unsolved homicide – Synova Ink

In October 1975, nine-year-old Shirley Jane Rose disappeared while walking home from her grandmother’s house in Springfield, Missouri.

She was last seen speaking with an adult male in a blue vehicle described by witnesses as either a late 1960s Chevrolet or a 1972 Ford Torino. The vehicle description could never be conclusively verified.

Two months later, Shirley’s body was discovered in a shallow grave near McDaniel Lake.

Fifty years later, the case remains unsolved.

What We Know

On Friday, October 17, 1975, Shirley left her grandmother’s home to walk the four blocks back to her residence — a route she had taken many times before.

Multiple witnesses reported seeing her speaking to a man inside a blue car. That sighting remains one of the few tangible leads in the case.

Despite investigative efforts, no arrest was ever made.

The 1982 Letter

In 1982, a local judge publicly disclosed information he claimed to have received years earlier while practicing law. According to the judge, an anonymous client — reportedly on their deathbed — provided details about Shirley’s final hours.

The judge authored an open letter that was published in the local newspaper. In it, he described a scenario in which Shirley was allegedly abducted with the intent of trading her for drugs. The letter claimed the offender became fearful after law enforcement responded quickly and ultimately killed her near the lake.

It is important to note:

The alleged confession was never independently verified.
The identity of the client was never publicly confirmed.
No charges resulted from the letter.

To this day, the information remains uncorroborated.

Where the Case Stands Today

Five decades later, Shirley Jane Rose’s homicide remains unresolved.

The original vehicle sighting, the alleged confession, and the physical evidence recovered from the burial site remain key elements of the case history.

If you have information related to the 1975 disappearance and homicide of Shirley Jane Rose, contact Springfield Crime Stoppers at (417) 869-TIPS.

This case is not folklore or legend.
It is an unsolved homicide involving a child whose family still deserves answers.

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Photo courtesy of the Justice For Raymond Eacret Facebook Page

He was supposed to be released from the Humboldt County Jail in time for dinner. He called his mom to let her know that all of the charges were dropped and he was coming home. He would never make it. Instead, he was beaten to a bloody pulp and strung up in his cell. The case was labeled a suicide and dismissed. Who did this to Raymond? Why wasn’t he allowed to go home?

Raymond Johnathan Eacret, 34 was arrested on June 19, 2015, for a misdemeanor parole violation and was scheduled to be released by June 26, 2015. He wouldn’t survive that long. He was found dead within hours of his release. Immediately conflicting reports arose around this young man’s death. At first, they said he was found hanging in his cell. Then it was reported that he was found hanging in the medical unit of the prison which a fellow inmate claims its impossible to do in that facility. A witness claims to have seen them bring Raymond into the Medical unit beaten, bruised, and unconscious.

The distraught mother tried to see her son, but the coroner refused until after an autopsy was completed. Raymond Eacret a card-carrying member of the Yurok Tribe was denied his final rights as a Native American. When Sheila was finally able to see her son she was shocked by the state of his body. He had two black eyes, a broken nose, and was covered in bruises. It looked as if he’d been kicked in the back and his ribs broken. They were left protruding through the skin. There was a three-inch deep cut across part of his neck, but not all the way around it. A secondary bruise circled his neck but was much lighter in color making you wonder if someone had strangled him to cover up a beating.

A few hours before his death, Raymond had called his mom to tell her not to worry. The charges against him had been dropped and he would be home by dinner time. If this were a suicide why would he call his mother? Why would he commit suicide when he was being released and the charges were dropped? It didn’t make sense. Raymond had struggled with meth addiction but was trying desperately to start over. Why would he commit suicide now? How did he get broken ribs and bruises from a suicide?

If you’d like more information check out my True Crime Tuesday Video where the team and I cover this case along with a few more from this same area.

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