MS MS - Shondra May, 17, Forest, 4 Feb 1986

[YESorNO]

Just watched an ID show about the AR Blue Light Rapist, Robert Todd Burmingham who was sentenced to 80 years for the 1997 kidnapping and rape of a teenaged girl along with two other similar rapes. One victim believes that she was followed by Burmingham to within 2 miles of her family home after hanging out in a Walmart parking lot with friends on the night of the attack. Burmingham used a blue light on his dash to pull her over, then approached her car with a gun in hand and wearing a ski mask. The girl hadn't noticed since she was in the process of pulling out her driver's license from her purse.
The details from this AR crime reminded me of Shondra's case and makes me wonder where Robert Todd Burmingham was working/living/traveling back in Feb 1986. RTB made the comment that his only vice is that he is a deer hunter. This brought back the fact that Shondra's body was found on property used as a hunting lease.

Blue-light rapist dies in prison of covid-19
Convict, 54, assaulted women in ’90s

May 15, 2020

"Robert Todd Burmingham, dubbed the "blue-light rapist" who was accused by his victims of using flashing blue lights to pull them over, died Wednesday while serving a life term at the Cummins prison, officials said.

A Pulaski County coroner's report released Thursday states that Burmingham, 54, had tested positive for covid-19 and had been admitted to UAMS Medical Center. Gov. Asa Hutchinson confirmed at a Thursday news conference that Burmingham had covid-19, the infection caused by the coronavirus...."

Blue-light rapist dies in prison of covid-19

 

[dotr]

Lights out.
May 15 2020
''Robert Todd Burmingham, otherwise known as the blue-light rapist, has died in prison from COVID-19. He was in the hospital for about 3 weeks before he died.''

 

[Dylansmom08]

This may not be anything new but I found an article that makes me think this could be someone worth looking into I don't know the police may have already cleared him but everything seems like it fits to me.
James Worley: Ohio murder suspect had hidden room with freezer - CNN

 

[Quill]

This may not be anything new but I found an article that makes me think this could be someone worth looking into I don't know the police may have already cleared him but everything seems like it fits to me.
James Worley: Ohio murder suspect had hidden room with freezer - CNN

It would be interesting to see where he lived in 1986. He would have been around age 27 back then if my math is correct. But honestly, I think they have an idea of who did it. They just can't prove it.

 

[Dylansmom08]

After 34 years, the death of Shondra May still haunts a small Mississippi town

It looks like people are not giving up at least they are keeping her story alive through the news. I really wish someone would speak up after all these years someone out there in that area has to be holding onto that one piece of information it's time to let it go and give her the peace she deserves.

 

[ArmChairDetective13]

I'm from Mississippi and I remember the case but vaguely. I was really young when this happened but I thought her name was Chandra May. You know what, I was just thinking about this case recently but was unable to find any info on it.

Maybe you're thinking about the case of Chandra Fehler? Happened very close to Shondra's home and where her car was found.

 

[trmay626]

Thirty-five years today... justice excessively slow in coming... if ever.

 

[Quill]

Thirty-five years today... justice excessively slow in coming... if ever.

She has been on my mind all month. Still praying for justice for Shondra. My heart goes out to you @trmay626 .

 

[Quill]

“We will need something physically that links them to Shondra,” he says. “We know that there are items missing from Shondra,” things like her clothing and the driver’s license. “I believe that some of that has been kept as maybe a way for the person to re-live that event."
Sheriff Lee believes he knows who did it, but he does not yet have the evidence to link that person to the crime.
“There’s not a person here that is not interested in helping get this solved,” he says.

BBM

WLBT story posted yesterday.

3 On Your Side Investigates: 1986 disappearance of Shondra May still unsolved

 

[dotr]

Mississippi Cold Case: The Murder of Shondra May

Shondra May (Photo credit: www.wlbt.com)

''Shondra May arrived home from school at her usual time on the afternoon of Tuesday, February 4, 1986. The 17-year-old did her homework, then ate dinner with her mother before getting ready to go to her part-time job at a McDonald’s restaurant in Forest, Mississippi.''

 

[Oakie]

I wonder if there would be any possibility of obtaining touch DNA from the materials found with the body. There might be some on the adhesive of the packing tape used to strangle her.

 

[Quill]

I wonder if there would be any possibility of obtaining touch DNA from the materials found with the body. There might be some on the adhesive of the packing tape used to strangle her.

I wonder that, too. I guess her being found in water would wreak havoc with that, but I continue to hope that the evidence was preserved. Modern technology is solving a lot of these cold cases that occurred prior to the technology.

 

[Savemecastiel]

Bumping

 

[waunakeegan]

I wonder if there would be any possibility of obtaining touch DNA from the materials found with the body. There might be some on the adhesive of the packing tape used to strangle her.

