Marie Jane Shaw 1977, North Liberty, Indiana
Marie Shaw and her husband were playing cards in their home at 29808 Osborne Road in North Liberty, Indiana on Monday September 12th, 1977.
Marie and Willard were both in their early 30’s. They had been married since 1967. Their home was rather new and Marie had decorated it in the style of the times with mushrooms being a recurring theme. Her family jokingly called it the “Mushroom Manor”. Today people eagerly collect those 1970’s mushroom themed decor items. They had lived in South Bend but moved south to the rural community of North Liberty a few years before.
That evening, two men knocked on their door, entered and threatened the couple. They demanded money while holding a knife to the throat of Marie Jane Shaw. Willard Shaw offered them all the cash he had in the house. He had $750 dollars put away in the bedroom from a vacation check he had cashed. He gave them the 25 dollars from his wallet as well. He and Marie were going on vacation the following week.
That may not seem like a lot of money but in today’s money it would be approximately $4,400.
The two men then tied up Willard Shaw and kidnapped Marie Shaw. She was in her pajamas, robe and slippers.
Willard Shaw worked at AT&T. Who would know that he and Marie had that much cash in the house? It seems to me that the two men who robbed them that night had to have known that the Shaws had cash in the house. In September of 1977, most people did not have much cash in the house or in the bank. The country was in a recession. Times were very tough.
The two men were both wearing blue ski masks. One was wearing a blue windbreaker jacket. Willard Shaw said he only saw their eyes. They must have been white men because if they had been black or Hispanic the newspapers would definitely have mentioned that.
One attacker was described as 5’11” about 165-175 pounds. The other was described as 5’9” with a stocky build wearing jeans and a blue windbreaker.
Willard Shaw’s feet and hands were tied behind his back. The two assailants said they would take Marie to make sure he wouldn’t call the police. They said they would drop her off down the road. Tragically, almost two years would pass before any sign of Marie would be found.
Willard Shaw managed to free his legs and make his way to a phone. He was able to call an operator who got the police to the home.
Marie was found in April of 1979, two years later, on the edge of the South Bend country club by mushroom hunters. That is on the west side of South Bend.
Willard Shaw was suspected in this crime but never charged. He said that he would sometimes overhear people talking about him when he was out in public and it troubled him that people could think he could do this. Marie and Willard had been married ten years and had planned a whole lifetime together. He and Marie’s parents suffered a great deal of pain and anguish over the years.
Who committed this crime? Did those two men talk in the years since? Is there someone out there with information that could solve this crime?
Marie is buried at Saint Joseph Cemetery in South Bend. Rest in Peace.
If you have information about the murder of Marie Jane Shaw please contact the Indiana State Police at 1-800-453-4756.
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