Where is Troy Graves now? Details explored about the subject of Philly Homicide on Oxygen

Shannon Schieber was 23 years old when she was murdered by serial r*pist Troy Graves in 1998. However, he eluded the police until his arrest in 2002. Troy Graves is currently serving a life sentence without parole at the State Correctional Institution in Houtzdale, Pennsylvania.

Known for a series of s*xual assaults in Philadelphia and later for the brutal murder of Shannon Schieber in 1998, Graves escaped authorities for years before his eventual capture in 2002.

The case of Troy Graves appears in season 1 episode 9 of Philly Homicide. The synopsis of the episode reads:

"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 a list of 44 suspects, investigators narrowed it down and eventually found Troy Graves. The episode is set to air on December 28, 2024 on Oxygen.

Shannon Schieber's terrible death, combined with the number of assaults Graves is implicated in, marks the most shocking crime spree in the history of Philadelphia.

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The murder of Shannon Schieber

23-year-old Shannon Schieber, a Wharton School MBA student at the University of Pennsylvania, was murdered in her Philadelphia apartment on May 7, 1998. She had reportedly been strangled, and evidence pointed to s*xual assault. Shannon was found by her brother after he had been contacted by worried neighbors who could not reach her.

The investigation initially struggled due to a lack of immediate leads, although the brutality of the crime and its execution suggested the work of an experienced offender. Neighbors reported hearing Shannon’s screams but stated that the responding officers left after knocking on her door and receiving no response.

The lack of resolution in Shannon’s case spurred public outrage, with her family and others advocating for improved police protocols in s*xual assault investigations.

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Troy Graves's ties to the crime

Troy Graves was linked to Shannon's murder after he was arrested in 2002 for a series of s*xual assaults in Fort Collins, Colorado. Graves had moved to Colorado from Philadelphia, where he had committed a string of similar crimes, including s*xual assaults targeting women in their homes.

Representative image of handcuffs (Image via Pexels)

DNA samples taken from the crime scenes, including Shannon Schieber's apartment, matched Graves and connected him to at least six assaults and the murder. At the time of his arrest, Graves was a married and U.S. Air Force man, living a seemingly normal life.

His duality in life surprised investigators, as he meticulously planned his attacks and maintained a façade of normalcy in his personal life. Graves confessed to Shannon Schieber's murder in the course of interrogations, giving information that implicated him. This confession, combined with DNA evidence, was enough to seal his conviction.

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Trial, conviction, and life imprisonment

Troy Graves was charged with murder as well as r*pe and burglary. In 2002, he pleaded guilty to the murder of Shannon Schieber and the series of r*pes that occurred in both Philadelphia and Colorado. By avoiding a trial, Graves could not receive the death penalty but was given life in prison with no eligibility for parole on multiple convictions.

Representative image of arrest (Image via Pexels)

Graves is currently serving his prison sentence at the State Correctional Institution in Houtzdale, Pennsylvania.

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His lifetime of crime, hidden underneath layers of normalcy, slowly unraveled for Troy Graves after almost twenty years of avoiding the ultimate judicial hammer. The Philly Homicide episode on Oxygen takes a look at this case, showcasing the work of the investigation that led to Graves' capture and the lasting effects of his actions.