Five details about Jessica Dishon's murder, explored

The 1999 murder of the 17-year-old Shepherdsville, Jessica Dishon, led to a 14-year-long investigation into the case, leading detectives to her uncle, Stanley Dishon. Stanley, a convicted s*x offender, had reportedly confessed his crimes to two inmates in Oldham County.

While Stanley was sentenced to 20 years in prison, he had maintained that he was innocent of the murder. The Murder In The Heartland episode, titled Family or Feud, showcases the grisly details of Jessica Dishon's murder as it airs on May 1, 2024, at 9 pm EST on Investigation Discovery. The synopsis reads:

"After teenager Jessica Dishon is murdered in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, police must sort through her past relationships, jealous friends, and an old family feud to find the killer."

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Body found in the Salt River Basin, and 4 other details about Jessica Dishon's murder

1) Jessica Dishon disappeared on September 10, 1999

On September 10, 1999, Jessica Dishon stepped out of her Shepherdsville home to go to school in her red Pontiac Sunfire when she was reportedly abducted. Her mother, Edna Jett, had returned home around 1:30 pm local time when she discovered Jessica's purse, keys, and backpack inside the car.

Image via X/@goingwestpod

Jessica's phone showed 9 on the keypad as it was left on the passenger's seat, per the Courier-Journal. After having called her friends for information, the parents called in for help from the Bullitt County Sheriff's Office, which had dismissed the event as a runaway case.

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2) Dishon's body was found in the Salt River basin on September 27, 1999

While Dishon's parents called the FBI for assistance during the search, there was no sign of her. A bus driver, Karen Hobbs, had noticed a girl made to sit upright against a tree in Greenwell Ford Road. As she called 911, the girl was identified to be Jessica.

Image via X/@southfriedtruth

She had been tortured and beaten for a day or two before she was murdered and left at the Salt River basin. Jessica was missing a foot and a few fingers. There were little to no signs of physical evidence at the scene of the crime.

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3) The Bullitt County Sheriff's Office pursued David Brooks

The Bullitt County Sheriff's Office and the FBI narrowed down their suspect on the Dishon's neighbor, David Brooks. The neighboring father-son duo had reportedly seen Jessica get into the car the day she disappeared, per the Courier-Journal.

Even though David was charged with kidnapping and murder, he showcased an IQ of 61. The prosecutors had used circumstantial evidence and a failed polygraph test in his trial, following which it was declared mistrial.

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4) Two prison inmates had tipped off Stanley Dishon

After David Brooks was cleared, the investigations into the case had turned cold. However, it was reopened in 2013 by Louisville Detective Lynn Hunt when information about Jessica Dishon's murder from prison inmates came in.

Her uncle, Stanley Dishon, was a convicted s*x offender who had been serving time in Oldham County. The account provided by the inmates as allegedly narrated by Stanley, matched the evidence in real life.

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5) Stanley Dishon maintains his innocence to date

As Detective Hunt performed a background check on Stanley Dishon, she unearthed several s*xual assault cases. The women whom he had assaulted testified against him in addition to the prison inmates.

Stanley Dishon took the Alford Plea and was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 16 years. He, however, maintains his innocence to date.

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Episode 14 of season 6 airs on Investigation Discovery on May 1, 2024.