Michigan girl still missing 25 years after mother murdered, found dead in lake; Killer on death row

KENT COUNTY, Mich. – Shannon Dale Verhage was simply 11 months previous when she disappeared.

Shannon and her mom, Rachel Timmerman, had been final seen at Timmerman’s dad and mom’ house in Cedar Springs, Michigan, on June 3, 1997.

Timmerman was occurring a date with a person, and he requested her to convey Shannon alongside. They deliberate on solely being gone just a few hours, however neither ever returned house.

Timmerman was discovered lifeless a month later, on July 5, 1997. Her physique was discovered sure with a sequence and weighed down by cinder blocks. Duct tape was discovered throughout her eyes and mouth. Marvin Charles Gabrion was tried and convicted of murdering Timmerman.

Rachel Timmerman murdered

On Aug. 7, 1996, Timmerman went to her mom and advised her that Gabrion had raped her. She mentioned she was afraid to press expenses as a result of Gabrion mentioned that if she did, he would kill her and her child. That afternoon, she reported the rape to the Newaygo County Sheriff’s Workplace, in line with courtroom paperwork from 2013. Two months later, Gabrion was charged with rape. It took one other three months earlier than he was discovered and brought into custody.

Advert

Gabrion was arrested on Jan. 20, 1997. They gave him an arrest warrant that named three witnesses for the rape cost. He was held in jail till a pal posted bond for him on Feb. 3, 1997.

Twice in Might of that 12 months, Timmerman reported to the sheriff that she had encountered Gabrion and mentioned she thought he would kill her. Throughout this time, a pal of Gabrion’s repeatedly referred to as Timmerman to ask her out on a date. Timmerman didn’t know the person was calling as a result of Gabrion had requested him to.

On June 3, 1997, two days earlier than the trial, Rachel advised her father that she was occurring a date and could be house in a few hours. She mentioned she was bringing her child as a result of the person had requested her to.

Gabrion was scheduled to be tried in courtroom for the rape on June 5, 1997, however that trial didn’t occur. Two days earlier than the trial was set to start, Gabrion kidnapped Timmerman and took her to a distant location within the Manistee Nationwide Forest, and killed her, in line with courtroom paperwork.

Advert

Gabrion sure and gagged Timmerman earlier than weighing her down with concrete blocks. He put her in an previous steel boat and threw her overboard, whereas alive, into the shallow, weedy lake, the place she drowned.

Whereas the physique of Timmerman’s 11-month-old daughter has by no means been discovered, it’s believed that Gabrion killed her. In 2006, Timmerman’s mom mentioned she would favor to spare Gabrion’s life if he would inform police the place to search out Shannon’s stays, in line with the Related Press.

In accordance with the courtroom paperwork, whereas Gabrion was awaiting trial for Timmerman’s homicide, he gave one other prisoner a map of Oxford Lake, on which he had written, ‘physique of three, 1 discovered.’ The courtroom paperwork additionally mentioned Gabrion advised two inmates that he ‘killed the newborn as a result of there was nowhere else to place it.’

Marvin Charles Gabrion sentenced to demise

Gabrion was convicted of murdering Temmerman on federal property on March 5, 2002. Through the penalty part of the trial, 58 witnesses testified towards Gabrion.

Advert

In accordance with courtroom paperwork, the testimony involved his future dangerousness and his presumed homicide of three different folks. Officers suspect Gabrion of murdering three folks: Wayne Davis, a witness to the rape; John Weeks, a witness to Timmerman’s homicide (who disappeared 18 days after the homicide); and Robert Allen, who vanished earlier than Gabrion assumed his id and started stealing his incapacity checks.

Witnesses described Gabrion’s propensity for violence. Two witnesses mentioned their houses had been set on hearth after that they had disagreements with Gabrion. one other witness mentioned Gabrion shot at his home after he advised Gabrion to go away a celebration. One other witness mentioned Gabrion aimed a rifle at her and her 2-year-old youngster as she walked to his automotive — then adopted them for 2 miles. There have been many accusations listed within the courtroom doc.

Advert

Following the penalty part, Gabrion was sentenced to demise. He has continued to attraction that sentence.

Beneath is a report from the Related Press from Sept. 10, 2020:

“A Michigan man sentenced to demise practically 20 years in the past received a key choice Thursday to increase his efforts to overturn the punishment.

“Marvin Gabrion can attraction 4 factors, together with claims that his trial attorneys had been ineffective on the 2002 trial in federal courtroom in Grand Rapids, the sixth U.S. Circuit Courtroom of Appeals mentioned in a 2-1 order.

“Gabrion, now 66, was convicted of killing a lady in a lake in a nationwide forest in Newaygo County, north of Grand Rapids. Michigan doesn’t have the demise penalty, however it’s obtainable in homicides prosecuted in federal courtroom.

“The situation of Rachel Timmerman’s demise was the important thing think about how the federal government bought concerned. Prosecutors mentioned Gabrion killed her to forestall her from testifying towards him in an assault case.”

Advert

The audio beneath is from the United States Courtroom of Appeals from that Sept. 10, 2020 listening to. The courtroom doc could be seen right here.

Anybody with info ought to contact Michigan State Police at 231-873-2171.

Learn: Extra Michigan chilly case protection

Why is ClickOnDetroit overlaying so many chilly instances?

We’re working to convey consideration to as many unsolved and lacking individuals instances from across the state as we are able to. Our hope is that getting this vital info out to the general public will assist generate suggestions for investigators and probably result in closure for the affected households. When you’ve got a chilly case you’d like us to look into, please tell us through the use of the shape beneath.

Advert