Bill McCabe finally saw justice served after nearly 43 years of waiting for the trial related to his son’s murder. John McCabe was just 15 years, 6 months, and 2 weeks old when he was killed in 1969. The trial began in January 2013 and brought back painful memories for the McCabe family. The accused murderers, Michael Ferreira and Walter Shelley, were old acquaintances of John, but there was no concrete evidence tying them to the crime scene.
The trial revealed the events leading up to John’s death, including how Ferreira and Shelley abducted and murdered him over jealousy about a girl named Marla Shiner. However, Edward Alan Brown’s testimony was questioned, as it conflicted with some evidence and details provided to him during interrogation. Marla Shiner also testified, denying any romantic involvement with John at the time of his death.
The trial of Michael Ferreira ended with a surprising verdict of not guilty, leaving the McCabe family devastated and shocked. Just four days later, Bill McCabe passed away due to stress related to the trial. Despite this setback, prosecutors pursued Walter Shelley’s case, leading to a conviction of first-degree murder, providing some closure to the family.
The trial featured intense questioning of witnesses, including Brown and Shiner, calling into question the credibility of their testimonies. The jury ultimately believed Brown’s account, leading to Shelley’s guilty verdict and life imprisonment. The outcome brought a sense of justice and fulfillment to the McCabe family after decades of uncertainty and pain.
The legal battle continued as Ferreira pleaded guilty to perjury and received probation, while Shelley’s sentence was reduced due to his juvenile status at the time of the murder. Evelyn McCabe, John’s mother, passed away in 2016, but her fight for justice and pursuit of a wrongful death suit against the accused killers continued through her daughters. The long-awaited closure in John McCabe’s case highlights the perseverance and determination of his family in seeking the truth and holding the perpetrators accountable for their actions.
