4 chilling details about Shirley Shell's murder

Shirley Shell, 67, was repeatedly stabbed at her family's Oklahoma home in the early morning hours of June 5, 2007, and died of severe cuts and wounds to her neck. The incident was ruled a botched burglary from the beginning based on the account of her elderly mother, who witnessed the incident. She claimed the burglar stole some cash and her cards before fleeing.

A 36-year-old s*x offender from Ohio, Michael Gary, was arrested after authorities tracked Shirley's stolen cards and used surveillance footage from a toll booth to identify him as a suspect. Eventually, Michael pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including murder, and received life in prison without parole.

An upcoming episode of See No Evil on ID titled Where's Mom? will further delve into Shirley Shell's slaying this Wednesday. The synopsis states:

"Shirley Shell is a loving wife and the dedicated mother of three children and two grandchildren, but in 2007, Shirley is found brutally murdered at home in Edmond, Okla."

The episode is slated to air on the channel at 6:00 pm ET on June 21, 2023.

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Shirley Shell's stabbing death: A burglary, a witness, and the killer's movements following the murder, among other details from the case

1) Shirley was attacked during a botched burglary at her house

Pictures of Oklahoma mother-of-three and murder victim Shirley Shell (Image via Find a Grave)

In the early morning hours of June 5, 2007, Shirley Shell woke up sometime after 2:00 am to check up on her 95-year-old mother when a burglar broke into her family's Edmond, Oklahoma, home. According to the latter, who witnessed the incident, the man demanded money and attacked her before fleeing the scene with about $100 in cash and her credit card. Moreover, neighbors reported seeing a red car outside the victim's out at the time of the killing.

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2) The 67-year-old died of severe cuts and stab wounds to the neck

Shirley Shell's murder was witnessed by her elderly mother (Image via Find a Grave)

According to the medical examiner, 67-year-old Shirley who was stabbed multiple times died of severe cuts and stab wounds to the neck. After hearing her elderly mother's account of the occurrings, authorities ruled the incident to be a homicide and burglary. They soon started tracking the alleged killer using the stolen credit card after family members reported that someone had been using the card.

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3) Authorities tracked the suspect's movements acorss multiple states

Shirley Shell pictured with her husband Donald Joe (Image via Find a Grave)

Not long after Shirley Shell's murder, her family reported that her stolen credit card was being actively used across various states. It was used in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the first time around 4:57 am on the night of the killing. Following this, it was used multiple times across the states of Ohio, Indiana, and Missouri, which helped authorities trace the movements of the suspect.

Law enforcement started examining surveillance footage from gas stations and cracked the case after identifying the alleged killer as a 36-year-old registered s*x offender Michael Gary using toll booth surveillance. He was arrested from Akron, Ohio, in July that same year.

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4) Michael Gary confessed to Shirley Shell's murder after initially denying involvement

Shirley Shell [standing on the extreme left] and her family (Image via Find a Grave)

Michael initially told authorities that he got Shirley's credit card from someone he met at a party in Edmond, Oklahoma, in exchange for marijuana. He admitted to using the card for over a month, denied any involvement in the killing, and gave them a falsified description of the man he claimed gave him the card.

According to reports, Michael was soon extradited to Oklahoma where he unsuccessfully attempted suicide and confessed to the crime after this failed attempt. He alleged that he was "tired, depressed and angry that night" and that the attack on the 67-year-old victim was at random. Gary failed to explain to authorities why he murdered her and a motive was never established.

Eventually, Michael Gary pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, first-degree burglary, possession of the stolen cards, and unauthorized usage of the cards. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possbility of parole for the murder charge and was given an additional 40 years and two months for the other charges.

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Shirley's murder features on ID's See No Evil this Wednesday at 6 pm ET.