Sally Ann McNelly, an 18-year-old white female from San Angelo, Texas, was tragically murdered on July 4, 1988. She and her 17-year-old boyfriend, Shane Paul Stewart, had gone to Lake Nasworthy to watch the annual fireworks display. After they didn't return home, a search was conducted, and their car was found abandoned. In November 1988, their bodies were discovered in a pasture near Twin Buttes Reservoir, about 20 miles from where they were last seen.
Both victims had died from gunshot wounds to the head.
The case received national attention due to rumors that Sally and Shane were involved in a Satanic cult, which was part of the broader Satanic panic phenomenon of the 1980s. In March 1988, Sally and Shane had turned over a gun to the police, claiming it was given to them by a cult member. The gun was later found to be stolen. Despite extensive investigations, the case remains unsolved.
In 2017, the Tom Green County Sheriff's Office identified John Cyrus Gilbreath as a person of interest after finding writings, audio tapes, and biological material in his house that might be connected to the murders. However, no arrests have been made, and the case continues to be a cold case.
The Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Rangers are still actively investigating the case, and Texas Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for information leading to an arrest. The unsolved nature of this case continues to haunt the families of Sally and Shane, as well as the community of San Angelo.
