On a cold winter day in February 2003, the body of 32-year-old Caucasian female, Shawny Lee Smith, was discovered, leaving a lasting wound in the community and a case that would remain unsolved for decades. A property owner found her remains on February 8, 2003, near U.S. Route 85 in Weld County, Colorado, just a quarter of a mile from the Wyoming border. An investigation determined that the Cheyenne mother of two had been brutally beaten and raped.
Investigators believe that Shawny was killed late on the evening of February 6 or in the early morning hours of February 7, 2003. She was last seen at the Cowboy South Bar on South Greeley Highway in Cheyenne, a location now occupied by the Outlaw Saloon. Smith, who worked as a machinist at Gater Industries, was described by her sister as a single mom who enjoyed socializing. The evening she disappeared, she had mentioned to her sister that she was having car trouble and was going out.
Over the years, the investigation into Shawny's homicide has continued, passed from the Laramie County Sheriff's Office to the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation's cold case unit. Despite the passage of time, law enforcement has not publicly identified any suspects or made any arrests in connection with her murder. Her death left behind a grieving family, including her two children and a mother who passed away without ever seeing justice for her daughter.
In the ongoing quest for answers, investigators have revisited the evidence. One significant clue that has become a focus is a set of rare tire tracks found at the crime scene. Authorities believe the killer's vehicle may have been equipped with Sport King A/T Steel Radial tires, which are no longer manufactured. They have publicly sought help in locating one of these scarce tires to compare with the tread pattern left at the scene, a potential breakthrough that could help narrow down the list of possible suspects after more than two decades of questions. Law enforcement continues to ask for the public's help, hoping that someone will come forward with information that could finally bring closure to Shawny's family.
