MI MI - Shannon Verhage, 11 months, Cedar Springs, 3 June 1997

[Rle7]

There's still no trace of a baby girl who disappeared from Newaygo County 10 years ago.

The case made headlines back in 1997. To this day, the family holds on to hope that she might still be alive.

"It's been horrible. I was Shannon's primary caregiver for most of her life. She called me mamma”, says Kim VerHage, Shannon's grandmother. The last time she saw her granddaughter, she was just about to turn 1 year old.

Kim's son, who was 17 at the time, is the father and they lived with her in Rockford. It was during a visit with the baby's mother, 19-year old Rachael Timmerman, that they both disappeared. At the time, Rachael was the victim in a rape case. "And she disappeared 3 days before she was supposed to testify under oath for the first time about the rape", says VerHage.

Rachael's body was found in 1997, in a lake inside the Manistee National Forest. There was no sign of 1-year old Shannon. The man eventually convicted and sentenced to death in Rachael's death, was also the man on trial for the rape. His name is Marvin Gabrion, and to this day, he says he doesn't know what happened to Shannon.

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=75998

 

[Rle7]

bumping:

A divided U.S. appeals court ruled Friday the federal government had jurisdiction to prosecute a Michigan murder case in which the defendant was given the death penalty in 2002.

Marvin Gabrion II, 54, had argued he should have been tried in state court, where the death penalty is not allowed. His lawyer said he will petition to the Supreme Court if the full 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati does not hear an appeal.

Federal prosecutors charged Gabrion with murder on federal property because the body of 19-year-old Rachel Timmerman was found in 1997 just within the Manistee National Forest 70 miles north of Grand Rapids. Her 11-month-old daughter has not been found. Prosecutors alleged during the trial that Gabrion killed the single mother because she had accused him of raping her.

http://www.kentucky.com/471/story/347026.html

 

[Lyn1001]

It looks like he filed an appeal that was dismissed due to rules not being followed.

http://coa.courts.mi.gov/documents/coa/public/orders/2009/291340(7)_order.pdf

 

[mtrooper]

This is really a very interesting case. This took place back in 1997 when Rachel Timmerman (Shannons mother) and Shannon went missing. Marvin Gabrion was charged with Rachels murder (which took place in the Manistee National Forest) and was charged in federal court and recieved the death penalty in a state that has no death penalty. Marvin has never said what happened to Shannon.

 

[cullymus]

This is really a very interesting case. This took place back in 1997 when Rachel Timmerman (Shannons mother) and Shannon went missing. Marvin Gabrion was charged with Rachels murder (which took place in the Manistee National Forest) and was charged in federal court and recieved the death penalty in a state that has no death penalty. Marvin has never said what happened to Shannon.

what a great info, thanks.:croc:
__________________
Calcul taux pret immobilier credit | Credit meilleur taux pret immo

 

[mtrooper]

UPDATE:
snip:
Federal Appeals Court Revisiting Newaygo County Murder
Posted: 10/14/2010

A federal appeals court is looking at the conviction and death sentence for a man they say killed a woman in 1997... and buried her body in Newaygo County.

Her body was found in Tinwood Lake.

The death penalty is available for some murders handled in federal court.

Marvin Gabrion was convicted in 2002 for the murder of Rachel Timmerman.

His case went to the federal level because her body was left in a national forest.

Gabrion's lawyers are appealing over several issues, including his mental health.

They say a judge should have stopped the trial when Gabrion punched his lawyer in front of jurors.


http://www.9and10news.com/Category/Story/?id=261382&cID=1

 

[mtrooper]

Ok so thinking this through out loud....

marvin gabrion kills rachel, then maybe killed John Weeks (apparently a witness) and then stole the identity and presumably killed robert allen.

Why cant I find any information on John Weeks missing, it seems no one is looking for him.

I found a guy missing by the name of Robert "Bob" Allen Dale, Jr. but it was before the rape and murder. So I am thinking not the same guy?

So why does it seem that no one is looking for these two other possible victims? There does not seem to be any information available about these 2 other victims.

Does anyone else find this odd?

 

[mtrooper]

Time for a second look.

Ok after further reading there appears to be a total of 4 people missing.

