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Shirley Gail Knott

Case from Smith-river, CA dated Mar 02, 1975

Victim Details

Shirley Gail Knott

Female

Smith-river

CA

1975-03-02

31

Shirley

Gail Knott

07/16/2026

Case Description

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Shirley Gail Knott, aged 31, tragically lost her life on March 2, 1975, in Smith River, California. The incident occurred at the Ship Ashore motel, where she and her husband, Gordon Knott, were the managers. On that fateful night, a guest at the motel, Robert Paul Sander, 21, from Cincinnati, Ohio, went on a shooting spree with a high-powered rifle. The rampage began when Sander opened fire from a balcony overlooking the ocean, killing Barbara Harmon and critically wounding her husband, Percy. H ...
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Links to Additional Sources (2)

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  • Fifth Victim Dies in Coast Shooting (Published 1975)
  • Gordon Knott, age 42 - National Gun Violence Memorial

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    Forum Posts (2)

    Has anyone else been reading up on the Ship Ashore motel tragedy from '75? My heart aches for the Kn... ...Read More
    10/19/2023
    Hey everyone,
    I wanted to share some thoughts on the unsung heroes during that tragic night at ... ...Read More
    02/20/2023
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