August 18, 1995
Shelbey Jean Crocker-Thornburgh is born in Decatur, Wise County, Texas, to Lesley Jean Crocker and Robert Elwood Thornburgh Jr. (possibly not her biological father). She is the younger of two sisters.

Childhood
Shelbey experiences a tumultuous upbringing marked by instability, neglect, and reported abuse. Much of her early childhood is spent in and out of foster care across rural central Texas.

April 10, 2001 (Lesley age 26)
Lesley Jean Crocker is convicted of fraud and sentenced to 10 years. The sentence is suspended, allowing her to retain custody of Shelbey (6) and Krystina (8). This is her last legal reprieve before ultimately losing custody.

November 4, 2004
Texas DFPS intervenes and removes Shelbey (9) and Krystina (11) due to chronic neglect.

2004–2012
The sisters live in multiple foster homes before placement with an aunt. Around 2006, Robert Thornburgh is released from prison and shockingly granted legal custody of both daughters. This begins years of abuse and exploitation, especially toward Shelbey.

2007–2008
Krystina becomes pregnant at 15. Robert forces her out of the house and keeps custody of her newborn son, leaving Shelbey further isolated and vulnerable.

2009 (Shelbey age 14)
Shelbey reports Robert to CPS for using meth around her nephew. The child is returned to Krystina. Shelbey is placed with her mother, who soon overdoses. Shelbey re-enters foster care. It is also discovered that she is pregnant by 18-year-old Lekert Kwame Fisher (“Kurt”), who is later charged.

May 4, 2011
Shelbey gives birth to her son, Logan Kent.

June 2011
She places Logan informally for adoption, then recants a month later. CPS removes her from her foster home and places her in a group home in Wichita Falls, from which she soon runs away.

December 22, 2011
Robert Thornburgh is arrested for exploiting a 14-year-old in a prior 2006 case, corroborating Shelbey’s claims.

August 9, 2012
Lesley Crocker dies at age 38. Shelbey, still in foster care, attends the funeral with Krystina. The loss compounds their grief.

2012–2013 (Ages 16–17)
Shelbey loses over 180 lbs and considers a modeling career.

Early 2014 (Age 18)
Shelbey begins CNA training, temporarily lives with her aunt, and becomes pregnant. She plans to name the baby Sabrina Nicole Reese.

March 21, 2014
Shelbey miscarries at 12 weeks and undergoes a D&C procedure.

April 14, 2014
She is arrested for solicitation, pleads no contest, and serves 33 days. A Backpage ad under the alias “Mariah” links her to the incident.

Mid-to-Late 2014
Shelbey begins a controlling relationship with Mark D. Johnson, who becomes her pimp.

July 3, 2014
Moves into a gated apartment with Mark D.

Late 2014–Early 2015
Moves into Conquistador Apartments, Unit 3B. Mark controls her work and recruits other women through her.

June 16, 2015
12:05 PM: Arrested for prostitution in Houston. She tells Krystina she fears Mark will kill her if she tries to leave.

June 19, 2015
11:25 AM: Shelby release from jail on $1000 Bond Court Records

October 1, 2015
The prostitution charges were officially dismissed in Houston, Texas due to Missing witness. Shelbey told her family prior to her death that she was doing something with her lawyer that was going to clear her of the prostitution charges in Houston. Court Records

October 23, 2015
Burner phone used by future suspect is activated.

November 4, 2015 — Day of the Murder

• Morning: Shelbey pays deposit for cosmetic surgery.
• 6:32 PM: Shelbey posted an ad on backpage.com
• 8:00 PM: Tells her aunt she’s going to meet someone.
• 8:33 PM: Receives client text: “I’m here.“
• 8:40 PM: Sends safe-word “Gud.”
• 8:57 PM: Suspect seen leaving on surveillance.
• 10:00 PM: When Marcus couldn’t reach Shelbey, he went to the apartment around 10:00PM. He found her lying on the bed with her throat cut. He called 911. Police was dispatched
• 10:10 PM: The police located Shelby’s body The Conquistador at 7575 Bellaire near Fondren – Source Police Report: Officer Todd Colbert, a homicide investigator with the Houston Police Department and News Outlet

