Thirteen-year-old Shelby Louise Hunn was a bright and active girl, known for her love of sports and her bubbly personality. Born on January 17, 2005, in Southampton, New York, she moved with her family to Zionsville, Indiana, at the age of four. In Zionsville, she became a cherished member of the community, actively participating in running club, track, soccer, and tennis. Her friends remembered her as someone who could beat them on the tennis court and still make them laugh.
Shelby was a student at Zionsville Middle School and a beloved member of the girls' tennis team.
On September 21, 2018, the lives of Shelby and her family were tragically cut short. Concern arose when Shelby and her 15-year-old brother, Harrison, did not show up for school that Friday morning. Their mother, Stephanie Reece, unable to get in touch with her children or their father, Michael Hunn, went to his home. Finding the doors locked and receiving no answer, she contacted the police to request a welfare check.
When Boone County Sheriff's deputies arrived at the residence, they made a devastating discovery. Inside the home, they found the bodies of 50-year-old Michael Hunn, Harrison, and Shelby. The investigation concluded that Michael Hunn had fatally shot both of his children while they were in their beds before taking his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The incident was determined to be a murder-suicide. Authorities noted a history of domestic issues, including a divorce and ongoing child custody matters between Michael Hunn and Stephanie Reece. As the perpetrator was deceased, there were no arrests or other suspects in the case. The community was left to mourn the loss of two vibrant young lives.
