VA VA - Michael, 50, Mary, 36, & Jennifer Short, 9, Bassett, 15 Aug 2002

[LR1]

Hello all, I am new to web sleuths, and really only signed up to get more informed on this case. I'm from Bassett, VA, and still live in the area. This case really hits home, and its devastating that they haven't been able to make much progress. With my job, I work face-to-face with a lot of people in our community here. I've actually had several of my clients tell me they have information that the Michael Short was somehow involved in the local drug cartel. This seemed pretty far fetched to me, but in the past few weeks A LOT of indictments have been handed down for several cartel members that have been living in the area. I am not sure that the people who shared this have any credibility whatsoever, but for such a small area, we have a huge drug problem. So, it's definitely worth looking into.

That seems far fetched to me too. From everything I've seen, this being drug related would be a unlikely scenario. This family annihilation is more than I would expect from someone caught up in bad drug deal in southern VA. One quote from a relative I read said they were not the partying type and were just a quiet family. Anyway, welcome k_spence94.

 

[truecrimemavens]

That seems far fetched to me too. From everything I've seen, this being drug related would be a unlikely scenario. This family annihilation is more than I would expect from someone caught up in bad drug deal in southern VA. One quote from a relative I read said they were not the partying type and were just a quiet family. Anyway, welcome k_spence94.

Actually, this isnt as far fetched as one would think. There is usually a lot of truth in rumors.

 

[LR1]

Actually, this isnt as far fetched as one would think. There is usually a lot of truth in rumors.

Maybe, but I'm not about to imply that this guy was somehow responsible for what happened when I don't have clear knowledge of any of his possible past indiscretions, or not, in that regard.

I would look hard at any reports of prowlers within a few miles of the house in the previous several years, whether they were identified or not. Start simple start there and start from scratch. Questionable people on the list, in the area she went missing from and also where she was found, re-look and for anything to do with abuse of a child in these years that followed. Assuming they looked for pre crime behavior. That and an observation, there are some discrepancies in the reporting in the last several years compared to the reporting very early on as far as the shorts last known sighting. Things reported early on from people who knew them, and the things said then are not being said in current reporting. Some of it might be trying to not bring heat on people they think/know had no involvement but there was a whole different story in the beginning regarding late that wednesday night. With all the resources devoted through the years, if the case has moved an inch I can't tell.

 

[antiskramz]

Hey all, I’m new to websleuths and made a profile just to interact with this thread.

I moved to Bassett in 2004 and went to Stanleytown Elem. From my understanding the schools were consolidated that year as Figsboro Elem was going to shut down due to economic issues. One of the very first things I’d learned about Bassett is that a girl went missing and was found dead who was around the same age as me. I believe she was a year or two older. It was the talk of the town and you couldn’t go anywhere without someone talking about it. I ended up leaving Bassett/Collinsville/Martinsville around 5 years ago, but I still think about this case almost every week.

I decided a few weeks ago to start printing all of the articles I could find regarding the case. So far I’m stuck on Mary and Mike and how baffled I am that Mike was found in the carport and Mary in the bedroom. They both looked to be sleeping and didn’t know what was coming. However I find it so hard to believe someone got into the house undetected and then shot one of the two without the other hearing it. Does anyone else feel this way or am I missing something here? I’ve seen that the carport door was open upon finding the bodies, but I wasn’t sure if this was the point of exit and entry or just exit. I will say though, Bassett is small. Very small. There were definitely times where my family didn’t lock their doors and kept the windows open. Especially in the summer time. Though that leads me to believe the killer is someone who had been to the house before. Someone who would have known the door would be unlocked or that the windows would be left open.

 

[TedMac]

Hey all, I’m new to websleuths and made a profile just to interact with this thread.

I moved to Bassett in 2004 and went to Stanleytown Elem. From my understanding the schools were consolidated that year as Figsboro Elem was going to shut down due to economic issues. One of the very first things I’d learned about Bassett is that a girl went missing and was found dead who was around the same age as me. I believe she was a year or two older. It was the talk of the town and you couldn’t go anywhere without someone talking about it. I ended up leaving Bassett/Collinsville/Martinsville around 5 years ago, but I still think about this case almost every week.

