Austin Texas PD say two unsolved murders linked by DNA to same

Stacey Shoemaker Murder - A Community's Shock

Austin Texas PD say two unsolved murders linked by DNA to same

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In Wagoner County, Oklahoma, the life of Stacey Shoemaker seemed, to those looking in, to have everything just right. She was a hometown person, someone who had spent her entire existence in that very place, and she had, you know, married her high school sweetheart, a man named Dene. Together, they had a daughter, a little girl who was, in a way, the center of their small family world, and Stacey herself worked at the local middle school, a place where she, actually, helped out with the students.

The everyday rhythm of their lives, it seemed, was quite happy and full of joy for the family. Yet, there was, as a matter of fact, a hidden side, something the people around them, those who saw their seemingly calm existence, could not have known. This quiet community, so to speak, was about to face a truly upsetting event that would, you know, change things for many.

A television show, "Murder in the Heartland," has looked into the killing of Stacey Shoemaker, a young woman who was shot and killed inside her own home in Wagoner. This sad event was, in fact, carried out by her very own husband, Dene Shoemaker. We will, in a way, try to understand the circumstances surrounding this deeply upsetting incident and what came after.

Table of Contents

Who Was Stacey Shoemaker?

Stacey Shoemaker was, by all accounts, a person deeply connected to her hometown. She had, you know, grown up right there in Wagoner, Oklahoma, living her whole life within its boundaries. Her connections ran deep, as she had, in fact, married Dene, a man she had known since their high school days, someone who was, more or less, her sweetheart from way back then. Together, they had started a family, welcoming a daughter into their lives, a little girl who brought them much joy.

Stacey, who was twenty-six years old at the time, also held a job that kept her very much involved in the community. She worked as a teacher’s helper at the public schools in Wagoner, a place where she, you know, contributed to the learning environment for young people. Her life, from the outside, appeared to be quite settled and happy, with family and work forming the bedrock of her daily existence. She was, in some respects, a familiar face, a person many in the area would have known or recognized, a regular part of the town's fabric.

Personal Details - Stacey Shoemaker

Here are some of the known details about Stacey Shoemaker, based on the information available:

  • Full Name: Stacey Renetta Shoemaker
  • Age: 26 years old at the time of her passing
  • Hometown: Wagoner, Oklahoma
  • Family: Married to Dene Shoemaker, Mother to Kaitlyn Shoemaker (7 years old at the time)
  • Occupation: Teacher's aide at Wagoner Public Schools

What Happened to Stacey Shoemaker?

The peace of Wagoner, Oklahoma, was shattered on an April day in 2006. Stacey Shoemaker, a young woman with a seemingly ordinary and happy life, was found dead in her home. This discovery was made by her own daughter, Kaitlyn, who was just seven years old at the time. Kaitlyn had, you know, just returned from a visit somewhere else, and what she found upon entering her home was, truly, something no child should ever have to see. This moment, as a matter of fact, would stay with her for a very long time.

When police arrived, they found that someone had, apparently, come into the house through the back door. It looked like, in a way, a break-in. Stacey had been shot to death while she was, you know, on the bed. Along with the tragic loss of life, several items were, supposedly, taken from the residence. These included a shotgun, some cash, pieces of jewelry, credit cards, and a checkbook. The scene, so to speak, suggested a robbery that had gone terribly wrong, or perhaps, something else entirely. Investigators, naturally, had to piece together what had actually happened.

The Day of the Stacey Shoemaker Murder

The specific date of this upsetting event was April 30, 2006. Stacey's husband, Dene Shoemaker, who was twenty-nine at the time, told the authorities that he had, you know, last seen her early that Sunday morning. He had, apparently, left the house, and when he returned, he claimed, she was gone. This initial statement, as a matter of fact, was what authorities first heard from him. The details around that morning, and what Dene said he did or didn't see, would become, in a way, very important as the investigation went on.

The discovery of Stacey's body by her young daughter, Kaitlyn, made the situation, you know, even more heart-wrenching. A child finding her mother in such a state is, quite simply, a deeply upsetting thing to imagine. The police in Wagoner began their work, trying to figure out the truth of the Stacey Shoemaker murder. They had to, you know, look at all the possible angles, from the apparent break-in to other possibilities that might, in some respects, explain the situation.

How Did Investigators Approach the Stacey Shoemaker Murder?

When the police first arrived at the scene of the Stacey Shoemaker murder, their initial thoughts, you know, leaned towards the idea of a break-in. The signs were, apparently, there: a back door forced open, and items like a shotgun, money, jewelry, credit cards, and a checkbook, supposedly, missing. This kind of situation, as a matter of fact, often points to a robbery. So, naturally, the investigators started by looking at it from that perspective, trying to find any clues that might, in a way, lead them to an outside person who had done this terrible act.

