Omaha Double Murder #2

[waltzingmatilda]

~snipped from Snick's post #178 from pg 8, thread 1~

Paste of OWH article this morning:


The family of homicide victim Shirlee Sherman has offered a $25,000 reward for tips that help Omaha police apprehend the person responsible for killing the Omaha house cleaner and an 11-year-old boy last March.




Shirlee Sherman and Tom Hunter (Click to enlarge)The Omaha Police Department will hold a press conference Thursday to announce the additional reward money, which brings the total to $50,000. Last March, an anonymous donor put up $25,000.

On March 13, 2008, someone entered a Dundee neighborhood home and killed Sherman, 57, and Tom Hunter, a sixth-grader at King Science and Technology Magnet Center who lived at the house. Sherman had been the Hunter family's house cleaner for about two years. She was also a mother and a grandmother.

Tom's parents, both doctors, are faculty members at Creighton University Medical Center.

Nearly a year later after the daytime stabbings, the case remains unsolved, and police continue to seek the community's help to find the killer.

Have information
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Call the Omaha Police Department's homicide unit at 402-444-5656. Tips can be left anonymously at www.omahacrimestoppers.net or by calling Omaha Crime Stoppers at 402-444-7867. Brad Waite of Omaha, one of Sherman's brothers, said his family has discussed increasing the Crime Stoppers reward for several months. Waite said he believes the additional money could provide motivation for someone who has crucial information but has been afraid to come forward up to this point.

Police have received numerous tips from the public since The World-Herald published an interview with the boy's father, Dr. William Hunter, on Feb. 15.

Omaha police continue to search for a man whom neighbors saw walking outside the Hunter home near 54th and Davenport Streets on the day of the slayings. That man is described as being in his late 20s to late 30s, with dark or olive-toned skin.

Police say the man may have gotten out of a gray or silver Honda CR-V or a similar type of sport utility vehicle. The man was of average height, with an average to stocky build, and wore a dark suit with a white shirt. He carried a dark satchel or briefcase over his shoulder.

This ought to push someone who knows something to come forward.
*****************************************************************
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67963&page=8

Per the quoted OWH article the man wore a dark suit and white shirt.

wm

 

[YellowDog]

That article just says he wore a dark suit and a white shirt, nothing about a topcoat or overcoat or jacket. I sure thought I read somewhere that he had an overcoat on but things can get so twisted when they are being reported.

 

[waltzingmatilda]

That article just says he wore a dark suit and a white shirt, nothing about a topcoat or overcoat or jacket. I sure thought I read somewhere that he had an overcoat on but things can get so twisted when they are being reported.

I hear ya YD!

I have made it to pg 10 of thread one going thru all the articles and am bringing them forward in hopes of establishing 1) a timeline & 2) establishing case facts. I had many of them saved in bookmarks but unfortunately, all my bookmarks have gone POOF! and many of the links are no longer working.

I don't have any idea where I got the impression that the dark skinned man was wearing a 'trench coat'.

Anyway, I am trudging along researching the 'old fashioned way', LOL!

wm

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

For what it's worth, I could swear that I read where he wore a trenchcoat as well....have no idea where I read that though (of course!).

 

[waltzingmatilda]

For what it's worth, I could swear that I read where he wore a trenchcoat as well....have no idea where I read that though (of course!).

Thank you for weighing in Blondie in Spokane. It is a comfort that others feel they read about the 'trench coat'/long coat also. Hopefully, we will find the source at some point.

 

[Snick1946]

Some while ago, I copied and put on this board a post appearing on the website 'True Crime Diary' by someone apparently in Omaha who had specific information on this case involving a potential perp but was relunctant to contact LE. Per that poster, the person they knew drives a silver CRV that matches the description of the car wittnesses saw at the scene. I replied to this poster on that site and also passed the information onto OPD. I have now posted another message to this poster:

"Concerned citizen- your post is unfortunately an example of why so many of us concerned about this case feel such frustration. Clearly you know something but have not done much more than post on this website. Why? Is it because you fear 'accusing' the wrong person? OPD treats all referrals with discretion and the person you suspect need never know where this came from. Meanwhile a killer continues to walk among us.
For the sake of Tom and Shirlee and those who care about them and also for the sake of any potential future victims, grow a spine and go to OPD with your information. Please"

It shouldn't be necessary to keep after someone but I have learned over the years that human beings can be incredibly inert when it comes to moving outside their own comfort zones. Sleuthing this case has brought this home to me. I sincerely believe that the answer to this mystery is out there and just needs a few people to come forward and tell what they know- and I mean to LE, not to post on some website then creep away into the shadows. I have passed on perhaps a half dozen tips to OPD via the Crimestoppers site. Most went unackowledged but had I not done so I couldn't have lived with myself.
Another party, someone who posts on this board from time to time, is not responding to requests for followup contact after claiming to know some important matters about some of the people involved. I cannot be more specific, but if you read this, you know who you are. What's the problem? Are you afraid of someone? What??
This is more than I planned to say on this matter but it needed to be said.