I decided a few weeks ago to start printing all of the articles I could find regarding the case. So far I’m stuck on Mary and Mike and how baffled I am that Mike was found in the carport and Mary in the bedroom. They both looked to be sleeping and didn’t know what was coming. However I find it so hard to believe someone got into the house undetected and then shot one of the two without the other hearing it. Does anyone else feel this way or am I missing something here? I’ve seen that the carport door was open upon finding the bodies, but I wasn’t sure if this was the point of exit and entry or just exit. I will say though, Bassett is small. Very small. There were definitely times where my family didn’t lock their doors and kept the windows open. Especially in the summer time. Though that leads me to believe the killer is someone who had been to the house before. Someone who would have known the door would be unlocked or that the windows would be left open.

Good first post and welcome to Websleuths!

 

[DoubleN1993]

Hey all, I’m new to websleuths and made a profile just to interact with this thread.

I moved to Bassett in 2004 and went to Stanleytown Elem. From my understanding the schools were consolidated that year as Figsboro Elem was going to shut down due to economic issues. One of the very first things I’d learned about Bassett is that a girl went missing and was found dead who was around the same age as me. I believe she was a year or two older. It was the talk of the town and you couldn’t go anywhere without someone talking about it. I ended up leaving Bassett/Collinsville/Martinsville around 5 years ago, but I still think about this case almost every week.

I decided a few weeks ago to start printing all of the articles I could find regarding the case. So far I’m stuck on Mary and Mike and how baffled I am that Mike was found in the carport and Mary in the bedroom. They both looked to be sleeping and didn’t know what was coming. However I find it so hard to believe someone got into the house undetected and then shot one of the two without the other hearing it. Does anyone else feel this way or am I missing something here? I’ve seen that the carport door was open upon finding the bodies, but I wasn’t sure if this was the point of exit and entry or just exit. I will say though, Bassett is small. Very small. There were definitely times where my family didn’t lock their doors and kept the windows open. Especially in the summer time. Though that leads me to believe the killer is someone who had been to the house before. Someone who would have known the door would be unlocked or that the windows would be left open.

Welcome to Webslueths and we all got some good theories about who and why kill the Shorts .

 

[jaejae]

Welcome to Webslueths and we all got some good theories about who and why kill the Shorts .

I agree a good post and some good theories about the case. Let's hope the case gets solved. I am of course not part of any official investigation but I think LE may struggle with this one:

Memorial Ride For The Short Family, Killed 15 Years Ago

 

[Simply Southern]

Food for thought....

There was a large amount of cash left laying in the open.
Father on carport laying on sofa, in his underwear.

Jennifer WAS the target !!!!

 

[jaejae]

Food for thought....

There was a large amount of cash left laying in the open.
Father on carport laying on sofa, in his underwear.

Jennifer WAS the target !!!!

I am with you totally on that one. Good post.

 

[Simply Southern]

Some may not be aware.... The Henry County Sheriffs Dept was running a drug, guns, prostitution ring, large amounts of ketamine being shipped in, money laundering and racketeering. Sheriff Cassell was the ring leader.

They were covering up so much stuff, we will never know what happened.

Henry County Sheriff's Office under investigation; 20 indicted

 

[DoubleN1993]

Sometime others on this thread think Jennifer is the target but some people including me think the Dad may be the target.

 

[Simply Southern]

Sometime others on this thread think Jennifer is the target but some people including me think the Dad may be the target.

Yes, I can see that some would thinks its related to the dad. Many thought it was retaliation for improper work, gambling or a former employee. These folks went to church, lived a quite life, and Jennifer was kind of a quite kid. But, they did live right beside a cheep motel and restaurant, directly on a main highway.

Inside scoop..... Jennifer was the target.

 

[DoubleN1993]

Yes, I can see that some would thinks its related to the dad. Many thought it was retaliation for improper work, gambling or a former employee. These folks went to church, lived a quite life, and Jennifer was kind of a quite kid. But, they did live right beside a cheep motel and restaurant, directly on a main highway.

Inside scoop..... Jennifer was the target.

