At 73-years old, Bill Carson is a man who expects results. As a commander in the United States Submarine Force, he completed missions around the globe that required precision, professionalism and perseverance. He knows how to identify a problem, find a solution, fix the problem and move on to the next mission. Call it Navy know-how.
Carson retired from the Navy in 1984, and started a second career as a math teacher. In 1986, Carson and his wife Charlotte, also a teacher, adopted two infants. Andrew was called Drew, and Mary Rachel, was called Shellie. They were only 40 days apart in age.
The Carsons settled in the very middle class neighborhood of Kings Grant, where the street names offer the neighborhood a sense of royalty. The Carsons lived on Queen Elizabeth Drive, which is near Prince Phillip Drive, and Newcastle Street at the neighborhood traffic circle.
Summer was a busy time for the Carsons. It included camping trips across the country, and trips to Spain and Italy. Little Shellie was a natural athlete who loved to run and jump. The Carsons ensured that the children were well rounded by exposing them to swimming, and dance lessons for Shellie. Middle school for Shellie included field hockey, basketball and soccer.
Things started to change for Shellie she was about 14 years old. She ran away from home twice, took off in the family car, and refused to cooperate with a psychiatrist and psychologist who were trying to help the family figure out what was wrong. "She was a troubled child…it was a very unpleasant period of time, "said Carson. This former commanding officer was losing control of the daughter who had brought so much joy to Bill and his wife Charlotte.
During the early morning hours of August 14, 2005, Shellie was spotted riding her pink and black bicycle in the neighborhood. She was also was captured on surveillance video at a nearby 7-11 store around 3:50AM
The next morning the Carsons were concerned as Bill, Charlotte and Drew headed for Sunday services at the Kings Grant Presbyterian Church. They were under the assumption that Shellie had spent the night with a boyfriend who lived nearby. The Carsons noticed a disturbance as they approached the traffic circle. It appeared crime scene tape had been erected around much of the traffic circle and the place was crawling with cops.
Once they arrived at church, a fellow member told the Carsons a body had been found at the traffic circle. Bill left Charlotte and Drew at the church and drove back to the traffic circle where he spotted the crime scene.
Inside the crime scene tape the lead detective on the case, Brain Seabold, carefully studied the remains of a young female that were found under trees just off the traffic circle near the intersection of Newcastle Street and Kings Grant Road. It was an extremely violent death.
The killer may have used a blunt object as the murder weapon, and it appeared to be a case of overkill. That pink and black bicycle was on the scene, along with the pink tennis shoes the victim wore.
While detectives surveyed the scene and canvassed the neighborhood, Bill told a uniformed officer Shellie was missing. The officer instructed Bill to return home to find a picture of Shellie. Concerned about the rapidly changing events, Charlotte and Drew returned home.
Detective Seabold drove to the Carsons nearby home, interviewed the family, viewed Shellie's pictures and asked about whether Shellie had pink tennis shoes. The answer was yes. A medical examiner would later confirm that 18 year old Shellie Carson, the daughter of Bill and Charlotte Cason died around 6:00am on August 14, 2005. The cause of death: Blunt impact head trauma.
On Sunday mornings at Kings Grant Presbyterian, Bill Carson sits near the rear of the church. He keeps a busy schedule as an elder in the church, member of the choir and co-leader of the Peacemaking Committee. For nearly ten years, Bill Carson has had anything but peace. Shellie died in August of 2005. Her mother died in February 2012 after a long battle with cancer. Before cancer weakened Charlotte, she repeatedly begged for the public's help in solving the case. Charlotte passed away, not knowing who brutally killed her daughter.
In the early days following Shellie's death, the Carsons were hopeful that justice would be swift. The killer would be caught, prosecuted, and locked up. Carson recalled a conversation with a detective shortly after the murder. "Police told me they were going to have the case solved within the next three days", said Carson.
Over the years the search for the killer has been exhaustive. Numerous interviews have been conducted, police have taken DNA samples from several people to see if there is a match with evidence found on the crime scene, national data bases have been tapped, and there are now two full-time, and two part-time detectives in the Cold Case Homicide Unit.
A high profile murder case from 1990 was solved recently by the CCHU with the use of new DNA technology, but the person who killed Shellie Carson is still out there.
Using the leadership skills he employed in the Navy, Bill has organized community meetings for the survivors of crime victims, and he has met with detectives several times over the years. His last meeting took place shortly after the New Year began.
The Carsons established a $40,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer. At one point a billboard along Virginia Beach Boulevard made the plea for help. He's even turned to social media for help. Four years ago, Bill and a good Samaritan dubbed "Clarke Kent", established a website and blog Justice for Shelly.
On the closely monitored site friends and loved ones can post memories of Shellie, but they can also post information that could lead to the killer. Carson says it may take only one post on his blog, or one call to Virginia Beach Crime Solvers www.crimesolvers.com to put away the person who has been getting away with murder
Some of his aggressive efforts to assist police in the investigation have been met with resistance. According to Carson, shortly after Shellie died, he and friends placed fliers in Recreation centers around Virginia Beach. The one-page fliers asked for help in finding the killer.
"We had signs in all the rec centers. A detective came around and took them all down- took the signs down. It's sort of a turf issue, and they don't want any kind of interference that might adversely affect the case, "said Carson.
Carson also says he got a stern lecture from police in November of 2006 when the family shared the autopsy report with 13News. He was told the autopsy reveals information that only the killer knows, and public disclosure of information could pose problems for investigators as they question potential suspects.
These were uncharted waters for the former commanding officer. He is still trying to figure out how to fix the vexing problem. Someone is getting away with murder, and he worries the killer will strike again. In the meantime, Carson has made amends with police. He has a renewed since of optimism. Brian Seabold, the investigator Carson met the morning Shellie was killed, was recently promoted to Sergeant of the homicide division.
Police refused to offer an interview for this story, but spokesperson, Tonya Borman, issued a statement to 13News Now.
We understand that this a high profile case, our investigators are sensitive to the urgency of bringing closure to Shellie's family and bringing to justice the person responsible for this heinous crime but this an active, open investigation and we cannot risk jeopardizing the integrity of the case by releasing details.
Carson believes there are 20 people, many who still live in or near Kings Grant, who have not been ruled out as the killer. He also believes there are several other people who have vital information that could be the missing links that are desperately needed to close the case. Bill Carson turns 74 years old this year, and says he has total confidence in the police department's ability to solve the case.
For now, someone continues to get away with murder. If you know who killed Shellie Carson or any other information involving the case call the Crime Solvers at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP!
