Ryan Shangraw (left) & Harold "Bo" Upton III (right)
This web-site is dedicated to the memory of Bo & Ryan.
UPDATE! January 2nd, 2007!
5 years later -
Upton, 18, and Shangraw, 20, were killed Feb. 1st 2002, in Shangraw's home in the Hubble community of Lincoln County, and their murderers have not yet been identified.
Sherry Smith interview on Missing Pieces
UPDATE! July 25th, 2006!
Thanks to the help of a local business donation of $10,000 - the reward has now been raised to $25,000!
There is no greater pain than the loss of a child. The family of these two boys have suffered tremendously.
I hope everyone will take the time to sign the guestbook with support for the family.
Community support is very important in cases like this. The killers walk among you.
Anyone with any info should immediately contact officials in this case. Any info received
through this site will be passed along to the proper authorities. Even the smallest detail
can be of great importance.
The guestbook can also be used for anonymous tips.
Please review the links below and you will see....you can make a difference. And someone
out there knows who killed these two boys.
I hope you will return often to the web-site....as well as pass it along. More info, links and
photos will soon be added.
"Never Give Up...Never Forget"
Special thanks to Katherine Belcher of the Advocate Messenger for all of her help.
Todd Matthews
www.TentGirl.com
Media Director for
The DoeNetwork &
The Outpost For Hope
931-397-3893
JTMatthews@TwLakes.Net
ONE YEAR LATER, LINCOLN MURDERS REMAIN UNSOLVED
By KATHERINE BELCHER
katherineb@amnews.com
Staff Writer
2003 - STANFORD -- As the families of two young men shot and killed last year
mark the anniversary of their deaths, questions abound as to what
happened and why no arrests have been made.
The families of Harold "Bo" Upton III, 18, and Ryan K. Shangraw, 20, held
memorial services Saturday, the one-year anniversary of the day the two
men were shot and killed in Shangraw's home in the Hubble community.
Both families say they are more frustrated than ever over the
investigation and have trouble getting answers from the detectives
handling the case.
"We relive it every day when we get up and see his picture," said Harold
Upton, the father of Bo Upton. "In the beginning, you think the police will
solve the crime -- they tell you it's a solvable crime -- but they still haven't
solved it. We've had no justice, no closure."
Upton's parents and Rick Shangraw, the father of Ryan Shangraw, believe
there are people out there who know what happened and hope that
someone will come forward with information that will lead to an arrest.
"I pray every day that God will lay conviction on their hearts and that the
people involved will stand up and take their punishment," said Sherry
Carrender, mother of Bo Upton. "They don't deserve to be walking around
free."
As difficult as it is to deal with the loss of a child, both families say their
situation is made even more difficult because there have been no arrests
and they don't know why their sons died or details from the night it
happened.
"From the start when they tell you it's a solvable crime, you think you'll be
able to get that part behind you and start to deal with the loss. Then it
drags on and they (the police) tell you to be patient and there is still no
arrest. I just don't understand that," said Upton.
Shangraw agrees. He feels police have just been telling him what he
wants to hear and has doubts that the crime will ever be solved.
"They tell me things are going fine and that they are gathering evidence
and getting good leads, but they haven't arrested anyone," said
Shangraw. "I don't know what to think about what they're doing. I think
they tell us what they think we want to hear just to shut us up."
Shangraw added that he doesn't have as much confidence in police as he
did when the case started and worries that people are too scared to
come forward with information about what happened.
Frustrated with the investigation, lack of communication.
The parents also are frustrated over the handling of the investigation and
how little communication there is with the detectives handling the case.
Family members said their phone calls to detectives are rarely, if ever,
returned.
Carrender, who regularly talked with detectives in the past, said the only
person who will talk to her now is the new captain of the state police post
in Richmond.
The parents are also upset that personal items belonging to the victims
were taken from the crime scene by someone other than the police. Upton
said he questioned police about the items after his son's personal effects
were returned to him and things his son had with him that night were
missing from among them.
