Evelyn “Hope” Shrewsbury was a twenty six (26) year old mother of two (2). She was well liked, compassionate and friendly to all who had the pleasure of knowing her. I’ve always heard the saying “bad things happen to good people,” and as I sit here writing this, I can’t help but think about that particular phrase and how it is so fitting for the circumstances that befell this young mother. We rarely think about harm coming to us in our own home. It’s is for all intents and purposes, our safe haven. But what happens when tragedy strikes seemingly out of nowhere in the place we felt the safest?
On the afternoon of May 16, 1974, Evelyn Shrewsbury set out to mow the grass surrounding the home on her family’s property in Flat Top, WV. She donned a two (2) piece bikini style swimsuit as the weather was unseasonably warm for May. Neighbors reported seeing several visitors at the residence that afternoon, but given the distance between the properties, details were vague at best. It was 1974 after all, a time when violent crimes didn’t happen, at least not in this small Appalachian community.
Around 2:00pm, Evelyn was seen mowing the grass but stopped shortly after beginning by the first of these visitors. The visit was short lived (around 10 minutes or so) because Evelyn was seen shortly after pushing the lawnmower. It was around 3:00pm, when a second guest was noted at the Shrewsbury residence. This man was described as having medium length dark hair, and was noted to have driven a blue Chevrolet with tail fins adorning the rear. The last glimpse of Evelyn Shrewsbury alive came at this time, when a passing motorist, noted the man speaking to a woman in a two piece bathing suit.
Around 3:30pm, Tina (Evelyn’s 8 year old daughter) arrived home from school. After noticing the abandoned lawnmower near a patch of uncut grass, Tina set out to look for her mother, a search that ultimately led her to the tool shed located towards the rear of the property. It is here, in the toolshed that Tina discovered the lifeless body of her mother. Tina attempted to call for help, but the party line the family shared was busy. She frantically ran to a neighbors house, where she was able to get help. Gene Harvey, a local mechanic from Ghent, returned back to the Shrewsbury property with Tina. He had witnessed Evelyn mowing the grass earlier in the day and despite Tina’s cries that her mother was dead, Gene believed that she may have simply passed out from heat exhaustion but he quickly learned the grisly truth: Evelyn Hope Shrewsbury had been brutally attacked and murdered. Her bikini top, used as the means of asphyxiation, was tied tightly around her neck. From the looks of the scene, the crime had been sexually motivated.
Law Enforcement arrived on scene by 4:25pm but despite their best efforts, Evelyn could not be resuscitated. The body was transported to the Princeton Community Hospital to await autopsy. It was determined that Evelyn had died as the result of strangulation but to everyone’s surprise, there was no sign of sexual assault to the body. This finding would be in complete juxtaposition to the state in which the body was discovered in the tool shed. Evelyn had also sustained an injury to her head, as well as various defense wounds. It was believed that Evelyn had been knocked backyards during the attack, hitting her head on a metal vice that was situated nearby in the tool shed.
It is believed that even though no signs of sexual assault were found to the body, the crime was still sexually motivated. The positioning of Evelyn’s bottoms as well as a Tampex tampon that had been extracted and was found nearby suggest otherwise. There were no attempts made to conceal the body, so it was believed that the assailant had been startled by something (perhaps an approaching school bus) and fled in haste.
On May 19, 1974, Evelyn Hope Shrewsbury was laid to rest in the Gadd Cemetery in Mercer County surrounded by friends and family. She was twenty six (26) years old. If you or anyone you know has any information in the senseless murder of Evelyn Shrewsbury we urge you to contact Crime Stoppers at (304) 255-STOP. You can even submit a tip online at www.crimestoppersofraleighcounty.org . You are not required to give your name and are able to submit anonymously.
To learn more about Evelyn’s Story, stay tuned for our upcoming SEASON 2 premiere episode (available October 5, 2022), “The Tragic Murder of Evelyn Shrewsbury,” a cold case local to Raleigh/Mercer County, West Virginia. Be sure to check it out and let us know What’s YOUR Theory?
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