Shannon Capers Disappearance
On March 8, 1997, 13-year-old Shannon Capers went missing from her neighborhood, three miles shy of the Arkansas border. Despite initial searches and a report filed by Detective Ben Booth, Capers’ whereabouts remained unknown for two years.
Investigation Goes Cold
By spring 1999, the investigation into Shannon Capers’ disappearance had gone cold. Her family continued to search for answers as Detective Chris Smith received an anonymous tip about the location of Capers’ body and the identity of the alleged perpetrator.
Anonymous Tip Leads to Discovery
On May 5, 1999, an anonymous caller informed Detective Smith that Capers’ body was buried in the woods behind her apartment complex and named Maurice Tate as the alleged killer. Despite an initial unsuccessful search, a second call led investigators to a human skull with a bullet hole, later confirmed as Shannon Capers through DNA testing.
Identifying the Informant
Detectives sought out Maurice Tate’s former girlfriends and discovered medical records of Sharnese McKnight, who had previously reported domestic abuse by Tate. McKnight, under questioning, confessed to making the anonymous call and provided details about Capers’ murder.
Maurice Tate Arrested
McKnight revealed that Tate had killed Capers because
Maurice Tate was tried for the murder of Shannon Capers. After four days of testimony, the jury found Tate guilty of second-degree murder. He received a mandatory life sentence. The conviction brought closure to Capers’ family, who had waited two years to learn of her fate and another two years to see her murderer brought to justice.Trial and Conviction