1- Robert Allen (transient who had identity stolen)
2- Wayne Davis (possible witness)
3- John Weeks (possible accomplice to Rachels murder)
4- Shannon Verhage

Lots of news articles at link: http://findshannon.blogspot.com/

 

[amandab]

Do we know if Weeks and Allen have surviving family who would've reported them missing? Perhaps no one is looking for Weeks and Allen b/c they didn't have any family? Not a common occurrance, but it happens...

 

[mtrooper]

What a load of CRAP. Appeals court tossed the death sentence out.
Link: http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/nw_mich/Families-baffled-by-Gabrion-decision

Families baffled by Gabrion decision
Want to see him on death row
Updated: Wednesday, 03 Aug 2011, 6:35 PM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 03 Aug 2011, 6:17 PM EDT

By Ken Kolker
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Shannon Verhage's grandmother doesn't necessarily believe in the death penalty, but she liked knowing Marvin Gabrion's death was always in the back of his own mind. Relatives of Gabrion's victims were baffled by Wednesday's U.S. Appeals court ruling to toss out the death penalty over a mistake in court.

Gabrion was convicted of killing Rachel Timmerman, and is believed to have killed her 1-year-old daughter, Shannon. There's also the disappearances of two men, the death of a third man.

A federal appeals court overturned Gabrion's death sentence for drowning Rachel Timmerman in a remote lake to prevent her from pursuing a rape case against him. His conviction remains intact.

Both the Timmerman and Verhage families want to see him on death row.

"I kind of like the idea that he was sitting there, knowing someone was planning his death, so he could feel a little of what he put Rachel through," Kim Verhage told 24 Hour News 8.

"I believe Mr. Gabrion should be put to death because of what he did to my daughter, Rachel," her father, Tim Timmerman told 24 Hour News 8 on Wednesday. "He put her in handcuffs and chains, he chained cement blocks to her. He wrapped her entire head in duct tape. He put her on a boat and drug her out into the middle of Oxford Lake and then he threw her in."

Rachel, 19, was alive when she went under.

"If that doesn't deserve the death penalty," he asked, "what does?"

"I don't care" if he's put to death, Verhage said. "I really don't care." But she wants him on death row.

Though Michigan does not have the death penalty , the lake is on federal land -- and that's how Gabrion came to receive a death sentence once he was convicted of the crime.

Police searched the same lake for Shannon, believing Gabrion dumped her there with her mom, but some still hold out hope she's alive.

"I loved my granddaughter. I watched her take some of her first steps. She told me hi," he said.

Tim Timmerman co-wrote The Color of Night about the case, which is the best seller in Kim Verhage's Reading Book Store in Rockford. He was shocked when 24 Hour News 8 told him an appeals court had overturned the death penalty for Gabrion.

"I was afraid it was going to be for him punching his lawyer. I thought that's why he was g oing to get off, not because of Judge (Robert Holmes) Bell making a mistake," he said. "I never would have guessed that.'

The apparent mistake was that Judge Bell failed to tell the federal jury that Gabrion couldn't get the death penalty if this were a state case.

"It seems to me that they're overthinking it, doesn't it? Aren't they overthinking it? The jury decided. The jury is the only one capable of giving the death penalty; it wasn't the judge; it wasn't an appeals court judge. It was the jury."

Kim Verhage is certain Gabrion is gloating in prison.

"He is evil. He is evil," Verhage said. "No one is real to Marvin Gabrion. Nobody has any rights to live."

Gabrion's home in White Cloud is padlocked shut, and his mother's tombstone is just a few feet from the front door.

 

[mtrooper]

Rachels father co-wrote a book called the color of night if anyone wants more info. I am about half way through now. It is really good, has a lot of information.

http://www.newhorizonpressbooks.com/new/ColorofNight.php

 

[Lavanda Dolce]

LostNMissing, Inc: Unsolved missing - Where is Shannon Verhage? Today aged 15 years old.
http://thelostnmissing.blogspot.com/2011/11/unsolved-missing-where-is-shannon.html

This beautiful baby would be 15 years old today. I hope she is alive and someone may recognize her.

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[/IMG]

A male body was located in Michigan, deceased, it may be possible it could be one of the male victims of Shannon's mom's killer. Will not know until DNA completed.
Link: http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2011/11/hunter_discovers_human_remains.html

 

[annoulzz]

bump... any new leads?

