In the spring of 2014, the life of 21-year-old Shannon 'Shay Shay' Dawn Kleeman was tragically cut short in an act of brutal violence that stunned her Indianapolis community. A young woman known for her love of animals and children, Shannon was discovered dead on March 28, 2014, in the basement of her stepmother's home on North Linwood Avenue. The grim discovery was made after a neighbor heard loud banging noises, followed by the horrified screams of Shannon's sister.
Shannon had been
staying at her stepmother's residence to care for the pets while she was hospitalized. The evening before her death, she had a visitor, Morice Ervin, a man who lived next door and was familiar with the family. This familiarity turned fatal, as Ervin would later be identified as her killer. There were no signs of forced entry into the home, suggesting Shannon may have let her attacker in, unaware of the horrific fate that awaited her.
The investigation into Shannon's death revealed a scene of utter brutality. She had been sexually assaulted and then shot in the head at close range with a twelve-gauge shotgun. The injuries she sustained were so severe that a forensic pathologist had to take extensive measures to document them. Crucial DNA evidence left at the scene directly linked Morice Ervin to the heinous crime. His DNA was found on Shannon's breast, under her fingernails, and on vaginal swabs.
In the wake of the murder, Morice Ervin was arrested and charged with the rape and murder of Shannon Kleeman. The evidence against him was overwhelming. A jury found him guilty on all charges. Following his conviction, Ervin was sentenced to an aggregate of 135 years in the Department of Correction, ensuring that the man responsible for the senseless and violent death of a young woman would spend the remainder of his life behind bars. The shotgun used in the murder, which belonged to Shannon's late father and which Ervin knew the location of, was never recovered.
