In the autumn of 1981, the life of 21-year-old Robin Shea, a White/Caucasian female, was tragically cut short. On the evening of October 10, she was with her boyfriend, Andrew Peter Dabbs, driving through Norton, Massachusetts. It was during this drive that Dabbs, then 38 years old, allegedly shot Robin in the chest with a. 45 caliber revolver. After shooting her, he pushed her body out of his jeep onto the side of Route 123, where she was later discovered by a passing motorist.
Robin
and Dabbs had been dating for about six months and had recently moved into an apartment together in Derry, New Hampshire. Their relationship was troubled, a fact Robin largely kept from her family. Dabbs, who was nearly 20 years her senior, had a criminal record and was known to use drugs. Unbeknownst to Robin's family, he was also married with two children. Those who knew them described their relationship as imperfect, though Robin herself seemed happy.
Following the shooting, Andrew Peter Dabbs immediately fled. He was indicted for Robin's murder on November 3, 1981, and a state arrest warrant was issued. Shortly after, on September 20, 1982, a federal arrest warrant was issued, charging him with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. In the initial weeks after the murder, authorities tracked Dabbs to Mount Vernon, New York, but he managed to escape out a back door just as police were closing in.
For decades, Andrew Peter Dabbs has remained a fugitive, and is considered armed and dangerous. The FBI has continued to pursue the case, offering a substantial reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to his arrest. In an effort to generate new leads, the FBI has also released an age-progressed photo showing what Dabbs might look like in his later years. Despite the passage of time, Robin Shea's family continues to hope for justice and closure in the wake of her violent and untimely death.