 

[neverletgo]

:bump: with article from earlier this year:

Marvin Gabrion's death penalty reinstated in 1997 killing of young mother
John Agar | jagar@mlive.com By John Agar | jagar@mlive.com
on May 28, 2013 at 2:41 PM, updated May 28, 2013 at 2:58 PM

Snipped:

Gabrion also killed her 11-month-old daughter, Shannon Verhage, whose body was not found, and three others, authorities say.

Timmerman was going to testify against Gabrion after he allegedly raped her in August 1996.

He threatened to kill her and her baby if she told anyone, court records showed. She reported the rape to Newaygo County Sheriff’s deputies, which led to a rape charge.

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2013/05/marvin_gabrions_death_penalty.html

 

[CanManEh]

I just watched the Shannon timmerman or verage case on the ID cnannel from the show FBI Pursuit I just wanted to share my symphathy what a sad sad case If I were one of his family members I would each feel like they had a part to play is the most likely death of baby Shannon..This case should have been solved also I believe the FBI screwed up this case and the out come of baby Shannon most likely forever.

 

[Montjoy]

If I were one of his family members I would each feel like they had a part to play is the most likely death of baby Shannon..

No doubt, this is a horrible crime, but I'm not sure that blaming his entire family is appropriate.

 

[CanManEh]

Hey all I can go by is what I saw more importantly it's just a opinion on my part .They kept him hidden or didn't tell where he could be found for many months this is all while knowing he has killed Rachel which in turn your gonna say wheres the baby and the family would not speak up. And that's my specific opinion.

 

[calliope68]

Something struck me while reading drwho3's thoughts on the poem Marvin wrote and Shannon's possible whereabouts. Than when I read MTroopers article above where it said "Gabrion's home in White Cloud is padlocked shut, and his mother's tombstone is just a few feet from the front door" What of DrWho 3 is correct and he did leave clues and the "Lady who would be mad if her grave was dug up" is his Mother. What better way to make sure no one who find Shannon than if she is buried with his Mother(although I really hope she is still alive). Also he could look right out his door and relive his crimes. I don't know it was just a thought. What do you all think?

 

[Balor51]

FBI criminal pursuit is on this morning about Rachel and baby Shannon. Bumping for baby Shannon. Praying she can still be found.

 

[Ozoner]

"Gabrion's home in White Cloud is padlocked shut, and his mother's tombstone is just a few feet from the front door" What if DrWho 3 is correct and he did leave clues and the "Lady who would be mad if her grave was dug up" is his Mother. What better way to make sure no one who find Shannon than if she is buried with his Mother(although I really hope she is still alive). Also he could look right out his door and relive his crimes. I don't know it was just a thought. What do you all think?

I think that the grave you mentioned should be checked as a possible burial site for the baby, but it's unlikely that Gabrion would give her that sort of meaningful burial. Because of her size, it's far more likely that he just put her in a garbage bag and threw her away. He might have also buried her in a completely random spot.

I read that they did not drain the lake until about four years after Rachel was killed. Would a baby's body last that long in water? It seems possible that she was disposed of in the same place as her mother but that after all that time there was nothing left to be found.

The idea that Shannon could still be alive is wishful thinking on the part of people who do not understand sociopaths. They are not crazy as someone suggested; rather, they are perfectly sane but conscienceless. Killing a baby would have been nothing to Gabrion—no different than scraping a clod from the bottom of his boot.

Gabrion's MO was to kill and, moreover, to leave no witnesses. He killed Rachel Timmerman and Wayne Davis so that they couldn't testify against him in Rachel's rape trial. He killed Robert Allen so that he could assume the latter's identity and cash his social security checks. He killed John Weeks after he had no further use for his likely accomplice in Rachel's murder. There is absolutely no reason to think he would leave a loose end by allowing the baby to live. He would have done the most expedient thing, which would have been to kill the baby before she became a nuisance.

The way in which Gabrion murdered Rachel is very telling. He bound her and threw her in a Lake to drown: he wanted her to suffer. It is therefore very likely that he killed Shannon in front of Rachel. What better way to make a mother suffer?

The number one thing I take away from this story is that no-one charged with rape should be allowed to post bond.