November 5, 2015

• 4:00 AM: Krystina is notified that Shelbey has been murdered.
• 9:16 AM: Police released an update: Police have identified a 20-year-old woman who was found dead Wednesday night in her apartment at a high-rise residential building in southwest Houston. The woman’s body was found about 10 p.m. at The Conquistador at 7575 Bellaire near Fondren, said Officer Todd Colbert, a homicide investigator with the Houston Police Department. Police later identified the woman as Shelbey Thornburgh. Colbert said a friend of Thornburgh became concerned about her because he hadn’t heard from her for a few hours. When he went to the third-floor apartment he found the woman dead inside. He called 911. Colbert said it appears a sharp instrument was used to cut Thornburgh, but the exact cause of death has not been determined. The friend who found Thornburgh, Colbert said, is not suspected in the case. Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713 308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713 222-TIPS. 

Investigation and Forensics
Surveillance footage shows suspect entering and leaving in disguise. Burner phone used for 12 days. DNA from a dark hair yields no CODIS match. A second, unidentified female hair is recovered.

Autopsy Findings

• 5.5-inch horizontal neck incision (Zone 1).
• Severed arteries, veins, esophagus, trachea, and vertebrae (C3–C5).
• No hesitation or defense wounds.
• The wound indicates surgical precision and possibly tactical/military training.

An incised wound of the anterior neck. A large gaping incised wound extends horizontally across the anterior neck. The wound measures five and one half inches in length and is located nine and one half inches below the top of the head and two inches to the right of the anterior midline. The margins of the wound are sharp with no ragged edges or serrations. No tissue bridging is observed. A one inch linear abrasion extends from the lower left margin of the wound traversing obliquely from the 10 o’clock to four o’clock. A three quarter inch linear abrasion extends from the upper right margin of the wound obliquely from four to 10 o’clock. A one quarter inch linear abrasion extends obliquely from the upper mid point skin margin of the wound from four o’clock to 10 o’clock. A subsequent internal examination of the neck reveals that the wound tract incises the clavicular head of the left sternocleidomastoid muscle and transects the sternal head of the left sternocleidomastoid muscle, incises the left jugular vein, punctures the left carotid artery, transects the bilaterals sternothyroid and sternohyoid muscles, the trachea and the esophagus, transects the right sternocleidomastoid and omohyoid muscles and transects the right vertebral artery, right carotid artery, and right jugular vein. At least four sharp injury paths extend through the soft tissue and on the C3 through C5 vertebral bodies. The approximate depth of the injury is two and one half inches and the ends are sharp. The hyoid bone and larynx, the mid portion of the trachea and esophagus and the anterior cervical spine from C3 to C5 are removed and submitted for anthropologic consultation. Please see their report.

Ongoing Advocacy
Krystina leads “Support Team Shelbey.” The case is accepted into ViCAP. A $5,000 Crime Stoppers reward remains active.

Contacts

• Crime Stoppers: 713-222-TIPS (8477)
• HPD Detective Dustin Crowder: [email protected]
• FBI ViCAP: [email protected] | 800-634-4097

Full Name: Shelbey Jean Thornburgh Crocker
Date of Birth: August 18, 1995
Date of Death: November 4, 2015
Age at Death: 20 years old
Location of Death: Houston, Texas – Conquistador Apartments, Unit 3B
Case Status: Unsolved homicide
Case Accepted Into: FBI ViCAP (Violent Criminal Apprehension Program)

Background and Vulnerability

• Shelbey had endured a traumatic childhood marked by abuse, neglect, and placement in foster care across Texas.
• By her teens, she had become ensnared in commercial sexual exploitation, under Robert coercion.
• She gave birth to a son in 2011 and suffered a miscarriage in 2014, further compounding her emotional and physical challenges.
• Around 2014, she became involved with a man known as Mark D. Johnson, who operated as her pimp, managing her appointments and controlling her movements. He is believed to have trafficked her in Houston and possibly other Texas cities.
• She worked under aliases including “Mariah” and advertised on Backpage.com, a site known at the time for hosting adult service listings.

