Biography.guide
Home › People › John J. McCabe
Portrait of John J. McCabe

John J. McCabe

1955 – 1969

American murder victim

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About John J. McCabe

Lived 1955 – 1969 (aged 13–14).

John Joseph McCabe (March 13, 1954 – September 27, 1969) was an American boy from Tewksbury, Massachusetts, who was abducted and murdered after attending a Knights of Columbus dance in Tewksbury. His bound and strangled body was found in an empty lot on Maple Street in Lowell the next day. McCabe's murder remained unsolved for over four decades, until April 2011, when three men were arrested for his murder. One was given a deal of no prison time if he testified against the other two. The second was found not guilty at his trial. On February 20, 2014, 62-year-old Walter Shelley, of Tewksbury, after being found guilty of first degree murder, was sentenced in Lowell Superior Court to life in prison for the murder. The verdict was later overturned in favor of a finding of second degree murder. Shelley is eligible for parole after 15 years.

The case was covered in a 48 Hours episode titled "The Pact".

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Born
1955
Birth century
Also known as
John Joseph McCabe

People in John J. McCabe's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Frequently asked questions

Who was John J. McCabe?

American murder victim

When was John J. McCabe born?

John J. McCabe was born in 1955.

When did John J. McCabe die?

John J. McCabe died on 26 September 1969.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John J. McCabe

· Wikidata: Q38899068

· DBpedia: Murder of John J. McCabe

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John J. McCabe. https://biography.guide/john-j-mccabe/

MLA: "John J. McCabe." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-j-mccabe/.

Chicago: "John J. McCabe." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-j-mccabe/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:07 UTC