In the spring of 2006, the life of 29-year-old Dawnette Marie Harrell, a pregnant woman from Traverse City, Michigan, was tragically cut short. Her disappearance on April 1st of that year sparked a lengthy investigation that would eventually uncover a story of a secret relationship and a cold-blooded murder. Harrell, who was described by her family as a kind and loving woman with a big heart, was in the early stages of a pregnancy that she was reportedly happy about.
At the time of her disappearance, she was employed at a Bob Evans restaurant and an Admiral Discount Cigarette Store.
Dawnette was last seen by a friend in the early morning hours in the parking lot of a Kmart. Days later, her locked car was discovered in that same parking lot, but there was no sign of Dawnette. For over a year, her family and law enforcement searched for answers. The investigation eventually led them to the Whitewater Township home of Justin Scott Stair, a 20-year-old coworker with whom Dawnette had been involved. It was there, more than a year after she went missing, that her body was discovered buried in a shallow grave on the property. An autopsy would later confirm that she had died from a single gunshot wound to the head.
The investigation revealed that Stair was believed to be the father of Dawnette's unborn child. Prosecutors argued that Stair did not want the baby and had lured Dawnette to his home with the false promise that he had changed his mind and wanted to be a father. It was there that he shot and killed her. During a search of Stair's residence, authorities found a. 32-caliber handgun, which was later determined to be the murder weapon, along with Dawnette's purse and car keys hidden in the ceiling.
Justin Stair was arrested and charged with open murder and assault of a pregnant individual. During his trial, his defense team attempted to shift the blame to Dawnette's estranged husband, citing a history of domestic violence. However, the evidence presented by the prosecution painted a clear picture of Stair's guilt. Ultimately, the jury convicted him of first-degree premeditated murder and assault of a pregnant individual causing a miscarriage or death of a fetus. For his crimes, Justin Scott Stair was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Dawnette Harrell and an additional 18 to 50 years for the death of her unborn child.