However, as time went on and they, you know, gathered more details, the focus of the investigation began to shift. Sometimes, in these kinds of cases, what seems obvious at first isn't, actually, the whole story. The police started to look more closely at the people closest to Stacey, including her husband, Dene Shoemaker. It's a sad truth that, very often, these kinds of crimes are committed by someone known to the person who passed away. The authorities had to, you know, follow every lead, no matter how difficult or unexpected it might seem.

Initial Thoughts on the Stacey Shoemaker Murder

The Wagoner police, upon their first look, had a picture of what might have happened. They believed, you know, that someone had, apparently, forced their way into the Shoemaker home. The idea was that a person, or people, had come in through the back entrance on that Sunday. They had, supposedly, shot Stacey while she was on her bed and then, in a way, taken a number of things from the house. This included, as mentioned, a shotgun, some cash, pieces of jewelry, and financial items like credit cards and a checkbook. These details, at first, pointed to a crime of theft that had, sadly, turned deadly.

Investigators, however, continued to work the case, looking at all the possibilities. They had to, you know, interview people, gather evidence, and piece together the timeline of events. The initial thoughts, while important for starting the investigation, were just that: initial thoughts. The truth behind the Stacey Shoemaker murder would, in fact, require a much deeper look, moving past the obvious surface details to what was, perhaps, hidden underneath. The process of finding out what truly happened is, usually, a long and careful one.

Was Anyone Held Responsible for the Stacey Shoemaker Murder?

As the investigation into the Stacey Shoemaker murder continued, the focus, as it turned out, narrowed considerably. It was the district attorney for Wagoner County, Richard Gray, who announced that charges had been filed. The person accused of this terrible act was, in fact, Stacey's own husband, Colbert Dean Shoemaker. He was charged with first-degree murder in connection with his wife's passing. This was, you know, a shocking turn for many in the community, moving from the idea of an unknown intruder to someone so close to Stacey.

Later, Colbert Dene Shoemaker Jr., who was twenty-nine years old, made a confession. He admitted to being the one responsible for the shooting death that happened on April 30. This confession, as a matter of fact, was a very important moment in the case, giving a clear answer to who had done the act. It meant that the initial thoughts of a random break-in were, in a way, set aside, and the truth, though very sad, began to come out. The legal process, you know, would then follow its course to determine the outcome for Dene.

After a period of legal discussions and proceedings, which, apparently, lasted for about two and a half years, a resolution was reached in the case of the Stacey Shoemaker murder. On Friday, May 23, Dene Shoemaker, who was thirty-one years old at that point, entered a guilty plea. This plea was to a reduced charge, moving from first-degree murder to first-degree manslaughter. This happened in connection with the shooting of Stacey Shoemaker at their home on April 30, 2006. It meant that, in a way, a deal had been made between the prosecutors and Dene's lawyers, just a few weeks before a trial was, you know, set to begin.

The agreement included a sentence that Dene Shoemaker would, in fact, serve. While the specific details of the sentence are not fully spelled out in the information provided, the fact that he pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter suggests that he would face consequences for his actions. The legal system, you know, can sometimes take a long time to reach a conclusion, and this case was no different, with a considerable period passing before the final plea was entered. This outcome brought, in some respects, a form of closure to the legal aspects of the Stacey Shoemaker murder, though the sadness of the event would, naturally, remain for those who knew her.

The Meaning Behind the Name Stacey

The name Stacey, which is sometimes spelled in different ways like Staci, Stacie, or Stacii, is, you know, a common first name for both women and men. It can also, apparently, be used as a family name, a surname. When we look at the meaning and where the name comes from, it has roots in both Greek and English. For girls, the name Stacey means "resurrection" or "fruitful." This is, as a matter of fact, quite an interesting meaning for a name.

Stacey, in its origin, comes from older names. It is, in a way, a shorter form or a development from the names Eustace and Anastasia. The name Eustace, which is also used for boys, has meanings like "steadfast" or "fruitful." Anastasia, on the other hand, means "resurrection." So, the name Stacey carries, you know, a bit of both these meanings within it. It's, in some respects, a name with a history, stretching back to medieval times, and it has a meaning that speaks of new beginnings or being productive. Knowing the background of a name can, actually, add a little extra layer of thought to it, making it, perhaps, more interesting to those who bear it.

This article has looked at the deeply upsetting events surrounding the passing of Stacey Shoemaker in Wagoner, Oklahoma. We have discussed her life as a hometown person, a wife, a mother, and a teacher's helper. The piece also covered the discovery of her body by her young daughter and the initial thoughts of investigators regarding a break-in. Furthermore, we explored how the investigation shifted focus to her husband, Dene Shoemaker, his confession, and the legal outcome where he pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter. Lastly, the article touched upon the origins and meanings associated with the name Stacey.

Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI technology. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, we recommend consulting multiple sources for critical decisions or research purposes.

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