless I was unconscious and it was left up to my husband, who wouldn't think to bring it.

 

[nerosleuth]

From the Kentucky newspaper articles from the Lexington Herald and the Corbin Times Tribune published in June 1971, both newspaper articles reported that Claude Shelton and Martha Sue Shelton left their home on Friday May 28, 1971.

One newspaper article reported that the Shelton parents left their home at 2:00 a.m. and the other newspaper article reported they left their home at 2:30 a.m. that morning.

The date of Friday May 28, 1971 is significant for two reasons.

First, that day would have been a school day for the Shelton children.

Second, it would have been the start of the Memorial Day weekend in 1971.

One of the Kentucky newspaper articles reported that the Sheltons had visited Claude's parents in Williamsburg.

Williamsburg is 17 miles from Corbin via Interstate 75 and US Highway 25W.

Now if Claude Shelton and Martha Sue Shelton left their home between the hours of 2:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. on the morning of Friday May 28, 1971, it would mean that the Sheltons visit of Claude's parents had to occur on the evening of Thursday May 27, which would have been a school night for the Shelton children.

The fact that the parents left their home between the hours of 2:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. in the morning leaving their children home alone is troubling.

The question here is did the parents lock their house doors when their children were left home alone during the early morning hours of May 28, 1971?

And when the children woke up to find their parents missing, did the children go to school that morning?

I noticed that the Reddit article mentioned that Martha Sue Shelton was a stay at home mom. This has me wondering if the oldest child Sheila had a key to get into the home if the parents were gone from their home.

Now on the Kentucky State Police web site about the cold case of Claude Shelton and Martha Sue Shelton, I noticed two things on that web site that caught my attention.

First, it did not mention what time the parents left their residence at the trailer park on Friday May 28, 1971.

Second, a witness stated that the parents had been saving money and had saved approximately $600.

Now if you exclude the Shelton children's knowledge about the money jar, the question here is who else outside of the Shelton household would have knowledge about the parents saving money, the money jar, and the amount of cash in the money jar.

Cold case of Claude Shelton and Sue Shelton

COLD CASE ON THE CLAUDE SHELTON & SUE SHELTON – kentuckystatepolice.org

 

[Bit of hope]

From the Kentucky newspaper articles from the Lexington Herald and the Corbin Times Tribune published in June 1971, both newspaper articles reported that Claude Shelton and Martha Sue Shelton left their home on Friday May 28, 1971.

One newspaper article reported that the Shelton parents left their home at 2:00 a.m. and the other newspaper article reported they left their home at 2:30 a.m. that morning.

The date of Friday May 28, 1971 is significant for two reasons.

First, that day would have been a school day for the Shelton children.

Second, it would have been the start of the Memorial Day weekend in 1971.

One of the Kentucky newspaper articles reported that the Sheltons had visited Claude's parents in Williamsburg.

Williamsburg is 17 miles from Corbin via Interstate 75 and US Highway 25W.

Now if Claude Shelton and Martha Sue Shelton left their home between the hours of 2:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. on the morning of Friday May 28, 1971, it would mean that the Sheltons visit of Claude's parents had to occur on the evening of Thursday May 27, which would have been a school night for the Shelton children.

The fact that the parents left their home between the hours of 2:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. in the morning leaving their children home alone is troubling.

The question here is did the parents lock their house doors when their children were left home alone during the early morning hours of May 28, 1971?

And when the children woke up to find their parents missing, did the children go to school that morning?

I noticed that the Reddit article mentioned that Martha Sue Shelton was a stay at home mom. This has me wondering if the oldest child Sheila had a key to get into the home if the parents were gone from their home.

Now on the Kentucky State Police web site about the cold case of Claude Shelton and Martha Sue Shelton, I noticed two things on that web site that caught my attention.

First, it did not mention what time the parents left their residence at the trailer park on Friday May 28, 1971.

Second, a witness stated that the parents had been saving money and had saved approximately $600.

Now if you exclude the Shelton children's knowledge about the money jar, the question here is who else outside of the Shelton household would have knowledge about the parents saving money, the money jar, and the amount of cash in the money jar.

Cold case of Claude Shelton and Sue Shelton

COLD CASE ON THE CLAUDE SHELTON & SUE SHELTON – kentuckystatepolice.org

Could they have been home schooled?

 

[Oakie]

Could they have been home schooled?

That wasn't a common thing back then.

 

[nerosleuth]

Could they have been home schooled?

No, the Shelton children attended public schools in Corbin.

I found a public facebook group called Missing Please Find Us and there was a posting on May 8, 2017 about the case of Claude and Martha Sue Shelton.

