Account
Apr 15, 2010
Mar 31, 2020
Laura
Thompson
47
15
66 inches
140 lbs
White / Caucasian
Female
In the winter of 1993, a 15-year-old girl named Laura Lynn Thompson vanished from her hometown of New Castle, Pennsylvania. She was last seen on January 7, a high school student and a young mother to a nine-month-old son. At the time of her disappearance, Laura was described as a white female with red hair and blue eyes, standing at 5'6" and weighing approximately 140 pounds. A distinguishing feature was a light-colored birthmark on the back of her neck at her hairline. Initially, her case was treated as a runaway, a classification that would remain for many years despite her having no history of such behavior and not taking any personal belongings with her. She was reportedly on her way to play cards with two acquaintances, Joseph N. Marshall Jr. and Sean M. McDonough, and was never heard from again. For over 17 years, Laura's disappearance remained a cold case, leaving her family with unanswered questions. The breakthrough came in the summer of 2010 when Shannon Marshall, the wife of Joseph Marshall, came forward to the police. She revealed a dark secret her husband had confessed to her back in 1993 during their engagement; that he had killed someone. Fearing for her own safety as she was in the process of divorcing him, Shannon decided to cooperate with investigators. She agreed to wear a wire and recorded conversations with both her husband and McDonough that implicated them in Laura's death. According to Shannon's account, her husband told her that he and McDonough had taken Laura to a cabin in Shenango Township, where McDonough stabbed her to death. The grim details that emerged painted a horrific picture of Laura's final moments. Shannon Marshall recounted how her husband had told her that after McDonough killed Laura, they buried her body in a shallow grave. A few months later, they allegedly returned to the site to move her remains. In September 2010, both Joseph Marshall Jr. and Sean M. McDonough were arrested and charged in connection with Laura's murder. Ultimately, McDonough pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, while Marshall pleaded guilty to misdemeanor abuse of a corpse. Despite extensive searches, Laura's body has never been recovered, leaving her family without a proper burial. The case of Laura Lynn Thompson is a tragic story of a young life cut short and a family left to grapple with an immeasurable loss, highlighting the devastating and long-lasting impact of violent crime.
Jan 07, 1993
New Castle
Pennsylvania
Lawrence County
No
26994
City of New Castle Police Department
New Castle
Pennsylvania
Lawrence County
16101
303 East North Street, Pennsylvania
7246563570
Local
Law Enforcement
93-59
City of New Castle Police Department
Red/Auburn
Blue
Blue
05/26/2026
