The Murders of Rhonda Johnson and Sharon Shaw: A Tale of Tragedy and Controversy

Disappearance on a Hot Summer Day

In the sizzling Texas heat on August 4, 1971, two teenage girls, Rhonda Renee Johnson and Sharon Lynn Shaw, embarked on what seemed to be a carefree day at the beach in Galveston. Rhonda, born on December 16, 1956, in Houston, and Sharon, born on August 11, 1957, in Mobile, Alabama, were residents of Webster, Texas. That day was particularly special for Sharon as her fourteenth birthday was just a week away. The girls were last seen strolling down Seawall Boulevard, but they never made it back home. As the sun set over Galveston, an ominous silence fell, marking the beginning of a haunting mystery.

A Grim Discovery

The serenity of Clear Lake was shattered on January 3, 1972, when two young boys out fishing stumbled upon what they initially thought was a sports ball floating in the water. To their horror, it was a human skull. It wasn't until six weeks later that searchers uncovered more remains in a nearby marsh, including another set of bones. On February 17, 1972, a coroner's inquest confirmed through dental records that the skull belonged to Sharon Shaw. A crucifix entwined with the jawbone was identified by Sharon's mother as her daughter's, providing a chilling link. The other remains were identified as those of Rhonda Johnson.

The Investigation Begins

The investigation took a dramatic turn in May 1972, when a tip from Glenn Price, a city councilman in Galveston, pointed the police towards Michael Lloyd Self, a local gas station attendant. Self was summoned for questioning and, according to his account, was subjected to severe coercion by Police Chief Donald Morris. Self claimed that Morris detained him for hours, using intimidation and violence to extract a confession. Self recounted being hit with a nightstick and threatened with a pistol until he capitulated, writing and rewriting a confession under duress.

Despite the confession, several inconsistencies plagued Self's account. He initially claimed to have disposed of the bodies in El Lago, a location far from where they were found. Moreover, his admission of strangling the girls contradicted the medical examiner's findings. Further complicating matters, an oral confession made three days later presented a different narrative, involving a local Jack in the Box and an assault with a Coca-Cola bottle, which conflicted with the discovery of the girls' clothing at the scene.

Trial and Conviction

Michael Lloyd Self's trial commenced on May 15, 1973, and concluded over a year later, on September 18, 1974. He was convicted of first-degree murder for the death of Sharon Shaw and sentenced to life imprisonment. Despite the conviction, Self's alleged involvement in Rhonda Johnson's murder was never established. An appeal on October 9, 1974, was denied, sealing Self's fate.

Ironically, in 1976, Police Chief Morris and Deputy Tommy Deal, both instrumental in Self's arrest, were themselves arrested for a series of bank robberies. Morris received a 55-year sentence, while Deal was sentenced to 30 years, casting further doubt on the integrity of Self's conviction.

A Struggle for Justice

Over the years, Self's attempts for parole were repeatedly denied, and his appeals, including a significant one on September 22, 1992, citing coercion, were unsuccessful. The district court acknowledged the dubious nature of his confession, yet the appeal was dismissed. The United States Supreme Court denied a new trial in 1993, closing the legal avenues for Self. He succumbed to cancer in prison in 2000. Advocates, including his attorneys and two investigators, later voiced their belief that Self had been wrongfully convicted.

Confessions and Doubts

The case took another bizarre twist on April 2, 1980, when a man confessed to the murders, revealing details like the use of electrical cords, which had never been made public. Despite living near one of the victims, his confession was dismissed due to his apparent psychosis.

In 1998, Edward Harold Bell, a convict serving a 70-year sentence for an unrelated murder, confessed to killing multiple young women, including Shaw and Johnson. He described these murders as part of a twisted mission by a "secret organization" and coined the term "eleven that went to Heaven" for his victims. Despite these confessions, Bell was never charged with the murders of Shaw and Johnson. He died in prison on April 20, 2019, leaving many questions unanswered.

A Legacy of Mystery

The murders of Rhonda Johnson and Sharon Shaw remain intertwined with the infamous Texas Killing Fields, a notorious area off Interstate 45, where the bodies of numerous young women have been discovered since the 1970s. This chilling case inspired the 2011 film "Texas Killing Fields," captivating audiences with its dark allure and unresolved mysteries.

Sources

• Wikipedia: Murders of Rhonda Johnson and Sharon Shaw