Deceased/Not Found TX - Candice Shields, 20, pregnant, Graham, 10 Dec 2011 *J. Thornburg guilty*

[cocomod]

Wow! 2 cases here on WS have had an arrest lately. I am glad that justice is on it's way for a couple of families. It gives me hope for other "cold" cases. It is so disheartening when a case is more than a year old without a body and without an arrest. I am proud that LE stays on these cases when we often think they have forgotten. One more off the streets (at least for now). Now, to get a guilty verdict - I will wait and watch and hope for that next! I sincerely hope that her family also will get her body back. Hopefully they have enough on him to get a confession.

 

[TxLady2]

I'd speculate that setting a bond $750,000 suggests that they know quite a lot.

I don't doubt that they do. I just don't see why they can't tell the public HOW they know she's dead and that he killed her. If there is a body, why would they hold that information back?
They don't just charge someone with murder without some kind of proof. I want to know what that is, did they find her body and confirm it was her?
Even if the g/f gave them the details, they still have to have a way to confirm it. Even if he confessed, that has to be confirmed as well. SOMETHING led them to believe he murdered her, so what was it?

 

[KateB]

http://www.statesman.com/ap/ap/crime/2nd-person-arrested-in-case-of-missing-woman/nWWgm/

They say 22-year-old Lajuana Shunta Long was arrested Wednesday and is being held at the Young County jail on a $750,000 bond. The Graham resident was charged with a single count of murder.

 

[TxLady2]

So the g/f must have been involved too. Good that this case is moving along, just wish they could find Candice so she can be laid to rest, and her family can be at peace.

 

[SCHMAE]

Both charged with murder? OR did the GF do it ?

 

[SCHMAE]

Looks like lining up dates and pics on fb ( is this allowed ? ) that he was already in a relationship type thing with Lajuana and maybe cheated on her with Candice? So that set them off or set someone off ? I'm sorry if I'm late to the table
so sad how many babies now will have NO parent .

 

[Ocalasunrise]

Looks like lining up dates and pics on fb ( is this allowed ? ) that he was already in a relationship type thing with Lajuana and maybe cheated on her with Candice? So that set them off or set someone off ? I'm sorry if I'm late to the table
so sad how many babies now will have NO parent .

As far as I can make out, Lajuana and Jeremy have a child together but that their relationship was over before he got together with Candice. Who then became pregnant rather swiftly. On the Missing Voices blog that has been linked to, Jeremy was allegedly not thrilled as he was already struggling to pay maintenance on the child he had with Lajuana. I can't imagine Lajuana being happy about this either.

Lajuana worked at the burger restaurant where Candice subsequently got a job and turned up for her first day at work the day before her disappearance. There are reports that she was threatened at work that day but I have seen no confirmation that these threats were made by Lajuana.

Candice then left the place she was staying during the night, seemingly in response to an invitation she received to meet someone. Police have evidence that Jeremy travelled from Sweetwater (where he was living at the time) that evening. It's difficult to think that anyone other than Jeremy could have lured Candice out of the house but obviously the arrests suggest that he did not act alone in subsequent events.

 

[summer_breeze]

http://www.chron.com/news/texas/article/2nd-person-arrested-in-case-of-missing-woman-4298126.php

February 21, 2013

GRAHAM, Texas (AP) — Authorities say a second person is now charged in the murder of a 20-year-woman who went missing more than a year ago in West Texas.

 

[Sporky]

WOW. Hopefully LE will get them to turn on each other so we will finally know the story of what happened and find her body.

 

[wantjustice]

Wow, this case is really progressing nicely now! We all suspected LL was involved. LL and JT seemed chummy despite that they weren't together anymore. I personally felt that JT and LL didn't want Candice in the pic and she seemed a big inconvenience IMO. Her arrest isn't surprising but I was never sure they would be able to have enough evidence to get LL. Sounds like JT rolled over on her. But I won't feel good till we have the trial and know the evidence and have a conviction. All MOO!

 

[Ocalasunrise]

I personally felt that JT and LL didn't want Candice in the pic and she seemed a big inconvenience IMO.

I totally agree. Her last Facebook status read 'I don't what to do any more' (in text message speak). I wonder whether JT was breaking up with her. That would have left her in a pretty bad place but wanting to see him.

 

[Coldpizza]

Been following this case, just haven't posted. Thankfully things are rolling towards justice for Candice.

Since the name of the recently arrested has been released thought I'd post her FB as peeps are commenting.

http://www.facebook.com/lajuana.long.9?fref=ts

 

[Sporky]

oh woah that page... Hurt my brain to try to read her spelling.

 

[wantjustice]

I totally agree. Her last Facebook status read 'I don't what to do any more' (in text message speak). I wonder whether JT was breaking up with her. That would have left her in a pretty bad place but wanting to see him.

That is an excellent point! Especially with Candice being pregnant with his child. This would get anyone out of the house and she probably let her guard down even though it was late at night and she had a big day with a new job. I was discussing this with a friend, and she was thinking that LL was JT's "gun" so to speak. He knew LL hated Candice. And LL had just had a child. She was probably hormonal and he may have led her on and let her think they would get back together if Candice was out of the picture. I am sure the thought of having the father of her child in the picture would have been ideal. Obviously, LL hated CS with a passion. I am sure it annoyed her that they were both pregnant at the same time. He probably inflamed her by telling her things that would make LL mad IMO. Once, he had what he needed, he moved on. So sad that there are so many children involved who will possibly grow up without their parents for stupid reasons.

 

[cluciano63]

Oh this just makes me so sick...murder of a young woman and a baby, all over some worthless "man" no doubt.

If this woman is guilty, how could she simply carry on her life with her kids for over a year, without being tormented with guilt? She has to be as cold as stone, or just utterly selfish. I see her mother died recently and that may be a blessing for her mother.

 

[MsFacetious]

Been following this case, just haven't posted. Thankfully things are rolling towards justice for Candice.

Since the name of the recently arrested has been released thought I'd post her FB as peeps are commenting.

http://www.facebook.com/lajuana.long.9?fref=ts

Those kids of hers are absolutely gorgeous. They are sitting in a messy house... but they are still gorgeous! How freaking sad.

For the record: I don't think she is currently pregnant. I believe she had a child in October of 2011.
I think her first child was 2 at that time, so is likely about 4 now. And then the 2nd child is almost 18 months old.
I won't even try to decipher who the baby daddy is for either child. Way too complicated for me. :what:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...0110006459132.290841.510894131&type=3&theater

 

[bdawk20]

If I recall correctly, LL is the mother of JT's child, and that baby was barely even born when he got together with Candice. I'll have to go back and try to piece that together again.

 

[wantjustice]

If I recall correctly, LL is the mother of JT's child, and that baby was barely even born when he got together with Candice. I'll have to go back and try to piece that together again.

Let see if I can piece it from memory: LL has 2 kids, youngest is JT's child. Candice and JT got together at least September of 2011 according to how far along she was when she disappeared. LL had her baby in November. Interesting note, someone deleted LL's fb page.

 

[wantjustice]

JT's fb page is gone too.

 

[Ocalasunrise]

The Graham newspaper piece says that Candice's mother has confirmed that a) JT was the last person to contact her cell phone on the night she disappeared and b) that LL had threatened Candice when she had turned up to the first day of her job at What-a-burger.

http://www.grahamleader.com/index.asp?Story=25308