Henrico County police try to solve the 1998 double murder of Shelly T. Schantz (January 1962 – February 11, 1998) and Allen J. Ripka (August 31, 1964 – February 11, 1998). We can still use the public's help to help.
In this NBC article, you can read about what they found when they entered the crime scene: two dead roommates and a crying baby. He was three years old at the time. The baby was left unharmed.
Captain Jan Stem committed a violent crime in 1998. Police believe Shelley, 36, was the intended victim. If they found Alan (33) in the apartment, he should have died too. Shelley noted that there have been threats made against him. There is another theory, but police are keeping it secret. But we could use the public's help to help prove the theory.
It did not appear to have been stolen or looted and there were no signs of forced entry. Allen or Shelley may have opened the door to the killer. No one has ever been held accountable for Allen en Shelley's murder.
The February 13 and 20, 1998 Richmond Times noted that Shelley was a legal secretary and worked in the circuit office of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond. When she didn't show up for work, her boss called her son's daycare. After being told her son wasn't there, the center contacted police.
Allen was a service technician for Power Systems & Controls Inc., according to the same paper. He served in the U.S. Navy as a fire control technician and worked on weapons and radar systems.
According to the 30-page document dated February 20, 1998, a pizza box (see photo) was found at the crime scene. You can connect with where the order was placed, who paid for it, who delivered it, or who picked it up. A few points from an investigation that is still ongoing.
If you have any information, call Henrico police at (804) 501-5000 or cold case investigators at (804) 501-5304. You can also submit a tip through Crime Stoppers by calling (804) 780-1000.
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Our “Case of the Month” series highlights older, unsolved cases. This post is not an in-depth analysis and of course more information can be found online and in newspaper archives.
We need to get these incidents back into the mainstream media, get people talking again, and most of all, make sure the victims aren't forgotten. Just because a case isn't solved doesn't mean we can forget about it.
Advances in modern forensic science have given us the opportunity to find clues that were previously hidden. Now let's review all these old examples again.
Please share this post on your social media platforms. By sharing these posts online, your stories reach new networks, new connections, and trending news feeds. One day, these updates may show up in the right people's news feeds. That person may be someone who can help proceed with the case. that That's my goal.
Rest in peace, Shelley T. Schantz and Allen J. Ripka.