TLDR;
This video tells the story of Tracy Joe Shine, a young woman who disappeared in Houston, Texas, in 1987. The case remained cold for over a decade until a new cold case unit used advanced DNA testing to find evidence linking Tracy's disappearance to her boyfriend, Michael Neal. Neal was eventually convicted of her murder, but the location of her body remains unknown.
- Tracy Joe Shine was a promising dancer who became involved with drugs and a man named Michael Neal.
- After being arrested for drug use, Tracy disappeared, and her mother reported her missing.
- A cold case unit used advanced DNA testing on a refrigerator that had been in police custody for years to find evidence linking Tracy's disappearance to Michael Neal.
- Neal was convicted of murder, but the location of Tracy's body remains unknown.
Tracy Joe Shine's Disappearance [0:00]
Tracy Joe Shine was a talented dancer who attended a prestigious performing arts high school in Houston. However, she began experimenting with drugs and became involved with Michael Neal, a man who had recently been released from prison. Tracy dropped out of school and moved in with Neal and his mother. Her mother became increasingly concerned about her daughter's well-being as she struggled with drug addiction.
The Investigation Begins [2:52]
Detective Marcel Dion investigated a racially motivated drive-by shooting and questioned Michael Neal at his home. Neal was not there, but Tracy Joe was. She was arrested for drug use, and during questioning, she offered to testify against Neal for the drive-by shooting in exchange for a lighter sentence. However, the next morning, Neal bailed Tracy out of jail, and she disappeared.
A Cold Case [4:21]
Tracy's mother, Virginia, reported her daughter missing after weeks of not hearing from her. Detective Dion suspected foul play and received an anonymous tip that Tracy had been killed by her boyfriend and her body was stuffed in a refrigerator. The informant also revealed that the refrigerator was at a used car lot owned by Neal and his brother, Robert.
The Refrigerator [6:19]
Police searched the car lot and found the refrigerator, but it had been cleaned with bleach. They collected a tissue sample from the freezer unit, but initial DNA testing was unsuccessful. Despite numerous searches and investigations, the case went cold for over a decade.
A New Cold Case Unit [9:50]
In 1999, the Harris County Sheriff's Department formed a new cold case unit. They decided to retest the tissue sample from the refrigerator using more advanced PCR DNA testing. However, the sample was too degraded. The hair found with the tissue sample was also missing.
A Breakthrough [11:44]
The cold case unit discovered that the refrigerator was still in the sheriff's department property room. They swabbed every inch of the refrigerator, including the wiring and harness areas, for any biological material. Forensic scientists found a piece of human skin and tested it using a PCR DNA test. The test was unsuccessful, but they were able to use a new mitochondrial DNA test to obtain a match with Tracy's mother.
The Confession [15:53]
With the discovery of Tracy's DNA in the refrigerator, Michael Neal was charged with murder. His brother, Robert, hoping for an early release from prison, made a deal with the police and confessed to his brother's involvement in the murder. He also implicated his mother and sister.
The Details [16:28]
Robert revealed that Michael had killed Tracy in his bedroom after fearing she would testify against him for the drive-by shooting. He said Michael strangled Tracy and left her body in the bedroom for three days. Michael's mother discovered the body and helped clean the bedroom and dispose of the body in a 55-gallon drum.
The Aftermath [19:04]
Michael Neal was convicted of Tracy Joe Shine's murder and sentenced to an additional 45 years in prison. His brother, Robert, is still serving time for his earlier conviction for manufacturing methamphetamine. Michael's mother and sister were not prosecuted for their alleged involvement in concealing evidence or abuse of a corpse. Tracy's mother continues to search for her daughter's grave, but Michael refuses to reveal its location.