One of the comments in that facebook group had a picture from the late 1960's of one of the Shelton children in a grade school class picture.

Another comment in that group was from the son of the Shelton children mentioning that the pictures of Claude and Martha Sue Shelton were his parents and that the parents car were never found.

Claude and Martha Sue Shelton - Missing - Please Find Us -

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[Bit of hope]

No, the Shelton children attended public schools in Corbin.

I found a public facebook group called Missing Please Find Us and there was a posting on May 8, 2017 about the case of Claude and Martha Sue Shelton.

One of the comments in that facebook group had a picture from the late 1960's of one of the Shelton children in a grade school class picture.

Another comment in that group was from the son of the Shelton children mentioning that the pictures of Claude and Martha Sue Shelton were his parents and that the parents car were never found.

Claude and Martha Sue Shelton - Missing - Please Find Us -

Log In or Sign Up to View

Thanks, good find.

 

[nerosleuth]

Google Maps

mobile home park is still there to the best of my knowledge

On June 22, 1971, the Lexington Herald from Lexington, Kentucky published a newspaper article Parents of 3 Children Missing Since May 28.

In that newspaper article, it reported that Claude Shelton was employed at Owens Tire & Muffler Company in Corbin.

I made some interesting observations after taking a good look at google map and street view where the Shelton Family lived in Corbin at the mobile home park.

The first observation is that both the mobile home park where the Shelton Family lived and the Owens Tire & Muffler Company where Claude Shelton was employed at is on U.S. Route 25W in Corbin.

Both locations are on the very same road even though the addresses for both locations are different.

Looking at street view, you can see the sign for Gerry's Mobile Home Park by typing in 1208 Cumberland Falls Highway in street view.

Also in street view you can see where Claude Shelton worked at Owens Tire and Muffler Company by typing in 602 18th Street in street view.

Today that same business is now known as Owens Auto & Truck Service.

The second observation that came to me is about Martha Sue Shelton leaving her purse at home rather than taking it with her.

What if Claude Shelton and Martha Sue Shelton did not go to the truck stop at all but they went someplace else that was much closer to their home?

In street view starting at the front entrance from the mobile home park and going along U.S. Route 25W, there is a shopping plaza called Forest Hills located at 1019 Cumberland Falls Highway.

And if you were to continue past the shopping plaza on U.S. Route 25W, you would reach Owens Tire & Muffler Company located at 602 18th Street where Claude Shelton was employed at.

Now if that same shopping plaza on U.S. Route 25W did exist back in 1971, I'm guessing that the distance from the mobile home park to the shopping plaza to be less than a quarter of a mile.

I'm also guessing that the distance from the mobile home park to the tire and muffler store to be less than a mile and a half.

Now if the Sheltons had to meet someone at 2:00 a.m. in the morning, the parking lot of an empty shopping plaza or a tire and muffler store could have been a possible meeting place.

Shopping plazas and businesses did not have security cameras in the parking lot back then. There would have been hardly anyone in a shopping plaza or business parking lot at that time of the night.

I'm thinking that the Sheltons had a late night meeting with someone at an empty place rather that at a public place that was open where people were likely to be around.

Had the Sheltons been at the truck stop, I believe folks working at the restaurant and truck stop could have seen them and possibly overheard them.

I also believe that Martha Sue Shelton likely would have taken her purse with her had they went to the truck stop for a late night bite to eat.

The fact that Martha Sue Shelton didn't take her purse with her points to the possibility that they did not go to the truck stop and instead went someplace else that was much closer to their home.

 

[Oakie]

There wasn't much at all in Corbin back in 1971.

 

[Betty P]

This is such a sad case. After reading through some of the news articles back in 1971, I have to agree with those who think they had some sort of accident or met with foul play.

A couple of things about 1971:

If you were a couple with husband working and mom staying at home, you usually did your grocery shopping on Friday night after your husband came home from work with his paycheck. For some couples, that might mean there isn't a lot of food at home on Thursday night.

Fast food restaurants like McDonalds were not too common and would not have stayed open past 10 pm

There were no restaurants or grocery or convenience stores that stayed open late at night. Really, not even gas stations. One place that would be open very late at night back then would be a truck stop. My guess is they didn't have a lot of food at home and the husband needed a lunch for the next day, so they went to pick up sandwiches and coffee at the truck stop. I'm guessing someone needed a pack of cigarettes, too.

If they had money saved up, it was probably to buy a house or car. If they were excited about the prospect of buying a home, they would have mentioned this to other family members.

They just don't sound like the kind of people to be involved in anything nefarious and 1971 Corbin, KY was probably not the kind of place where there were a lot of drugs or other illegal activities happening.