November 4, 2015 – Day of the Murder

• Shelbey was living in Unit 3B at the Conquistador Apartments in Houston, Texas.
• That day, she paid a deposit for cosmetic surgery she had been planning.
• At 8:40 PM, she texted her handler her safety code word: “GUD” – a signal that her client had arrived and the appointment had begun.
• The client, a white male, was captured on surveillance video entering and later leaving the apartment 22 minutes later.
• Shelbey was found dead shortly after. She had suffered a deep, surgically precise incision across her throat, nearly decapitating her — a level of precision suggesting her killer had medical or tactical training.
• Her apartment was ransacked and the scene was described as “horrific” by responding officers and family members.
• The suspect hid his left hand from cameras, possibly due to an injury or bite mark.

Investigation and Ongoing Efforts

• Surveillance footage captured the suspect entering and exiting the building. He appeared to be a white male wearing a light-colored long-sleeve shirt, shorts, sneakers, and sunglasses.
• The suspect had used a burner phone to arrange the meeting. It had been activated 12 days prior to the murder and was deactivated the following day.

A Serial Killer Still at Large: Shelbey’s murder remains unsolved, and investigators believe the killer may be a highly trained serial predator.

• Shelbey was murdered from behind with a long knife. She was kneeling on her bed near the edge. The killer sliced her neck open from left to right. It was done with one motion, and the cut was deep enough that it nicked Shelbey’s spinal cord. Blood was cast off the knife onto the wall. Shelbey fell forward across the bed. Her head hung over the opposite side from where she was kneeling. Almost all of her blood was emptied onto the floor beneath her.
• No fingerprints were left at the scene, and the killer used a burner phone that was activated for just 12 days and deactivated immediately after the crime.
• Several hairs were found on Shelbey’s back: One dominant dark hair, believed to be the killer’s, yielded no CODIS match.
• Another unknown female hair was also recovered—significant because Shelbey had just showered and should not have had random hair on her body.
• Investigators suspect this second hair could belong to the killer’s wife, child, or household contact, offering a potential genealogical pathway.

The FBI accepted the case into ViCAP, a violent crimes database that helps law enforcement connect similar cases across state lines. Detectives and the FBI are pursuing advanced forensic testing, but delays in DPS and lab approval have hindered progress.

Forensic Evidence

• Several foreign hairs were recovered from Shelbey’s body:
• One dominant dark hair believed to be from the killer.
• Another unidentified female hair, possibly transferred from someone in the suspect’s household.

DNA evidence that was taken from a hair that was left on Shelbey’s body. Part of the DNA evidence was able to be amplified and run through CODIS. No hits. Other DNA evidence taken from tape lifts of the victim’s body haven’t ever been tested.

• DNA evidence was recovered from the crime scene but has not matched any profiles in national criminal databases. It was later determined that the DNA profile lacks sufficient quality for use in forensic genealogy.
• The FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit has considered the possibility that the suspect may be a serial offender, citing the planning, precision, and efforts to conceal his identity.

Autopsy Findings:

• The fatal wound was a 5.5-inch horizontal incision across the base of her neck — Zone 1, the most lethal region.
• The blade severed major arteries, veins, muscles, the trachea, esophagus, and vertebral bodies (C3–C5).
• The depth and precision of the wound, combined with the force required (estimated at over 1,000 pounds of pressure), strongly suggest specialized military or tactical training.
• No signs of hesitation, jagged edges, or resistance cuts were noted — indicating a swift, practiced, and calculated kill

Forensic Significance

• The murder weapon was a surgically sharp blade, and the wound was precise, deep, and complete a 5.5-inch fatal slice through all major structures of the neck, ending at the cervical spine.
• Experts believe the level of anatomical knowledge and precision required indicates military or elite tactical training, well beyond typical street violence or domestic homicide.
• No hesitation marks, jagged cuts, or struggle wounds were found, supporting the theory of a calculated execution.

Video surveillance cameras captured images of this suspect arriving and leaving the victim’s apartment building during the time she was killed. Investigators believe this individual might be related to this incident.

Suspect description: Suspect: white male, wearing a light colored long sleeve shirt, shorts, tennis shoes and sunglasses.

Crime Stoppers will pay up to $5,000 for information leading to the charging and/or arrest of the suspect in this case. Information may be reported by calling 713-222-TIPS (8477) or submitted online at www.crime-stoppers.org . Tips may also be sent via a text message by texting the following: TIP610 plus the information to CRIMES (274637). All tipsters remain anonymous.