I would expect that packing tape would be an excellent material to get DNA from, assuming any of the sticky side was exposed and the killer wasn’t wearing gloves. Even in water I think that it would still be a good chance. If that’s the most that they have they should probably think about using a more advanced private lab though, or else they may risk using up all the DNA in testing and possibly not being able to get a good enough profile to upload.

 

[Hockeyfan158]

Did police ever look at Larry Gene Bell who abducted and murdered Sheri Smith in Lexington SC in 1985? Her case was featured on forensic Files and shondra murder is kind of similar to Sheri’s murder.

Bell. Larry Gene Bell - Wikipedia

 

[Quill]

Latest news piece on Shondra's case. I am so excited to see these veteran investigators dive into solving this case. It's been 35 years. It's past time.

Old Dogs, Fresh Eyes: Retired investigators probing Shondra May mystery

 

[Sonny Crockett]

This is a baffling & horrible crime. I just heard about this case this week, and haven't had time to do much research.

What I find especially disturbing here is that SM's car was found outside her parent's house the night she went missing. So, it sounds like she was pulled over when she was almost home & abducted from there. The idea that the perp. was someone impersonating LE makes a lot of sense. She would have pulled over for them, and it explains why her DL wasn't found.

As far as who did this, it doesn't sound like it was a family member or acquaintance. At the time this happened, this was a relatively small, close-knit community - so, I suspect a stranger riding around would have been noticed...but, who knows?! It could have been a criminal drifter just passing through the town. Or, it could have been someone that had been stalking her; the write-ups on the case don't say that she was being harassed by anyone, but it's still possible.

The reason(s) I struggle with the idea that the perp. was someone local is that SM was pulled over right near her house. I.e., if this person did know the area, why do this & risk that someone would come out and see what was happening & recognize them, etc.?! I.e., if the perp. were a drifter he would have a lot less to lose. However, if he were someone in the community I would think he would have been a lot more careful here....unless he was so brazen/entitled that he felt he could still get away with this without anyone seeing him...which is exactly what happened.

Hopefully the authorities will find out who committed this heinous crime & bring closure to the family.

 

[Quill]

This is a baffling & horrible crime. I just heard about this case this week, and haven't had time to do much research.

What I find especially disturbing here is that SM's car was found outside her parent's house the night she went missing. So, it sounds like she was pulled over when she was almost home & abducted from there. The idea that the perp. was someone impersonating LE makes a lot of sense. She would have pulled over for them, and it explains why her DL wasn't found.

As far as who did this, it doesn't sound like it was a family member or acquaintance. At the time this happened, this was a relatively small, close-knit community - so, I suspect a stranger riding around would have been noticed...but, who knows?! It could have been a criminal drifter just passing through the town. Or, it could have been someone that had been stalking her; the write-ups on the case don't say that she was being harassed by anyone, but it's still possible.

The reason(s) I struggle with the idea that the perp. was someone local is that SM was pulled over right near her house. I.e., if this person did know the area, why do this & risk that someone would come out and see what was happening & recognize them, etc.?! I.e., if the perp. were a drifter he would have a lot less to lose. However, if he were someone in the community I would think he would have been a lot more careful here....unless he was so brazen/entitled that he felt he could still get away with this without anyone seeing him...which is exactly what happened.

Hopefully the authorities will find out who committed this heinous crime & bring closure to the family.

Hello and good to have your input. I have been following this case ever since it happened. I was close to her age and lived in the same part of the state. It was a terrifying ordeal for the public because this type of crime was not the norm back then, especially in such a rural area.

I think you raise some interesting points but I would like to say that due to the fact that she worked at the Mc D's in Forest, it opens lots of possibilities due to it's location. Forest has an interstate exit off of I-20, so its possible for her to have been on the radar of a stranger passing through. But, I will also say that the idea of a local is still on the table for me, also due to the fact that she worked at the Mc D's in Forest. The "local" area is made of many spread out rural communities surrounding Forest and she very likely encountered lots of locals at her job that would not have known where she lived since she lived out from town. People can "know" you without knowing exactly where you live, is what I am saying.

Again, welcome to this case. I hope to see it solved someday and each time I see another case gone cold solved, I believe even more that it will be.

 

[anneoakley63]

Just jumping in again to see if there are any updates.

 

[worm]

Did police ever look at Larry Gene Bell who abducted and murdered Sheri Smith in Lexington SC in 1985? Her case was featured on forensic Files and shondra murder is kind of similar to Sheri’s murder.

Bell. Larry Gene Bell - Wikipedia

I think the investigators did a pretty good job of tracking Bell. I recall they knew he was in the Rock Hill area at some point. It’s worth checking out.