Shangraw's family said they also recently have had several items returned
to them that belonged to their son. They were recovered from the same
person who had Upton's belongings.
Upton's parents are upset that state police have refused help from both
Crimestoppers and America's Most Wanted. Carrender said when she
approached police about using the two services, she was told that police
had all the information they needed.
Sgt. Steve Wright, who oversees the detectives handling the case, said
the police would not comment about the removal of items from the crime
scene or their refusal to accept help from outside agencies.
He did say that he has three detectives actively working on the case and
two others who help out when they can.
"We're still in the information-gathering stage of the investigation --
tracking down every lead and conducting interviews," said Wright. "The
detectives are working diligently on the case, and we just need a good
break."
That's little solace to the families, especially Carrender, who said one of
hardest parts of the past year was trying to sleep. For months, she was
continually picturing what might have happened to her son the night he
died. Not knowing the details and imagining the worst made her seek out
the two teen-age girls who were present in Ryan Shangraw's trailer the
night her son died.
Carrender believes assailants made it look like robbery.
Based on information she has been able to piece together, Carrender
believes the four assailants, who were wearing masks, entered the trailer
under the guise of a robbery. After demanding that Upton and Shangraw
turn over their wallets, they shot Shangraw. The men then turned their
guns on Upton, who was killed instantly.
One of the girls ran out of the house, while the other stayed behind to
check the status of the two men, and it was then that Shangraw asked
her to call 911. They were the only words he spoke before police and
emergency workers arrived.
Shangraw was transported by ambulance to Fort Logan Hospital and then
airlifted to University of Kentucky Hospital. He died in the helicopter and
was pronounced dead upon arrival by the Fayette County Coroner's
Office. Upton was pronounced dead at the scene by Lincoln County
Coroner Bill Demrow.
Upton's dad said he misses his son every day. In particular, he misses the
baseball games he would have watched his son play this year and all the
hunting trips they didn't get to take. It's especially hard for him at work,
when he is alone and has time to think about everything that has
happened, Upton said.
When asked what they would say to people out there who know what
happened or have information about what happened, the families say
they just want someone to come forward and tell what they know.
"I don't see the killers confessing, but there are others in the group who
know what went on. I don't understand how they can keep from coming
forward and saying something about it -- knowing that the people are
cold-blooded killers. They gave these boys no chance at all."
This story ran in The Kentucky Advocate on Feb. 2.
Message from Bo's father, Harold Upton. March 30, 2003
One year and almost 2 months after the brutal murder of my son Bo and still no answers. I
get up every morning and look at his pictures and wonder why this had to happen to my
son. It is final four time and Bo and I would be filling out our brackets and watching ever
game to see who had bragging rights.
We would have been long tossing baseball on weekends when he was home from college
and talking about his first college baseball game. It is Sunday and we would have gone to
church together and gone to my mothers for lunch and talked about what happened to
Kentucky last night.
But the murders have changed all of that because they have no respect for human life. Yet,
they still walk free; why, I don't understand. From day one the police said arrest would
come soon. I still hear this!
There are people out there who know who did this yet, they will not come forward.
The web site can help you who have answers but are afraid. I will not give up till the day I
die to find out who murdered my son. Maybe you who have the answers could understand
if when you closed your eyes at night and all you could see was your child being murdered
in cold blood. I see my only son lying on the floor dead.
I live the night of February 1, 2002, every day and wonder what I could have done to stop
this from happening. So, I ask again for you to find the courage to help me.
Thank you, Harold Upton JR
Message from Bo's Mother- June 13, 2002
I miss my son, Bo. & I know my whole family
& all of his friends miss him to.
I miss seeing Bo.
I miss hearing the words "Momma".
I miss his laughter & his very presence.
I feel so empty inside
& the loneliness of no longer having him with me
grows harder and harder to bear.
I can't do anything but think about Bo.
I can't even look at a ball field, knowing he didn't even get to play his Senior year,
& knowing that I'll never get to see him play ball again.