Sources

• Houston police are investigating the death Link
  
• CrimeStoppers Link
• Texas Newsletter Link
• Woman found dead in her high-rise apartment Link
• Records Link
• Childhood Link
• Shelbey Facebook Link
• TrueCrime News Link
• News Archives Link
• FBI: Unknown Suspect Link
• Gavin Fish Link
• Team Shelbey Link
• Find a Grave Link
• Cold Case Files
• Thornburgh trial Link

Details of Allegations

• Victims: Two female teenagers
• Investigation Trigger: A September 2010 outcry made by one of the girls to a counselor
• Allegations Include:
• Long-term sexual abuse of both girls
• One victim was impregnated by Thornburgh
• Thornburgh removed a CPS-protected child from care in San Antonio and transported her back to Brownwood in November 2010

Timeline of Events

• September 2010
• A female juvenile made an outcry to a counselor disclosing sexual abuse by Thornburgh.
• This disclosure initiated an investigation by Brownwood Police.
• November 2010
• At the time of the investigation, the two teenage victims were in CPS custody in San Antonio.
• Despite this, Thornburgh unlawfully retrieved one of the victims and transported her back to Brownwood, contributing to the interference with child custody charge.
• December 22, 2010
• Robert Thornburgh was arrested on multiple outstanding warrants.
• He was booked into Brown County Jail.

Victims

• Two teenage girls are identified as victims.
• One victim was allegedly impregnated by Thornburgh, per statements from Assistant Chief of Police James Fuller.
• But there are more he was never charged…

Case Details

CPS began receiving calls from anonymous sources starting in 2006 that a teenage girl was being sexually assaulted by Thornburgh. Each time an investigator questioned the girl, she denied that she was being sexually assaulted, according to testimony. She was not the same girl as the then-high school freshman whose allegations led to this week’s trial.

Brownwood police got involved in 2007 and 2008, then again in 2010, but no case was filed. By 2010, the girl who had denied she was being sexually assaulted had been placed in foster care, and it was there that she made an outcry and did not recant, according to testimony.

Then, a CPS supervisor who had started working in the Brownwood office in 2009 assigned a new investigator to the case. The investigator learned there were multiple potential victims and began finding them. That led to four criminal cases being filed in 2011 that alleged Thornburgh had sexually assaulted teen girls.

During the guilt-innocence phase of the trial, jurors heard from numerous witnesses, including three of the four victims. During punishment testimony Friday, the fourth victim testified before Ellis.

The young woman, now 19, married and living in Alabama, testified that she has undergone therapy and counseling to overcome problems stemming from Thornburgh’s assault. Those problems have included feelings of worthlessness and the belief that what happened was her fault, the girl testified.

Thornburgh, testifying during Friday near the end of the punishment hearing, repeated his earlier assertion that he had befriended and tried to help the 14-year-old girl in 2006.

“If I ever get out again, I ain’t gonna waste my time helping nobody,” Thornburgh said Friday. “It’s a whole mixed-up thing.”

Thornburgh testified that events had been reported out of context and made to sound worse than they were. “What I’m accused of, I had not done,” Thornburgh said.

As defense attorney Rudy Taylor began his closing argument following the punishment hearing, Taylor knew that his client — having already been convicted in this trial and in previous criminal cases — faced a minimum of 25 years in prison. Taylor asked Ellis to give Thornburgh a chance to learn from his mistakes and get out of prison before he dies.

Taylor argued that all of the victims had been impeached when he cross-examined them and had told inconsistent stories. The only person with a consistent story was Thornburgh, Taylor argued.

Moss argued against giving Thornburgh “any hope he’ll ever get out” of prison. “When you hurt children you don’t deserve the opportunity to ever see the light of day again,” Moss said. Moss asked Ellis to assess two life sentences — one for each count on which Thornburgh was convicted — and to stack the sentences.

As Ellis pronounced the two life sentences, he said it is his hope that “you’re going to be locked up until you pass into the next life. You are (your two daughters’) father biologically but you are no father of theirs.” Ellis said the four victims “are not worthless individuals. They are people of value.”

After the trial, District Attorney Micheal Murray said the two stacked life sentences mean Thornburgh must serve 60 years in prison before he becomes eligible for parole.