AR AZ - Diana Shawcroft, 20, & Jennifer Lueth, 19, Glendale, 24 May 1996

Why didn't the police release more info like cause of death?

Also did they find DNA and fingerprints from the frame?
I am not sure if they know cause of death. It was a while before they were found and much of that may have been gone unless there were bullets or knife knicks in the bones. I am also not sure if they tested the frames for fingerprints. Unfortunately weather may have degraded any touch DNA that they could do now. I think they just don't have much to go on. So what they do have they are keeping close to the vest. I wish they had more to release as well. At the time my family was close with the Lueth's. My cousin was best friend with Jenny's sister and I went to school with both Jenny and Diana. Everybody was shocked about what happened. I don't have any inside knowledge, but I continue to keep an eye on the case.
 
I am not sure if they know cause of death. It was a while before they were found and much of that may have been gone unless there were bullets or knife knicks in the bones. I am also not sure if they tested the frames for fingerprints. Unfortunately weather may have degraded any touch DNA that they could do now. I think they just don't have much to go on. So what they do have they are keeping close to the vest. I wish they had more to release as well. At the time my family was close with the Lueth's. My cousin was best friend with Jenny's sister and I went to school with both Jenny and Diana. Everybody was shocked about what happened. I don't have any inside knowledge, but I continue to keep an eye on the case.
How did they get identified if only skeletons were left?

I don't think it's that tough to find suspect, based on the clerk's description and they can check hunters in that area.

ALSO found this on the internet.


"I knew the store owner it was called Danny’s Minimart he was a creeper for sure he tried to lick me in that store once. He knew the owner of that truck bc he tried to introduce me to him (he called him “Doc” but I refused. (I was trying to work out a relationship with my ex at that time) I tried reporting reporting this to police. They never interviewed me. 3x’s I tried. I believed in my heart the owner of the store knew something or may have been involved. He sold x rated videos (secretly)"
 
IIRC they weren't found for 3 months. So there probably was quite a bit of decomposition and probably some animal and insects activity. They might have used dental records to ID them. Most the sight disturbance with the picture frames from what I recollect was quite a number of years ago.
 
Still too little details were released, not sure why didn't they find any clue based on current info.

That blue truck guy shouldn't be that tough to find, and that huntfield should further reduce the suspect pool.
 
Jan 10, 2025
''PHOENIX — The Arizona Attorney General’s Office is breathing new life into several cold cases across the state.
The office’s new cold case task force, which Attorney General Kris Mayes announced in a Thursday news conference, will investigate five homicides.''

“With the advancement of DNA testing, data analysis and other tools that simply did not exist when some of these crimes occurred, we have new opportunities to try to uncover the truth, and to hold those responsible accountable,” Mayes said.''
  • ''Diana Shawcroft and Jennifer Lueth, whose remains were found in a remote area of Yavapai County after last being seen at a convenience store on May 24, 1996.''
'' Jul 2, 2012 rbbm.
On May 24, 1996, Diana and Jennifer told Kristina that they were going to walk to the store and said they'd be back in a little while. They didn't take anything with them. Diana and Jennifer headed for the mini-mart two blocks away. They never returned. On the day they disappeared Diana and Jennifer were seen at the mini-mart at approximately 7:00 p.m. According to the cashier, the girls bought cigarettes and soda. But instead of going home, they lingered outside the store. The cashier later saw a man pull up in a blue truck. The girls conversed with the driver and then got into the truck. The driver of the truck drove off. That is the last time the girls were seen alive. Family members believe the girls knew the driver or they would not have left with him. Three months later two men were hunting in a remote desert 100 miles north of Phoenix. Both Diana Shawcroft and Jennifer Lueth had been found murdered. But the location of the girl's bodies offered several clues as to who the killer or killers might be. The area is extremely isolated some sixteen miles from the nearest highway and accessible only by pick-up truck or four-wheel drive. Authorities believe that the killer has frequented the area or has some personal knowledge of the area. Authorities also believe the killer was either very strong or there was more than one person involved in the killings. The search for Diana and Jennifer's killer or killers continues. Authorities would especially like to question the man who was the last person seen with the girls. He may be driving a blue pick-up truck.''
 
The two oldest and most bizarre cases that the unit will be investigating are the deaths of Diana Shawcroft, Jennifer Lueth

Shawcroft and Lueth were last seen at a convenience store on May 24, 1996, when they got into a man’s truck and drove off. Three months later, in a remote area of Yavapai County, human remains were identified as the two women. Officials say in this case, new evidence has been discovered and will be analyzed.
 
Since the girls waited outside for 2 hours, one has to wonder if the the accused shady 🤬🤬🤬🤬-maker-seller owner of the establishment may have called his 🤬🤬🤬🤬 making buddy who may have lived out near the body dump site. The girls may have been promised any number of perks from "my buddy has a place to rent for cheap" "a great easy high paying job" "photographer looking for higher value super models" "audition for these roles in his upcoming movie" and so they waited on him to arrive. These were all common promises used to bait youngbwomen during those years. I knew a beautiful young woman baited for a "modeling" NYC job while shopping at a Kansas City shopping mall. Luckily, her father went along with her to her NYC "audition". That ended things rather quickly. There were also "traveling" photography outfits that advertised in city newspapers and magazines as they were passing through, giving dates that had young women and sometimes their overly ambitious mothers lined up in parking lots waiting to "get discovered". There were so many "easy pickings" back in those years before internet and before news and missing person reports travelled so quickly. And before security cameras and electronic tracing were so common also.
 
I don't think there is necessarily any new info but it's a good interview with Diana's sister. The AG's Cold Case Unit is still testing/re-testing evidence with new technology. They didn't give any specifics.

 
I wonder if the store clerk is still alive. It would be great to do a follow up interview. Had she seen that truck before? Did other girls comment about the person or persons in the truck? Did she talk to the girls at all or just sold them the pop and cigarettes?
 

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