He had worked so hard for the baseball scholarship & had received several.
I like any parent am so proud of all of his accomplishments.
How could someone take him from me & take away his right to live.
I cry every morning as the reality of him being murdered sets in again & again.
To the murderers... Do you have any children?
Remember, what you do hear on this earth comes back to you 10 fold.
Something like this might happen to one of your children...
by another evil murderer like you!
How would your life be without your child?
How could you live without knowing who killed them?
Or if you don't have children what if
(because of what you have done)
someone murders the person or people that you love most?
Your mom, dad, sister, brother or wife??
How much would you miss them??
I urge you to come forward, pay for the sins & crimes that you have done to Bo & Ryan.
Spare your family of letting what you have done come back on you,
as what you do eventually always comes back on you.
God will judge you for eternity, but you should face your punishment for what you have done.
I pray that God will burden you hearts so heavy,
that you feel Bo & Ryan all around you
& that you hear both of their spirits saying "TELL, TELL."
You still get to see your family.
Bo was my only child & you took him from me.
Ryan was Margie's only son & you took him from her.
I cry all of the way home from work, knowing Bo won't be there ever again.
I pray that God lets me dream about Bo, so I can see him & hear his voice & how in my dreams he is alive & this never happened.
If anyone knows anything, please come forward. Call the detectives at 1-800-222-5555, or put the information on this web-site.
All tips are not printed, they are forwarded on to the detectives, or call me at 606-305-4795, or 561-7103.
And remember Psalms 37 verse 13:
The Lord laughs at the wicked for he sees that his day is coming.
To Bo & Ryan.
We give thanks to God every day for the years we had you in our lives.
We are so sorry for such a horrible thing happening to you both.
We know you are in Heaven & like Bo's friend Allison said,
we have no fear of dying for we know we will get to see you then
& Oh what a wonderful day that will be.
Margie & I have learned to lean on one another.
Lisa & Jennifer have been there for me to.
You were great young men, we miss you & we love
you & we will NEVER give up until the murderers are caught.
We pray that God will continue to carry us for the remainder of our lives.
Poem for the boy's by Ryan's sister...
~Message From Ryan's Sister, Lisa~ 6-16-2003
It has been 1 year and 4 months since four heartless people broke into my brothers home and killed him, and Bo, my friend. The days go by, and time passes. But the pain still remains.
People are always saying that the loss of a child is the worst pain ever. Ryan was my brother, and just because he was my brother, that doesn't make the pain any less. I wish people only knew that I loved Ryan with all of my heart. And him not being here is really hard for me too.
I have tons of pain in my heart. If only people knew what I was going through! I am only 16 and I have to deal with fact that my brother was murdered by four unknown people and we have gone for over a year with no answers yet. I don't have a normal teens life where all I have to worry about is boys, grades, and school. I have a part of me missing that will never be there again as long as I am on this earth. And it is soo hard!
It is going to be hard to go on the rest of my life without my brother there watching out for me. Every time I think of my life without him, my heart hurts so bad. But I am not worried about this case. God has got our backs. He knows what is coming to you KILLERS! And if I was you I would be so scared!
As for Ryan and Bo's family and friends. We are going to get through this. Because we have something that these Killers do not have. God for one, the most powerful weapon. And a heart to love one another. To get each other through this hard time!
~**Lisa Shangraw
UPDATE! The family has offered a
for information leading to the capture of the men who killed their two sons!!
Update August 13, 2003 -
FUND-RAISER WILL INCREASE REWARD IN LINCOLN MURDER CASE!
To be held on Sunday, August 24 - Lightning Valley Motorsports Track
By Gart Moyers-Staff Writer
STANFORD - The effort to track down the murderers of Harold "Bo" Upton III and Ryan Shangraw will receive a boost Aug. 24 in the form of a fund-raiser
at the Lightning Valley Motorsports Track on U.S. 127 south of Junction City.