 

[Claycat]

I've been reading to see if there is anything new. I saw that Shirlee's son and friend had posted. I sure wish this case would be solved and the murderer brought to justice.

I was reading again the description of the man who went to the house. I had a stray thought that he sounded like mafia. I noticed there had been a couple of other posts regarding mafia.

I want to talk about knives. My husband and I practice some martial arts type moves nearly every day. There are several ways that people attacking with knives hold the knives. The most common is just to hold it out in front of you. That is the way someone holds it when the person is not familiar with knife fighting. A person who knows how to handle knives will grip the knife with the blade pointing down and lying along the lower forearm. In this way, the person would go for the throat, effectively killing and silencing the person with one swipe of the blade. I will see if I can find a photo or drawing.

 

[waltzingmatilda]

I've been reading to see if there is anything new. I saw that Shirlee's son and friend had posted. I sure wish this case would be solved and the murderer brought to justice.

I was reading again the description of the man who went to the house. I had a stray thought that he sounded like mafia. I noticed there had been a couple of other posts regarding mafia.

I want to talk about knives. My husband and I practice some martial arts type moves nearly every day. There are several ways that people attacking with knives hold the knives. The most common is just to hold it out in front of you. That is the way someone holds it when the person is not familiar with knife fighting. A person who knows how to handle knives will grip the knife with the blade pointing down and lying along the lower forearm. In this way, the person would go for the throat, effectively killing and silencing the person with one swipe of the blade. I will see if I can find a photo or drawing.

Claycat, It is great reading you again as I have missed you on WS lately!

I am excited for you to share your knowledge on knives. I have wondered for a long time if the killer is knowledgable in the Martial Arts. Thank you for posting and I look forward to your future contributions.

OT Kudos for you and your hubby for practicing martial arts moves daily! Way to go, Claycat!

wm

 

[noZme]

I check here almost daily; it's so discouraging. I appreciate you who have been sleuthing, sorry I haven't had anything to add. Does anyone think the investigation has any clue who is responsible for this horrible crime? After this long, maybe LE should go public with all info they have on the off-chance someone else can put 2 & 2 together.

 

[Claycat]

Thanks, waltzingmatilda!

Here is a link to photos of knife grips. Number 1 is the way an experienced knife fighter will often hold a knife.

http://www.isshinkai.net/artwork/marine/Tech1_Illustrated.jpg

The person will make a passing motion as if they are going to punch the face but will come across, under the chin, and slit the throat. The knife will cut the arteries and the windpipe at once making it impossible for the person to make much noise.

 

[Claycat]

Of course, many people hold the knife as in number 3, attacking the neck area from the front or the back. If the person is behind, they will avoid a lot of the blood, and could also make a slashing move at the throat while holding a hand over the person's mouth.

Have autopsies ever been released about the wounds?

 

[Snick1946]

Of course, many people hold the knife as in number 3, attacking the neck area from the front or the back. If the person is behind, they will avoid a lot of the blood, and could also make a slashing move at the throat while holding a hand over the person's mouth.

Have autopsies ever been released about the wounds?

Nothing released to the public. Shirlee however was apparently attacked by surprise from behind. I don't know about Tom's wounds.
What we don't know for sure is whether the knives came in with the perp or were taken from the kitchen. My understanding is the later. The knives as I understand things, were left in the victims' throats which served to minimize bleeding.
If this is factual we can surmise Tom as being killed first by someone either talking to him in the Dining room or whom he encountered there. Shirlee could have not been aware anything was going down until it was too late.
I wonder two things abut her- was she hard of hearing and was she a smoker? If she smoked she may have stepped outside for a cigarette at some point, perhaps the perp could have gained entry that way or the back door- near where her car was parked in the rear- could have been left unlocked. If she had a hearing problem she may not have been aware of an intruder.
This crime sometimes looks like a curious blend of bungling and genius on the part of the perp. We have surmised that he was a pro who knew what he was doing but maybe he was just a lucky kid who got away with a double murder while attempting a robbery. Possibly he still can't believe he got away with it so far.

 

[Snick1946]

I have been going back over some of the posts made just after these killings on the WOWT news website. Here's one from just a week after:

Something seems fishy with regards to how this double homicide is being handled. 1)Two people are stabbed to death (typically a crime of passion) in their home. 2) Neighbors & the community were told from the beginning not to be concerned, the neighborhood is safe. 3) We were imediately told this was an isolated incident. Where did this come from when there was little evidence to support it. 4) From the beginning and even now, I don't sense there is a serious hunt for a suspect. 5) This was a wicked/vicious attack in a predominant neighborhood, yet Convenient store robberies get more news coverage. 6) The killer is still at large, why is there not a concern it will happen again? As a citizen of the area, I want to be kept informed on the status of the investigation. It feels like this horrific crime is not being taken/treated seriously. What's up?

