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Shannon Schieber was a graduate student, age 23, pursuing her degree in finance at the University of Pennsylvania. Bright and sharp, she was a wonderful individual with lots to look forward to. Her family adored her; they stood by her during every academic and personal move of hers.
On May 7, 1998, her life would tragically end in a gruesome manner— Shannon's lifeless body was found in her Philadelphia apartment. The police discovered that she was s*xually assaulted and strangled to death. The killer, later discovered to be Troy Graves, was a serial predator whose crimes terrified the Philadelphia area.
Graves was arrested in 2002 when DNA evidence was used to connect him with Shannon's murder and a string of other assaults. Oxygen's Season 1, episode 9 of Philly Homicide revisits this case. The synopsis of the episode reads:
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A grad student is killed in her Rittenhouse Square apartment; detectives follow clues across the country, uncovering a hidden evil that changes how Philadelphia investigates s*x crimes.
From the list of 44 suspects, investigators narrowed it down and eventually ended up finding Troy Graves as the perpetrator in Shannon Schieber's death. The episode aired on Oxygen on December 28, 2024.
Shannon Schieber’s body was found after her brother went to her apartment when he couldn’t contact her
Shannon Schieber's family described her as smart, kind, and ambitious, according to People Magazine. A native Marylander, she was one of the lucky recipients of a scholarship to attend the prestigious Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She was working toward an MBA and had a bright future and was close with her family, who supported her aspirations.
On the night of May 7, 1998, Shannon was left alone in her Center City apartment when Troy Graves broke into it. Neighbors had heard screams coming from her unit and called 911. However, when police were called to the scene, they knocked on the door but left without entering; they thought the situation required no further action.
According to The Guardian, on the next day, worried that he hadn't been able to reach his sister, Shannon's brother entered the apartment and found her body lifeless. An autopsy verified that Shannon had been r*ped and strangled.
The investigation had hit a wall because of a lack of leads
Initially, there were no leads for the police. The murder of Shannon Schieber shocked the community, and investigators could not make major progress. There were no witnesses, and the criminal left little evidence that could immediately identify him.
The case went cold for several years while Shannon's family waged hard to keep her memory alive. Meanwhile, there had been a series of s*xual attacks in Philadelphia similar in mode to Shannon Schieber's case, but the investigators missed a great connection until finally when they had the required advances in DNA testing for this particular case.
The arrest of Troy Graves
Troy Graves, an inmate from Colorado who, at the time of his apprehension in 2002, lived in Colorado, proved to be a serial r*pist and murderer. According to NBC Philadelphia, DNA tied him to Shannon's case, as well as several assaults in both Philadelphia and Fort Collins, Colorado.
Graves had a double life. By daylight, he belonged to the U.S. Air Force and looked very much like a decent member of society, but at night, he turned into a calculating predator, seeking his prey in the form of women in their homes. He told Shannon that in her case, he entered her apartment, assaulted her, and then took her life.
To avoid the death penalty, Graves pleaded guilty to Shannon Schieber's murder as well as multiple s*xual assaults. He has been sentenced to life without parole in prison. As of today, he resides at the State Correctional Institution in Houtzdale, Pennsylvania.
Shannon Schieber's murder had a deep impact, not only on those who knew and loved her but also on the community at large. As per Fox News, her parents became vocal advocates for victims of violent crime after her death, fighting for reforms in how police handle emergency calls and s*xual assault cases.
This tragic decision of the police not to enter Shannon's apartment on the night of her murder became the point of attack for criticism and reform. It exposed the need for more thorough responses to 911 calls involving potential danger, particularly in cases of domestic violence or s*xual assault.
Furthermore, the case highlighted the strength of DNA evidence in solving cold cases. It was the progress of forensic science that connected Troy Graves to Shannon's murder and ensured that he faced justice.