Upton, 18, and Shangraw, 20, were killed Feb. 1, 2002, in Shangraw's home in
the Hubble community of Lincoln County, and their murderers have not been
found.
Gate receipts from the benefit motorsports competition will be used to increase an existing $10,000 reward offered for information leading to an
arrest and conviction of the killers.
Persons with information about the case are asked to contact the Kentucky
State Police at (859) 623-2404.
There are plans to use a billboard on U.S. 27 between Stanford and Lancaster
to ask for information about the crime and advertise a phone number and reward information.
Hasty said it is his understanding that the reward fund, if not used after a certain time, will be used to establish a scholarship fund at Lincoln County
High School.
Ed Hasty, owner of Lightning Valley Motorsports Track, said he hopes the benefit will lead not only to more money for the reward but eventually to
information that will solve the case.
"It's just a little something we try to do to help out," he said. "We hope
we can raise some money to get something going on this. This has really been
a tragedy for the families and the community."
The motorsports event will feature ATVs, motorcycles and trucks racing on
the new dirt drag strip, and go-karts will race on the oval.
Hasty said the benefit will be the first time both tracks are used at the
same time.
"We just built the dirt drag strip this year, and we've never run both on
the same night," he said. "We're hoping this will draw more participants and
lead to a bigger gate for that night."
Admission is $10 per person, with children 10 and under admitted free.
All receipts from the gate fund will go directly to the reward fund.
Gates will open at 11 a.m., and practice begins at 12:30 p.m.
The Advocate-Messenger 2003
UPDATE! August 25, 2003!
The fundraiser was a huge success!!
The reward was increased to...
Thanks to all involved in the effort!
Sunday January 30, 2005
PARENTS WAITING FOR ARRESTS THREE YEARS AFTER SONS' MURDER
By EMILY BURTON
Staff Writer
HUBBLE - On the third anniversary of the murder of Ryan Shangraw and Harold "Bo" Upton III, Bo's mother will bow her head as she always does before going to bed. Sherry Smith will pray she dreams of Bo and pray she can fall asleep.
And, Smith is still praying the killers will be caught.
Tuesday will mark the third anniversary of a double murder that left Upton, 18, and Shangraw, 20, dead from multiple gun shot wounds. Four gunmen, their faces covered by bandanas, burst into a trailer in Hubble where the boys and two girls were sitting. The gunmen demanded the boys' wallets, shot them both and sped off toward Garrard County.
Despite the two girls' eyewitness accounts, the recovery of a weapon believed to be used in the crime and the discovery of the gunmen's bandanas, investigators say they have not determined a motive and no arrests have been made.
Investigators remain tight-lipped about the case but say they are still optimistic it will be solved. But Bo's parents, Smith and Harold Upton Jr., and Ryan's parents, Marjorie Shangraw and Rick Shangraw, have grown frustrated by the lack of arrests and have started investigations of their own.
"It's getting to almost anger, 'cause you get the feeling (the police) messed up from the start," Upton said. "They had to, or else it would be solved by now."
Smith agreed. "There have been murder cases solved in this world where people had nothing to go on... It could have been solved a long time ago."
Lack of manpower has hurt
Kentucky State Police spokesman Trooper Chris Lanham explained that investigators are making headway, but lack of manpower has hurt. They have identified suspects, but not yet rounded up enough evidence to make any arrests, Lanham said.
"We have people we're looking at," he said. "We're pursuing everything that we can right now."
KSP first assigned then-rookie Detective Van Wright to the case, but veteran Detective Monte Owens took over the case more than a year ago. Although, as one of six detectives covering an 11-county area, Owens has several other cases he is working on simultaneously.
Upton said he believes Owens "when he looks me in the eye and says he can solve the case. I believe him, but they've got to leave him on it."
The problem is not lack of priority, but rather lack of manpower, Lanham said.
"We do devote as much time as possible to it. Something is being done on it every day."
Smith is also putting all she can into the case, while working three jobs.
