Rachel Timmerman/Shannon Dale Verhage Episode 8/10/98

[SJP1313]

Brief overview-
Air Date 4/10/1998
On June 3, 1997, Rachel Timmerman and her one year old daughter Shannon Dale Verhage vanished after going on a date with an unidentified man in Cedar Springs, Michigan. Rachel and Shannon vanished just three days before she was supposed to testify against a man named Marvin Gabrion, who had raped her in 1996. A few days after they vanished, prosecutors received a letter from Rachel instructing the to drop the charges against Gabrion. Then, on July 5, Rachel's body was found floating in Oxford Lake; she had been gagged and then thrown in the water alive, weighed down by bricks. Shannon was nowhere to be found.

Prosecutors confirmed that the letter sent to them was written by Rachel, however, they believe Gabrion forced her to write the letter and then killed her. Authorities soon discovered that Rachel and Shannon would not be the only people related to Gabrion to vanish. On the night of the 1996 rape, Gabrion was with a friend named Wayne Davis who was forced out of his car before Gabrion drove away and raped Rachel. Davis planned to testify at the trial but vanished around the time that Rachel and Shannon vanished. Then, another man who was associated with Gabrion, John Weeks, also vanished. Authorities believe that Weeks may have been the man that Rachel was going on a date with the day she disappeared. Finally, the fourth person who vanished that was associated with Gabrion was Robert Allen, a transient who vanished in 1997, whose identity has been used by Gabrion. Gabrion was charged and convicted of Rachel's murder. Gabrion was arrested in July of 1998 and was eventually convicted of Rachel's murder, but he is still currently the prime suspect in Shannon's disappearance as well as the three other disappearances. Sadly, Shannon has never been found.

This case has stuck in my head for many many years. I contacted Shannons grandmother many years ago, through an old AOL profile page she had set up for Shannon. At that time they believed Shannon was still alive somewhere out there. What are your theories? Do you believe she's alive out there somewhere? Do you believe Gabrion killed her too?
I dont think she's alive. After having read Gabrions extensive criminal past, sadly I think Shannon is gone. I do however, wish for her grandmother, that she is found one day, so there can be closure.

[TracyLynnS]

Originally Posted by SJP1313

This case has stuck in my head for many many years. I contacted Shannons grandmother many years ago, through an old AOL profile page she had set up for Shannon. At that time they believed Shannon was still alive somewhere out there. What are your theories? Do you believe she's alive out there somewhere? Do you believe Gabrion killed her too? I dont think she's alive. After having read Gabrions extensive criminal past, sadly I think Shannon is gone. I do however, wish for her grandmother, that she is found one day, so there can be closure.

Gabrion was such a cruel, evil person, I wouldn't be surprised if he forced Rachel to watch him kill Shannon before Rachel was thrown into the lake. He seems exactly like the kind of sick freak who would do something like that.

Whatever happened, I think Shannon's dead. I don't think Gabrion would care enough to spare the life of a baby or take the time to drop her off with someone. (There was as serial killer in the midwest, John Edward Robinson, who killed one of his victims and actually adopted her baby out to his own brother. Apparently the brother was unaware of the crimes and raised the girl to adulthood.) I just can't see Gabrion doing something like that.

[SJP1313]

Sadly, I completely agree with you. I don't think he had a kind, or compassionate bone in his body. It's too far fetched for me to imagine him giving Shannon to someone else, or taking time to drop her somewhere. Very sad. Thanks for your thoughts!

[LooksLikeCRicci]

I posted a link to some of Gabrion's criminal documents about six months ago. I believe the judiciary has accepted that he killed Shannon as well. My memory is a bit fuzzy, but I think he boasted about in jail.

He's truly the lowest of the low.

[WishfulDreamer]

He also sent Rachel's father horribly cruel letters about Shannon. He's one of the sickest SOBs featured on UM

[everprincess]

I saw him featured on another crime show but I can't remember which one (maybe if I didn't watch them too much I'd know lol). But didn't this sick person kill other people that were going to testify against him?

[TracyLynnS]

Originally Posted by everprincess

I saw him featured on another crime show but I can't remember which one (maybe if I didn't watch them too much I'd know lol). But didn't this sick person kill other people that were going to testify against him?

Yep. Here's a wiki page on him: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Gabrion

Rachel's body was found on federal land. Michigan doesn't have the death penalty (I'm pro DP when crimes are as heinous as this). I was under the impression that he did not receive the DP, but after reading the wiki, I realized that he has been sentenced to die by lethal injection. Wiki sourced this article for that info: http://cedarspringspost.com/2013/06/...y-for-gabrion/

Following is part of the wiki entry that specifically refers to his other victims:

Gabrion is a suspect in the disappearances of several other people. The house where he was living when Rachel's body was found was owned by a man named Robert Allen. Allen was a mentally disabled transient and had been receiving social security when he went missing in 1995. Gabrion cashed Allen's checks and lived in his home until 1997. His impersonation of Allen led authorities to him following Rachel's murder when he opened a post office box in Allen's name and directed that his social security check be sent there. Gabrion was convicted of social security fraud in July 1998 for his use of Allen's checks and sentenced to five years in federal prison.

Wayne Davis, the family friend who invited Timmerman the night she was raped, disappeared in February 1997. Davis was set to testify against Gabrion at the upcoming rape trial. Davis' residence was largely undisturbed when the disappearance was discovered aside from a stolen stereo system. It was later uncovered that Gabrion was in possession of the stereo equipment and attempted to pawn it. In July 2002, canoeists found Davis' body in Twinwood lake, another body of water in the same national park where Rachel's body was found.

John Weeks' whereabouts are also unknown. Gabrion was the last known person to see him alive in June 1997.

Weeks and Allen are presumed deceased. Gabrion remains the prime suspect in the disappearances of the three men, but has not been charged.

[dks64]

I watched this segment again today. I really hope they find the remains of Shannon, someday, as I think she's no longer alive. This is one of about 3 cases from UM that has haunted me for years. Shannon would be 21 today, if she were alive. I also doubt that the piece of **** Gabrion will ever tell the truth about what happened to her. It also angers me that he was out and Rachel wasn't in protective custody.

[LooksLikeCRicci]

Originally Posted by dks64

I watched this segment again today. I really hope they find the remains of Shannon, someday, as I think she's no longer alive. This is one of about 3 cases from UM that has haunted me for years. Shannon would be 21 today, if she were alive. I also doubt that the piece of **** Gabrion will ever tell the truth about what happened to her. It also angers me that he was out and Rachel wasn't in protective custody.

Yeah, baby Shannon is long gone. I've read a bunch of stuff on this case, including a book Rachel's father wrote about the case. Baby Shannon, I believe, is in the same area where they located Rachel's body. She just hasn't been found. Gabrion drew some sort of crude map (which if I can find, I'll post it) where he talked about the disposal of his victims. He referred to one or two "victims" who haven't yet been found. It's been assumed one of these victims is Shannon.