Shannon Melendi, a young woman from Miami, captured national attention when she vanished from a softball game in Atlanta back in March 1994.
Despite an extensive search effort, Shannon’s remains were never found. However, the case took a significant turn when Colvin “Butch” Hinton was charged and ultimately found guilty of her murder, marking the first instance in Georgia history where someone was convicted of murder without a body or crime scene.
Hinton, who was 61 years old at the time of his conviction, worked as an umpire at the Softball Country Club where Shannon was a scorekeeper.
Despite their professional interactions, it took law enforcement a decade to charge him with the crime. During his trial, it was revealed that Hinton had a history of sexual assault and was previously convicted of arson and insurance fraud, resulting in a seven-year prison sentence.
While incarcerated, it was jailhouse informants who provided crucial evidence linking Hinton to Shannon Melendi’s disappearance. Ultimately, Hinton remains behind bars in Georgia and has been denied parole twice. His next chance for parole is in 2025.
The case against Hinton was bolstered by an anonymous tip that led authorities to find Shannon’s rings wrapped in tape at a phone booth.
Further analysis linked traces of cobalt found on the tape to Hinton’s background as an airline mechanic for Delta Airlines. In 2005, he was convicted of Shannon’s murder and later confessed to the crime, detailing a gruesome account of the events leading up to her death.
Despite his attempts to cover up the crime, guilt eventually consumed Hinton, leading to his confession and eventual conviction.