She and Marjorie Shangraw have become close friends in the hunt for their sons' killers. They have joined with co-workers and community members to launch several grassroots efforts to track down leads and garner more police attention to the investigation.
Billboard and Website have produced leads
Smith has spearheaded letter campaigns to government officials and petition drives for the case to be aired on America's Most Wanted. She has helped gather $12,000 in reward money, and a large billboard in Stanford shows photos of the boys' and asks for information. The billboard and a Website devoted to the case has produced several leads, said Smith.
A scholarship in Bo's honor has become the pet project of his father. Through the community's support it has awarded $7,400 to college-bound high schoolers, Upton said.
Upton has also compiled a list of 10 suspects and feels it's only a matter of time before someone comes forward with information that will break the case.
"There's somebody out there who knows something, they're just not talking."
Through it all, the families have tried to stay positive. But the lack of answers is wearing them down.
"I just can't believe it's been three years," Upton said.
The rumors still circulating throughout the small community are equally frustrating, said Marjorie Shangraw.
"I hear all kinds of stuff all the time; same names, same boys," she said. "I've heard so many stories, and who knows what's to be true and what's not. That's what aggravates me. People tell me stuff and I have nobody to tell."
In the meantime, both families are trying to heal, but it's a slow process, said Shangraw. Ryan's two little sisters miss him too, she said.
"There's some days I don't cry, and there's some days that's all I do," she said.
Working with the girls who were in the trailer
Shangraw works with Tabitha Wilder, one of the girls who was at the trailer when Bo and Ryan were shot. Wilder and Tara Strunk were juveniles at the time of the shooting, but have since turned 18 and graduated from Lincoln County High School. Neither girl could be reached for comment about the case.
But Smith said the girls told her Bo was their hero, protecting them before he died.
"According to the girls, both of them, Bo got in front of them when shots were fired," she said.
Strunk, whose shoulder was grazed by a bullet, called 911 on a cell phone after the attack, but Bo died on scene and Ryan on the way to the hospital.
As the third anniversary of the murders approaches, the families are holding out hope for justice despite the lack of encouraging developments in the investigation.
In her nightly journal, Smith recently wrote, "I believe that Detective Monte Owens will solve this as long as I keep my faith and pray with a believing heart that justice will be served."
A few people have told Shangraw her son's murder would never be solved. She doesn't listen.
"Justice needs to be done, just to give us some peace of mind in our own hearts," Shangraw said. "It's just been really hard. I miss him so much."
Copyright The Advocate-Messenger 2005
The note below is from a member of my ColdCases discussion group. The
family's of these two boys are not alone....her daughter Gayle has been
missing for almost 15 years!!
We have contacted UNSOLVED MYSTERIES who told us they are
looking for stories with twists and turns. And I also contacted AMERICA'S
MOST WANTED who just plain told me NO! I have contacted all of the
talk shows, most of the politicians. The politicians tried to help the most, I
have to give them credit for that. But can you imagine telling a mother "no
I cannot help you look for your missing child, there are not enough twists
and turns in her story, or we just aren't interested"? It was like my heart
had been ripped out. GOD WILL THIS EVER END? - Sue
Read more about this story....click on flower..
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If you have any information about this case...please contact officials...
Articles & Links
Interrview with Bo's Mom on Missing Pieces
The Tent Girl
Parents of murder victims promoting $10,000 reward
Madison Man
Searching For The Tate Family
Oakland County Child Killings 1976-77
The DoeNetwork
The Outpost For Hope
Advocate Messenger: Web site will seek to solve Lincoln double murder
160 year old Kentucky Jane Doe case
Mothman..Missing Persons & Murder!
LFGRC
Advocate Messenger: Web site will seek to solve Lincoln double murder
I-75 Serial Killer??
Project EDAN
Double Homocide of Bo Upton and Ryan Shangraw
BO & RYAN MESSAGE BOARD
BO & RYAN CHAT FEATURE
The Mysterious Death of Vickie Bertram 1976
Man requests road renamed for Tent Girl
Resurrection - The Film
