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Sherri Dally was a 35-year-old woman who was abducted from a local Target in Ventura County, California, on May 6, 1996. Authorities quickly began a search operation.
In the shop surveillance footage, they discovered that a woman with a blonde wig and tan pantsuit, disguising as a security guard, handcuffed her and forcefully took her into a car. Almost a month after her disappearance, her decomposed body, along with her belongings, was found.
Dateline: Unforgettable season 5 episode 6 documents the complete story of Sherri Dally and her disappearance. The episode, titled The Life She Wanted, makes its release on February 20, 2025, on Oxygen.
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What is the story of Sherri Dally?
As per a Cinemaholic article published on July 6, 2023, Sherri Dally was a daycare provider and mother of two boys. It was on the morning of May 6, 1996, when she went to a local Target shop to buy a Mother's Day gift. However, she did not return.
Her husband, Michael Dally, was the first person to inform the police and file a missing report about her disappearance. As per an Oxygen article published on February 20, 2025, the police found crucial details when they searched the shop surveillance tape records.
It was discovered that a blonde woman handcuffed Sherri, forcing her into a Nissa Altima car. Though it was clear that she had been abducted, almost after a month, they recovered the body.
It was on June 1, 1996, when investigators found the decomposed body of Sherri Dally, along with her belongings, near Cañada Larga Road in Ventura. Most of her remains were eaten by animals. However, the body was sent for autopsy.
When the tests arrived, it was reported that the victim had several fractures on her skull and jawline, which was mostly a result of being hit with a heavy object. However, the cause of Sherri Dally's death was the multiple stab wounds on her chest.
How was Sherri Dally's murderer discovered?
As per the Cinemaholic article, Michael and Sherri Dally were a high school couple who eventually got married and had kids. However, their marriage was far from perfect and often involved domestic fights.
Additionally, investigators found that Michael was a habitual drug abuser who had multiple affairs, mainly with prostitutes. Despite Sherri's efforts, Michael was not interested in going back to their marriage. Reportedly, Michael had a mistress named Diana Huan, with whom he shared an apartment. In March 1996, the duo reportedly took a vacation to New Mexico.
Investigators found that only a few days after Sherri's disappearance, Michael started selling her belongings. It raised suspicion among the authorities as if Michael already knew she was not going to come back. The suspicion got more when Michael was seen with Diana, going to San Juan Capistrano to repair his jet skis.
The investigators soon began to trace the background history of Diana Huan. They found that before the murder, Diana had rented the Nissan Altima. Additionally, they found receipts in her name, which showed that she had bought a blonde wig and tan pantsuit.
The evidence which confirmed the suspicion was that the Nissan car had blood stains on its seat when it was returned. With the concrete evidence, Michael and Diana were arrested by the police in November 1996.
When put on trial, Diana tried to blame Michael, telling her she was manipulated to commit the murder. Michael tried to save himself, saying he was at work and not present at the crime scene when Sherri was abducted. However, both of their statements were denied by the jury, and the culprits were eventually found guilty.
It was found that Micahel planned the murder of Sherri Dally because he wanted to escape the costly legal expense of a divorce. Additionally, he was the beholder of Sherri Dally's life insurance of $50,000. It was in April 1998 when both the culprits were sentenced to lifetime imprisonment without any chance of parole.
Check our other articles to know more details about other episodes of Dateline: Unforgettable.