And this from just three days after the crime:

Sounds like a botched burglary to me. The guy gets surprised, panics, kills them, and leaves. It makes you wonder if it's the same guy who took the gold coins and treasury bonds from the earlier news stories, since he tends to hit high end homes. It's also not unusual for a nanny/housekeeper to have a large sum of cash. She most likely did the grocery shopping and took care of other matters for the family.

Here we are two years later and still in the same place. Like the first poster I often get the feeling that OPD has never seriously tried to find the answer to this crime. I am not alleging any conspriacy, but sometimes I wonder- persons I know have made postings about the crime on the WOWT and other local news websites only to find them missing a day or so later with no explanation. At least two participants in this discussion were appartently the targets of someone attempting to hack into our computers- possibly by LE. Those of us following this story will recall OPD's refusal to avail themselves of outside help including AMW. I'd like to think maybe the way this has been handled is due to some misplaced reverence for Creighton, etc. That's what I'd like to think...

 

[Snick1946]

At the risk of posting too much in one day, I wanted to give viewers of this thread some idea of the attitude expressed by those in Omaha who take the 'Support the Police, right or wrong' path. Here's a post I made last year on the WOWT site:

Posted by: West Omaha on Feb 17, 2009 at 08:23 AM

Thank God- this case is back in the news and the Hunter family is now pro-active in seeking answers. I believe OPD made some errors at the outset in this case, they were way too tight lipped and this led to discussion drying up, a lot of valuable time was lost. Someone out there knows what happened and I mean someone other than the killer. There have to be family, coworkers etc who may have heard or noticed something suspicous, this is the time to come forward. This man is dangerous and almost certainly has killed before or will again. My kudos to WOWT and the Omaha media for finally giving this the attention it deserves. May God grant an end to the suffering of both families.

Now the reply:

Posted by: To West Omaha on Feb 17, 2009 at 11:18 AM

Where did you attend your police academy? How many homicide investigation schools have you attended? Shame of you for using this story to bash to police. I'm sure they are doing everything they can. Just pray for the family and pray that justice will prevail.

It's not only this case- this happens all the time on local news comment sites. The Omaha Police Union and their minions (including I suspect, in this case, a cop's wife) jump all over anyone who dares to insinuate OPD did anything wrong. This happened recently on a discussion of another crime and I posted- and it got put on the board- the reply that maybe if the police have all this time to do all this organized stomping on critics then maybe they should be putting OT in on the Dundee case.

I will repeat what I have said time and again- I have lived in Omaha over 40 years and never in all that time have I seen a case that so loudly said 'coverup' as this one. This has just felt different from the outset.

 

[skywalker]

According to news reports, March 13 was an unusually warm day. An overcoat or trench coat are unlikely as they would have aroused even more suspicion....

The magnet school which Thomas attended dismisses their students at 2:40 p.m., more than an hour before the neighborhood elementary school.

I don't think his presence was anticipated by the attacker.

Source:
King Science & Technology Magnet Instruction Hours
http://www.ops.org/district/SCHOOLS.../94/agentType/View/PropertyID/65/Default.aspx

Dundee Elementary Instruction Hours
http://www.ops.org/district/SCHOOLS.../94/agentType/View/PropertyID/18/Default.aspx

 

[Snick1946]

According to news reports, March 13 was an unusually warm day. An overcoat or trench coat are unlikely as they would have aroused even more suspicion....

The magnet school which Thomas attended dismisses their students at 2:40 p.m., more than an hour before the neighborhood elementary school.

I don't think his presence was anticipated by the attacker.

Source:
King Science & Technology Magnet Instruction Hours
http://www.ops.org/district/SCHOOLS.../94/agentType/View/PropertyID/65/Default.aspx

Dundee Elementary Instruction Hours
http://www.ops.org/district/SCHOOLS.../94/agentType/View/PropertyID/18/Default.aspx

I remember that day well. I had business on my lunch hour that took me to an area near the Dundee neighborhood, I was in shirt sleeves. Tom was apparently wearing shorts to school that day as that is how neighbors described him as dressed when exiting the school bus. A trench coat just doesnt fit the sort of day it was. From early news descriptions I had pictured this as a blazer or lightweight jacket- either of which would have been more likely for a warm day.
One thing in thie connection I have never thought of- could the fact that it was warm have led to either Shirlee or Tom leaving a door open, perhaps with the screen for protection? A determined thief or killer could have easily gotten in that way.

 

[YellowDog]

You know I vaguely seem to remember reading somewhere that Tom had shorts on that day when he got off the bus. Is that possible that he would be wearing shorts to school? Is that part of a school uniform?

