Sheila Deviney Case and The Garvin County Prosecutor Greg Mashburn

Sheila Deviney, 30, died on Jan. 6, 2004 when her trailer house, located about one mile east and one mile south of Maysville, Oklahoma, burned to the ground. She was murdered. It should be no surprise that Sheila was married to an abusive controlling man. They had a court date scheduled the next day. According to eye witnesses, her ex-husband was at the trailer, although divorced, and by law not allowed on the premises, he and another friend destroyed evidence and took items from the home.

Initially her death was ruled accidental. It was only because of her parents, Susan and David Deviney, that the ruling was changed several months later to arson and homicide after a state investigation into cloth and carpet samples near Deviney’s body showed traces of ignitable liquid.

This is a tragic case where the Prosecutors office, the medical examiner and the sheriff doing their “good old boy routine dance” covering up for a murderer. The ex-husband is a former Oklahoma college football star who is now raising the children.


Sheila Deviney, in my opinion, was killed by her former husband.

Just last week Oklahoma County District Attorney Greg Mashburn. Maybe, as the current Prosecutor, Mashburn could blow off the dust on the Shiela Deviney unsolved murder case and do his job. Now there is a concept!

Greg Mashburn took an oath when he was elected into office by the people...... it included justice.

For Shiela Deviney justice is a word that has little meaning to a family that has fought a blind and deaf criminal justice system within the State of Oklahoma.

Investigation 101: Keeping An Unsolved Case Warm: On The Susan Murphy Milano Show

On The Susan Murphy Milano Show our special guest is Attorney Tad Dibiase noted "No Body Prosecutor. He will discuss what families of murdered and missing loved ones can do once a case has gone cold. And tips on how to keep the investigation going.

Most of us have heard of the real famous murders that have gone unsolved. Those stories of the Black Dahlia, Jimmy Hoffa, Jon Benet Ramsey and even Jack the Ripper.

But how about the Axeman murders of New Orleans? Or Renee Pagel of Michigan, Stacy Peterson of Illinois, Michael Tapley in Arizona, 7 -year old Somer Thompson in Florida, Billy Smolinski, Jr. in CT and others that we may not have heard about and have yet to be solved.


DATE: January 20, 2010

TIME: 3:00 PM Central Standard Time

Live call in Number: 347-326-9337

Show Link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/susanmurphymilano

If you are unable to listen live, return to this site and the show will automatically play. Just remember to turn on and up the volume on your computer.

To email us with comments or questions, to be considered as a guest on a future show we can be reached at [email address] murphymilano@gmail.com

"Disconnection in the Courtroom"

Continuing this week on Courtside television is the live trial of Juan Mendez whom on July 24, 2006 was charged with second degree murder in the deaths of his wife Whitney Mendez, 19 and mother-in-law Lorena Stone.

Whitney Mendez obtained a court order of protection and the prosecutor played a video tape (before she was murdered) from one of the hearings where Juan Mendez in typical abuser form made accusations against his wife before a judge in an attempt to shift the violence in the home to a story which amounted to nothing more than a pathetic excuse about his actions the day he came into the home and why he got upset with his wife.

What disturbed me about the trial is when I learned friends of Whitney did not come forward for almost a year saying "they were afraid Juan was going to hurt them" or their families. The trial appears to be weighing heavily on "hearsay evidence." Mostly from friends and co-workers whom are on the stand testifying to what Whitney disclosed about the abuse while she was alive. Allegedly, she told those close to her that she was in fear for her life and was not able to leave her abusive husband.

The couple have a young son whom was not harmed and in my opinion spared (because he was a boy) during the gruesome murders. If this was a random act of violence it is likely the child would have also been killed. As I watched Juan Mendez all decked out in a crisp white shirt, suit, and tie his body language told the story of many abusers in a court of law sitting pretty and smug hoping to get away with murder.

What I did not understand is why those close to Whitney Mendez remained silent for so long? Why they did not come forward immediately after learning the news that their friend and her mother were found murdered? Why didn't they go to authorities?

The power that an abuser has over a friend or family member often transfers onto others as in this case and the cycle of intimidation and, of second hand abuse repeats to others. As a receiver of information or a witness to a crime when a person does nothing, they empower the abuser whom ultimately wins.

I was not able to watch the entire trial today, because I didn't have time and frankly, what I viewed was enough to determine this case is clearly in the hands of the jurors. With the stage of the courtroom already set by a well dressed man accused of murder, holding his head high as though he wouldn't stomp a bug with the sole of his shoe and a beaming air of confidence along with a skilled defense team representing him. Unfortunately, the case does not appear to be going all that well for the a prosecutor.

