Donald Shea

Donald "Shorty" Jerome Shea (September 18, 1933 – August 26, 1969) was an American stuntman and actor who was murdered in 1969. The location of his body was discovered in 1977, eight years after his death. Manson Family cult leader Charles Manson and disciples Clem Grogan and Bruce M. Davis were eventually convicted of murdering Shea. Additionally, Tex Watson was considered to be a possible participant in the murder, but has never charged.

Life Source:

Donald Jerome Shea was born in Medford, Massachusetts on September 18, 1933. According to Shea's autopsy report, he served in the United States Air Force (s/n AF 11 270 704) from December 1954 until June 1956. He stood approximately tall.

Shea moved to California to pursue a career in acting, mostly finding work as a stuntman. Later, he worked as a bouncer and as a ranch hand at Spahn Ranch, an old Hollywood movie set that had become a horse-riding stable. His autopsy report identifies him as "foreman" of the ranch. Manson hated and mistrusted black people, and had been disgusted when Magdalene’s friends showed up at the ranch. Magdalene stayed at the ranch for only a few weeks before leaving Shea and returning to Las Vegas. According to Shea's autopsy report, Magdalene eventually settled in Lexington, Kentucky.

Motives for Shea's murder Manson decided to have Shea killed because he believed Shea had reported the Family and their crimes to the police, resulting in a raid on the ranch on August 16 where the family were taken into custody on suspicion of car theft. Family member Bruce Davis claimed that the decision to kill Shea came from Manson because he considered him to be a "snitch".

After Manson moved into Spahn Ranch, Larry Bailey, one of the newer members of the Manson Family, was spying on Shea for Manson and was quickly caught. As a result, Shea, Bucklee, and others stripped Bailey naked and tied him to a tree facing the main road to send a message to the others.

Murder Shea was murdered on August 26, 1969, more than two weeks after the Tate–LaBianca murders.

One account states that Susan Atkins of the Family lured Shea to a remote spot on the ranch; there he was ambushed and killed by Bruce M. Davis and Steve "Clem" Grogan.

Bruce Davis testified that Manson told him, Tex Watson, and Steve Grogan to ask Shea for a ride to a nearby car parts yard on the ranch. According to Davis, he sat in the back seat with Grogan, who then hit Shea with a pipe wrench and Watson stabbed him. They brought Shea down a hill behind the ranch and stabbed and brutally tortured him to death. Bruce Davis recalled at his parole hearings:

According to Bruce Davis and Steve "Clem" Grogan, who participated in Shea's murder, Bill Vance and Larry Bailey also were present at the killing. Windy Bucklee agreed that Shea was not the type of person who would scream and beg, and would have gone to his death fighting. and Family members Grogan were convicted of murdering him. According to the autopsy report, his body suffered multiple stab and chopping wounds to the chest, and blunt force trauma to the head.

Sgt. Bill Gleason, LASO Homicide; Deputy Coroner John Mossberger; and Deputy Sheriff Barry Jones, LASO Homicide, were on the site when Shea was exhumed in 1977. Gleason had been the officer who obtained the Spahn Ranch Raid search warrant in August 1969. Shea was 35 years old when he was murdered.

Shea is buried in a community plot in Angeles Abbey Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California.