I don't find it totally impossible either that the killer thought no one would be at home at that time of day and, if Tom's school let out earlier than the others, that could enforce that theory. If the killer didn't expect anyone at the house, then I believe burglary or theft of something important could have been the motive. He may not have even been aware that they had a cleaning lady. The discovery of her presence could have thrown him into a panic mode. Perhaps both Shirlee and Tom knew the killer and the murders were done simply to prevent identification.

The long dark coat (if there was one) could have been worn to either make the blood less visible (if the murders were premeditated) or to have a place for concealment of whatever they removed from the house. Maybe the Doctors kept important papers from the University at the house and someone wanted some of them destroyed before they became public knowledge or were presented at Creighton to someone in the higher echelon. Did the Doctors do periodic reviews of students and present them to perhaps a board?

So many possibilities and so FEW CLUES.

You know if the OPD would release a timeline and a sketch of the crime scene, it might open a few windows. Sometimes, just one little thing can register with someone's memory which they perhaps thought meant nothing.

According to news reports, March 13 was an unusually warm day. An overcoat or trench coat are unlikely as they would have aroused even more suspicion....

The magnet school which Thomas attended dismisses their students at 2:40 p.m., more than an hour before the neighborhood elementary school.

I don't think his presence was anticipated by the attacker.

Source:
King Science & Technology Magnet Instruction Hours
http://www.ops.org/district/SCHOOLS.../94/agentType/View/PropertyID/65/Default.aspx

Dundee Elementary Instruction Hours
http://www.ops.org/district/SCHOOLS.../94/agentType/View/PropertyID/18/Default.aspx

 

[Snick1946]

YD, my son is the same age as Tom and he is allowed to wear shorts to school when weather permits. Things have sure changed a lot since we were kids!
I have tried several times using websites for the local assessor's office, etc to find a floor plan for the house. I know that families of the victims follow this thread. If anyone out there has such knowledge can you contact us? This would help in some of our discussion and also eliminate some of the speculation, thanks.
One other point from earlier. The Omaha World Herald has NEVER published any reader letters in the Public Pulse section pertaining however slightly to this crime. I know for a fact that many were written in the weeks following, from Dundee area resdients concerning safety issues, etc and they were ignored. It may be the newspaper's policy not to run letters pertainig to a specific crime but wouldn't you think that letters about safety issues would have been considered ok to print?
I do wonder sometimes if there aren't powerful forces in Omaha that want this story as dead as the victims.

 

[waltzingmatilda]

My apologies for being slack on my research lately everyone, Ive had lots going on and won't bore you with the details. I went to 'Omaha's' web site (Thanks Omaha!) and found this article which states the placement where Tom and Shirlee's bodies were found in the Hunter home.

Dr. Hunter found Tom and Shirlee Sherman inside his home. The killer is still on the loose. On Monday night, Tom's dad talked with us for the first time, taking us back to the day he walked into the home.

"He was in the dining room and Shirley was in the back hallway," Dr. Hunter says. He tells Action 3 News he saw Shirley first and started yelling for Thomas. "If he (Tom) had only gone out and played that day," says Dr. Hunter.



http://www.kmtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9854977

Also, Thank you Skywalker and Snick for information on the weather the day of the murders. It sounds as if a 'suit'/short coat as described in above article(post #181) would be accurate. Just MOO but it sounds as if someone was 'posing' by their manner of dress as though it would appear to neighbors that the person entered the Hunter home in some type of official capacity. Like I said, this is just my opinion, but who the heck wears a 'suit' to commit double murders with knives?

Anyway, I'll be checking in and still wish to compose the case facts/timeline lists but my time will be limited the next few weeks, so please, feel free to jump in and help if you'd like to. Hope time allows for me to be more active soon, ....asking questions, providing links, and typing my latest theories and opinions, LOL!

Tom and Shirlee deserve justice. Let's take pause and think how their familes must feel when we become impatient. I am impatient myself. But.... If we keep this thread 'bumped up' and active, then maybe someday, someone will log in and read about this case and something will ring a bell! If this thread is on page 3 or 4 then it seems less likely this would happen.

Of course this is all MOO.

wm

 

[Skully]

I have a really stupid question. Are we sure that neighbors actually saw the man dressed in the suit go into the house? If so, how long was he there? Because, WM you are so correct when you say, "who wears a suit to a murder with knives being used?" No one. Was there blood all around the floor and did he walk in it and trail it outside to the entry way of the front door and out to the car? Do we know? This was a messy crime scene. He would have been covered in blood and how did he exit that no one saw a blood soaked man leaving the home? How did he know who was home and he wouldn't get interrupted by a person coming home from work? Or a mail delivery? It was an isolated crime, of random occurrence? No, I think not.