Sharneen Norman

Sharneen "Shawn" Norman was a loving daughter and former music executive who had recently returned home to Dallas, Texas, to be closer to her family. The 49-year-old Black woman was the eldest daughter of Pettis Norman, a former tight end for the Dallas Cowboys. Friends and family remembered her for her bubbly personality, her kindness, and a big, infectious laugh. A graduate of Bishop Dunne High School in Dallas and Howard University, Sharneen had built a successful career in New York City as a promotions executive for Sony Music Entertainment. In 2012, she moved back to Dallas to work for her family's business, a hair product company called Liquid Love, which she ran from her apartment. She was divorced, had no children, and maintained a very close relationship with her father and sisters, speaking with them almost daily.

The Thanksgiving holiday in 2014 was a time of celebration for the Norman family. They gathered on Thanksgiving Day for an early celebration of Sharneen’s upcoming 50th birthday. The next day, she visited her father's home to discuss their family business. That was the last time he saw her. Over the weekend, her family grew worried when they were unable to reach her by phone, which was highly unusual. After several days of silence, Pettis Norman asked police to conduct a welfare check at his daughter's apartment in the DP&L Flats building at 222 Browder Street in downtown Dallas.

On the evening of Monday, December 1, 2014, just two days before what would have been her 50th birthday, police officers entered Sharneen’s apartment and made a tragic discovery. They found her deceased inside. The Dallas County Medical Examiner later determined she had died from a gunshot wound, and the Dallas Police Department immediately began investigating her death as a homicide. Investigators noted that there were no signs of forced entry into her apartment, raising questions about who had been with her in her final hours.

The investigation quickly focused on a male acquaintance of Sharneen's. Dallas homicide detectives identified him as a person of interest, though they did not publicly release his name. The search for this individual came to a grim conclusion just a few days later. On Thursday, December 4, 2014, detectives learned that the man had been found dead in Conway, Arkansas. Authorities in Arkansas were investigating his death as a possible suicide from a gunshot wound.

In the face of unimaginable loss, Pettis Norman spoke publicly about his daughter, choosing to focus on her memory rather than on anger. "She was my first baby. We had a great relationship. From the moment she was born, she was a daddy’s baby," he said. He wanted people to remember her as a "loving person" who "loved to have fun with people, laugh with people." Reflecting on his last conversation with her, he recalled telling her that people in their family lived long lives and that she had many years ahead to live well. "My world…," he trailed off, describing the moment police told him his daughter was gone.

Dallas police detectives worked with the Conway Police Department to piece together the events that led to both deaths. While the man found in Arkansas was considered a person of interest, police did not officially name him as a suspect in Sharneen's murder. The investigation involved searching for surveillance video from her apartment building to see who might have entered around the time she was killed.

As of December 2014, the investigation into Sharneen Norman's homicide was ongoing. With the primary person of interest also deceased, the case presented a complex challenge for law enforcement. The Norman family was left to mourn a vibrant life cut tragically short, seeking answers and justice for the woman they loved so dearly. Anyone with information about the death of Sharneen Norman is asked to contact the Dallas Police Department.