Trivia

Had one daughter, Karen. She still attends the parole hearings of Charles Manson and Bruce Davis and opposes their release from prison.

In 1972, Charles Manson and two of his "Family" members, Steve Grogan and Bruce Davis, were convicted of first degree murder in Shea's death. It was the first time in U.S. history that a guilty verdict had been obtained in a first-degree murder case without the victim's remains having been found. More than 8 years after the murder, in December of 1977, Grogan struck a deal with authorities, agreeing to lead them to Shea's remains in exchange for leniency. Shea's skeletal remains showed evidence of stab wounds and blunt force trauma to the head. Grogan was paroled in 1985, partly in exchange for his cooperation, and remains the only Manson Family member convicted of murder to ever be released on parole. Manson died in prison in 2017 and as of 2026, Davis (who was also convicted of additional homicides) remains incarcerated.