When Shawn Edwards‘ murder case was discussed on a podcast about criminal behavior, his name became well-known online. It has been a while since his case has been solved.
The entire neighborhood is stunned when Shawn Edwards is attacked and stabbed to death in front of a high school in Middletown, New York. Why would anyone want to harm, let alone kill, this sweet, beloved young man? Police struggle as the inquiry progresses to distinguish between reality and fiction but are unsuccessful. Everyone appears to be a suspect, but nobody has a good reason. Crime junkie podcast: Murdered: Shawn Edwards describes the terrible tragedy and shows how the subsequent inquiry made every effort to discover the truth. We have all the information you need if this strange case has your interest.
Who was Shawn Edwards?
14-year-old Shawn Edwards was a beloved teen who was well-liked by both his family and friends. He had a younger sister and three older brothers; he was the youngest of four children. Shawn had high expectations for the future and was not only a stellar student but also a talented football player. He was remembered by those who knew him as a cheerful but gentle young man who welcomed everyone with a grin and was always willing to provide a helping hand. Furthermore, Shawn had no rivalries and did not immediately think of an adversary following his murder because he was nice to the majority of the individuals he encountered. The family resided in New York’s Hudson Valley. Everyone was shocked by Shawn’s passing, especially his family.
His mother, Cynthia Edwards, stated that she overheard her son say something about his friend Rob being in danger on a chilly January 15, 1986. Soon after, Shawn even requested Cynthia for permission to leave on a school night to meet up with his friend. Cynthia declined. Shawn walked to the living room to watch a terrifying movie while Cynthia went to bed, despite the fact that he was rather disappointed at being there. Sadly, that was the last time anyone ever saw Shawn alive; by the time Cynthia checked on him at midnight, he vanished. Cynthia and the rest of her family searched their home anxiously, but the 14-year-old was nowhere to be found. So without further ado, she gave her ex-husband Melvin a call and urged him to go in search of their son.
What happened to Shawn Edwards?
Unexpectedly, a janitor at Middletown High School was preparing to enter the premises on the morning of January 16, 1986, at around 6 a.m., when he unexpectedly saw a human body immediately outside the school. The victim was quickly recognized as Shawn Edwards, an eighth-grade junior high student when the janitor immediately notified the authorities. Initial investigation findings suggested that the man had been battered with a blunt object before being fatally stabbed several times. Later, an examination revealed that the victim had suffered a severe head injury, contradicting the police’s earlier estimation that Shawn had been murdered for about an hour before his body was found.
Who was Shawn Edwards’ killer?
Due to the lack of leads, the initial investigation into Shawn’s murder proceeded fairly slowly. Authorities thoroughly searched the crime scene and discovered a few shards of glass and a bloody rock, but they were unable to locate any evidence that would have pointed to a suspect. Additionally, they even interviewed the majority of Shawn’s acquaintances and friends multiple times. All of them insisted, though, that they were unaware of Shawn’s whereabouts, how he left that evening, or when he did. To top it all off, Shawn was known for being friendly and didn’t appear to have any rivals who were murderous. Interestingly, although claiming to have no knowledge of Shawn’s location the night of his death, his pals insisted that he had been acting suspiciously lately. According to the podcast, Shawn, then 14 years old, carried a knife on his person and repeatedly hinted that his life was in danger in the days before he was killed. However, none of his pals were aware of the cause of this phobia.
Additionally, the authorities received a tip describing how a car was seen sitting in a parking lot close to Shawn’s home the night he vanished. Authorities discovered the car belonged to a person named Mr. Fig, who insisted he had nothing to do with the murder after they issued an APB for it. Unfortunately, with no additional leads, the case went unresolved for years, despite occasional whispers. Melvin may have been a suspect, according to a rumor, and the program claimed that he supposedly went for coffee in a neighboring cafe despite being instructed to look for Shawn. Melvin was put through a polygraph test since the suspicion was so great, and police thought he was lying when he said he had no knowledge of the crime. However, the investigation into Melvin ended in a dead-end, just like the majority of other tips that came flooding in, and officials were forced to start over. It’s interesting that the podcast emphasized how the authorities had to deal with a number of rumors in the months after Shawn’s death, including one that linked a Colombian drug dealer named Nelson to the crime.
In addition, a nearby home invasion led to the arrest of Joey Selgado, a man who had long been suspected of being implicated in Shawn’s murder. However, the authorities were unable to locate any evidence linking him to the crime. The following intriguing turn of events happened in 1992 when Timothy Fairweather, who was 15 years old when Shawn was slain, admitted to being a part of the crime and present when two of his pals, Joey Selgado and Eddie Devlin, killed Shawn. Timothy claims that Joey organized the murder because Shawn reportedly interfered with Nelson’s company. At that point, the case appeared to be closed, but the authorities discovered no evidence connecting the suspect to the crime. Furthermore, Timothy later asserted that he lied in his statement to the police in order to placate them. Nevertheless, Timothy was detained as the only suspect, and police charged him with murder.
However, his attorney persisted in asserting that the confession was forced and even produced proof that Timothy wasn’t in Middletown on the day Shawn was killed. Finally, a polygraph test was administered to the sole suspect in the case; he passed it, clearing his identity. Even though a tip that suggested the murder weapon was buried at a home Joey’s mother formerly owned turned out to be incorrect, there has been no real progress in the case since that time. However, according to the police, the investigation is still ongoing, and they want anyone with information on the homicide to contact the Middletown Police. Shawn Edwards’ killer is still at large, but his family members are still making every effort to have justice served. People feel bad for his family because their son died so young, which is tragic. Middletown Detective Sgt. Nicholas C. DeRosa says there’s a $5,000 reward for suspect information. He added that the state police lab in Albany is reexamining the evidence from the crime site using DNA technology, which wasn’t available in 1986. The announcement comes just a few days before Edwards’ passing will mark 16 years.
