TheArtfulDetective
A voice for the missing
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Tracy Jo Shine
Case Classification: Suspected Homicide
Missing Since: April 8, 1987
Location Last Seen: Houston, Harris County, Texas
Shine was last seen in Harris County, Texas on April 8, 1987. Authorities believe she was murdered by her live-in boyfriend, Michael Durwood Neal, at their house in the 7900 block of Machala in Houston. He mistakenly believed she'd told the police about his criminal activities. He was a drug dealer and a member of the Aryan Brotherhood, a white supremacist gang.
Investigators believe Neal stored Shine's body in a refrigerator for several months and then dissolved it in muriatic acid. By the time they recovered the refrigerator, it was empty and had been cleaned with bleach. Investigators were able to match a single hair and a small amount of human tissue found inside it to Shine's mitochondrial DNA.
Neal was charged with Shine's murder in March 2000. In January 2001, he pleaded guilty and led police to the strip mall near Jones Road and FM 1960 where'd he put Shine's body in a garbage bin.
Neal was already serving a life term for aggravated assault when he pleaded guilty; he was sentenced to life for Shine's murder, to be served concurrently to the other life sentence. He is now deceased.
Shine's body has never been found and was probably taken to the city landfill. Foul play is suspected in her case due to the circumstances involved.
Investigators:
NamUs Case Number: Not listed
Tracy Jo Shine – The Charley Project
Case Classification: Suspected Homicide
Missing Since: April 8, 1987
Location Last Seen: Houston, Harris County, Texas
Description:
- Date of Birth: December 7, 1962
- Age: 24
- Race: White/Caucasian
- Gender: Female
- Height: 5' 2" (62 Inches)
- Weight: Unknown
- Hair Color: Blonde
- Eye Color: Brown
- Nickname/Alias: Unknown
- Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unknown
- Clothing & Personal Items: Unknown
- Identifiers: Unknown
Shine was last seen in Harris County, Texas on April 8, 1987. Authorities believe she was murdered by her live-in boyfriend, Michael Durwood Neal, at their house in the 7900 block of Machala in Houston. He mistakenly believed she'd told the police about his criminal activities. He was a drug dealer and a member of the Aryan Brotherhood, a white supremacist gang.
Investigators believe Neal stored Shine's body in a refrigerator for several months and then dissolved it in muriatic acid. By the time they recovered the refrigerator, it was empty and had been cleaned with bleach. Investigators were able to match a single hair and a small amount of human tissue found inside it to Shine's mitochondrial DNA.
Neal was charged with Shine's murder in March 2000. In January 2001, he pleaded guilty and led police to the strip mall near Jones Road and FM 1960 where'd he put Shine's body in a garbage bin.
Neal was already serving a life term for aggravated assault when he pleaded guilty; he was sentenced to life for Shine's murder, to be served concurrently to the other life sentence. He is now deceased.
Shine's body has never been found and was probably taken to the city landfill. Foul play is suspected in her case due to the circumstances involved.
Investigators:
- Harris County Sheriff's Department: (713) 221-6000
Reference Case#: N/A
NamUs Case Number: Not listed
Tracy Jo Shine – The Charley Project