I appreciate your point of views , but sometime I best stick to the Dad target and It could make sense since Mike was rumoured that he been shipping the drugs hidden in motor homes for the illegal operations from one state to another .

 

[jaejae]

I appreciate your point of views , but sometime I best stick to the Dad target and It could make sense since Mike was rumoured that he been shipping the drugs hidden in motor homes for the illegal operations from one state to another .

Of course the case like others is about opinions and you may well be right but I am convinced as I usually am of course Jennifer was the target and she was the target of a Serial Killer who was also a paedophile. In my opinion he killed her parents as part of his warped 'military operation' he had in his mind and would have enjoyed doing this. Interesting post and you may be right. Whoever did this as LE have said was either very good at what he did or lucky and I would say both.

 

[Simply Southern]

I appreciate your point of views , but sometime I best stick to the Dad target and It could make sense since Mike was rumoured that he been shipping the drugs hidden in motor homes for the illegal operations from one state to another .

I respectfully agree....again this was during the time the Sheriff office was heavily into drug dealing and prostitution.

But why did they leave all that cash on the counter?

They also used other local LE to assist the investigation.
Patrick County SD and Franklin county SD.

I've also strongly believed and followed highway serial killers. But that doesn't sit well with her being found so close to the POI home in NC.

 

[DoubleN1993]

I respectfully agree....again this was during the time the Sheriff office was heavily into drug dealing and prostitution.

But why did they leave all that cash on the counter?

They also used other local LE to assist the investigation.
Patrick County SD and Franklin county SD.

I've also strongly believed and followed highway serial killers. But that doesn't sit well with her being found so close to the POI home in NC.

If I'm not mistaken , somebody else mentioned earlier on this thread about two Rockingham County police cars arrived hours before the discovery went into the house and then went back in the car and drive off .
But i don't know if this actually a rumour or.... a clue

 

[mks762]

If this was about Michael, Jennifer wouldn’t have been taken from the house IMO. If someone was trying to get back at MS for stuff people keep alluding to here, wouldn’t they have wanted him to suffer? Kill the wife and kid in front of him? Why risk leaving the scene with Jennifer if it wasn’t about her? Anything could’ve happened once the person(s) who did this left the house with Jennifer so why risk it when if you’re there for Michael and you’ve already killed him??

 

[Simply Southern]

If I'm not mistaken , somebody else mentioned earlier on this thread about two Rockingham County police cars arrived hours before the discovery went into the house and then went back in the car and drive off .
But i don't know if this actually a rumour or.... a clue

I'm confused....,are you saying 2 RC officers went to the Short house before they were discovered and left?

Or that RCSO went to the POI house and left?

 

[Simply Southern]

Maybe, but I'm not about to imply that this guy was somehow responsible for what happened when I don't have clear knowledge of any of his possible past indiscretions, or not, in that regard.

I would look hard at any reports of prowlers within a few miles of the house in the previous several years, whether they were identified or not. Start simple start there and start from scratch. Questionable people on the list, in the area she went missing from and also where she was found, re-look and for anything to do with abuse of a child in these years that followed. Assuming they looked for pre crime behavior. That and an observation, there are some discrepancies in the reporting in the last several years compared to the reporting very early on as far as the shorts last known sighting. Things reported early on from people who knew them, and the things said then are not being said in current reporting. Some of it might be trying to not bring heat on people they think/know had no involvement but there was a whole different story in the beginning regarding late that wednesday night. With all the resources devoted through the years, if the case has moved an inch I can't tell.

There was a truck...best I remember white parked on 220 South down from the house, around the time of murder. The Short house was on 220 North, the opposite of the road. It was never identified.

 

[Simply Southern]

This article has the most accurate information I have found.

The Short Family Murders

Could the depth of police corruption in Henry County, VA during the time of the Short murders have had anything to do with the mystery surrounding these deaths? One of the recurring themes throughout the corruption trials was the quickness with which the sheriff, and other deputies, agreed to protect criminals (who they considered friends) from the FBI and further investigation– could someone in the department have had something to do with this crime? Is this why legitimate evidence was never found and the crime went completely unsolved? At the very least, did the rampant corruption throughout the police department facilitate a flawed and ineffective investigation?