Shelley Ann Werner:1980, Mishawaka, Indiana

   Shelley Ann Werner was born on July 4th, 1964 in Mishawaka, Indiana. 

  Shelley’s Mom was a teacher at Merritt Elementary in Niles, Michigan but the family lived in Mishawaka, Indiana. The Indiana-Michigan border area there is often called Michiana. 

  Shelley Ann Werner was 16 in the Summer of 1980. Her 17th birthday was coming up. She drove a little orange Volkswagen. She was looking forward to fun in the summer and school in the fall. She was very active in the band and various sports at Mishawaka High School. 

  Some of the most popular songs at the time were “Funky Town” by Lipps Inc., “Coming Up” by Paul McCartney and “Call Me” by Blondie. I keep imagining her driving around with "Funky Town" playing on the radio. 

Former site of Wilt's on Lincoln Way. 

  Shelley stopped by Wilt’s supermarket at 2800 Lincoln Way East in Mishawaka on June 16th,1980. She had parked about 50 feet from the store entrance. As she was getting back into her car around 12:30 p.m. a man approached and opened the driver’s side door. (Another article says that it was around 2pm) He forced her to get into the passenger seat probably by showing her a gun. Shelley looked “surprised” according to witnesses. He then drove away with Shelley. Multiple witnesses saw this happen but did not realize exactly what they were seeing. It happened quickly. Shelley was likely too shocked to react or call for help. 

 The man who abducted Shelley was seen arriving at Wilt’s earlier. Someone else had dropped him off. He then loitered in the parking lot until he carjacked Shelley. 

  He was a white man with dirty blonde hair and a thin moustache. He was about 5’7” and 130 lbs. 

 Shelley’s car was found a few miles East of Mishawaka in Osceola, Indiana the next day. Her uncle spotted the orange Volkswagen at the Park and Shop in Osceola at Lincoln Way and Beech Street. Instead of calling the police he called Shelley’s family. They drove the car back to Shelley’s parents house. It was days later when police would be able to process the vehicle for fingerprints or other evidence. 

  Because her car was found in Osceola, the search for Shelley concentrated on that area east of Mishawaka. Despite extensive searches no sign of Shelley was found in the Osceola area. 

  Ten days passed by. Two girls were out walking near Madison Road on June 26th, 1980 about a mile West of U.S. 31. They spotted scattered clothing and noticed a terrible smell. They went home and told their parents. Police were called and found Shelley’s body. 

  Shelley was described as partially clothed and she had been sexually assaulted. She was laying face down in a ravine. She had been shot twice. One shot in the head and one in the body. 

  

  This abduction seems somewhat coordinated. There were possibly at least two individuals involved. The suspect was dropped off at Wilt’s. Did the person who dropped him off know that he was planning to car jack a girl?  Perhaps. The car was left further east. The VW showed up in that parking lot about an hour after Shelley was abducted according to witnesses there. Shelley was found several miles southwest of the South Bend/Mishawaka area. 

 

   And then Shelley's case went cold.

   In 2023 an announcement was made that the case had been solved. Three people were linked to the murder.  All three are deceased according to the article. Strangely, police did not release the names of these three people.  What?  Why not? What if those three people committed other crimes in other states? It seems odd to conceal and protect their identities and reputations especially if they are already deceased. If they pulled this same type of carjacking crime in other cities, counties or nearby states like Michigan, Ohio, or Illinois? Other cold cases could potentially be solved if the information is out there. Do they think these three individuals only ever did this one crime and no others? 

  So, according to authorities…Shelley’s murder is technically solved. For some reason we aren’t allowed to know the names of her killers. That information is protected. Why is that? Police said that because they were deceased they could not be charged and therefore also could not be named.  That is odd.  Plenty of other deceased killers get named every day in cold case investigations. 

  Shelley Werner was only 16. She was looking forward to all the fun of high school in her junior and senior years. She was looking forward to college and a career and a long full life. All that was denied to her. 

  Rest in Peace Shelley.