In the small town of Nashville, Kansas, a quiet community was shaken by the discovery of a local resident's violent death. Curtis Lee Shelton, a 57-year-old Caucasian male, was found deceased in his home on Friday, February 21, 2014. His life had been brought to an abrupt and brutal end by multiple gunshot wounds.
The discovery was made by a Kingman County sheriff's deputy who had been dispatched to Shelton's residence to perform a welfare check.
Living alone, it was the concern of others that ultimately brought law enforcement to his door, where the grim scene was uncovered. The tranquility of the small town, with a population of fewer than 70 residents, was shattered by the news of a homicide in their midst.
An investigation was swiftly launched, involving the Kingman County Sheriff's Office, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas Highway Patrol, and other local law enforcement agencies. Their collaborative efforts quickly yielded a suspect. Just a day after Shelton's body was found, a 46-year-old man was taken into custody on suspicion of murder.
Further investigation led to the identification of two men responsible for Shelton's death. Jeffery Hartpence, a 36-year-old from Harper County, and Dean Cowles, a 47-year-old from Kingman. In March 2015, Hartpence pleaded guilty to first-degree felony murder in connection with the shooting. His plea agreement resulted in a sentence of life in prison, with the stipulation that he would not be eligible for parole for 20 years. Dean Cowles was also charged, facing a trial for second-degree murder for his role in the crime.