When a prosecutor is unable to connect the facts of a case on behalf of crime victims a disconnect is likely to happen with the jurors. I hope for the lives of these women forever silenced, I am wrong.

No Body, No Problem?

It's not unrealistic to think that any man, feeling threatened by talk of divorce and losing their children and property, could kill his wife. Especially, those men empowered with a uniform, badge and gun within the very community they protect. It is not so difficult to see these men eat, drink and sleep power. They snap, allowing their “life fuse” to short circuit and commit murder.

The person may appear to be a great father to their children and the first to assist anyone in trouble, this is how abusers in blue have set up their lives. Everyone has a perception they are wonderful human beings, often above suspicion. It does not take a rocket scientist to understand an abusive officer has been provided the tools in the criminal world allowing acts of domestic violence and homicide virtually impossible to trace or track back to them in cases including the mothers of their children go missing.

In the case of Drew Peterson, Prosecutors are missing an opportunity to consult with some of the top “No Body” experts in the country. One that comes to mind is Tad DiBiase. He provides not only free consultation to law enforcement and prosecutors but he also has successfully tried these cases where a body has not been found.

On May, 21, 2009, the grand jury will have reached their 18 month limit in hearing evidence and listening to testimony in the Peterson case. If this Grand Jury does not reach a decision to indict my favorite dickless wonder, Drew Peterson, the Will County State’s Attorney will have to begin with another Grand Jury from scratch. It would cost the office nothing to reach out to Attorney Tad DiBiase, he is willing to consult the Will County State’s Attorney’s office pro-bono.

All James Glasgow has to do is contact him. Currently, they are other similar cases in Will County of officers wives whose lives are literally hanging by a very thin thread, Four police officers wives to be exact, one is allegedly from the very same police department where Peterson was employed. The point is, we all hope the grand jury will bring justice for two women and mother’s unable to speak.

If not, a back-up plan should be considered as a solid alternative for a man who is still walking free because he covered his tracks.

Joe Hosey Reporter and Author of the book Fatal Vows writes at the end "Finally, I must acknowledge Stacy Peterson and Kathleen Savio. Although you are not here to tell you stories, I hope I have done you justice."

Let's hope and pray the Grand Jury is in the same frame of mind as Joe Hosey. All anyone is asking is for justice to prevail!

Justice Interrupted Radio: The Solved & Unsolved Murders 10/28/2008

This week On Justice Interrupted:Self-made millionaire James Sullivan, America’s Most Wanted Fugitive #715 on the run for the contract murder of his estranged wife for nearly 20 years. Stay turned for a Justice Interrupted exclusive interview from Boston with Dee Whalen .

Tina Dirmann has covered some of the nation's biggest news stories, interviewing notorious criminals and profiling A-list celebrities. In recent years, Dirmann switched gears from crime news to entertainment reporting, working as a staff reporter for Us Weekly before becoming Deputy Bureau Chief for Star Magazine. She has also served as a frequent on-air spokesperson for both magazines, appearing on shows such as MSNBC, Extra, Good Day LA, CNN, A Current Affair, Inside Edition, Fox News, and a variety of E! network programming. Her latest crime novel "Vanished At Sea", is garnering a lot of attention with the recent arrest of a former power rangers television series star.

For over 12 years Tad DiBiase was an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia and prosecuted homicide cases for most of those years. In January of 2006, he sucessfully prosecuted the second "no body" murder case tried in D.C. and have been interested in "no body" cases ever since.On his site he tracks "no body" murder cases, trials and investigations. My table of "No body" Murder Trials lists nearly 300 "no body" murder trials in the United States.

And from Peace4TheMissing Co-Founder "Maggie's Rose" and Polly Franks of the Franks Foundation will join us for "This Week in Crime."

Time: 8 PM PST/ 10 PM CEN/ 11PM EST

CALL IN: 914- 338-0663 To listen live go to: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/justiceinterrupted and click on the "Click To Listen" icon.
You might want to refresh your page because the icon will not show until the show starts.

To comment on the shows Click Here!

War On Crime Radio: Tonight August 6, 2008

Tonight's Radio Show Line-up!

9:00pm Central--10:00 pm EDT--7:00 PDT

Levi Page and Stacy Dittrich, former police officer, detective, and author, discuss the execution of Jose Medellin, and take on the case of missing Florida toddler Caylee Anthony with criminal profiler Dr. Maurice Godwin, and former federal prosecutor Tad DiBiase.

To listen live go to: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/True_Crime and click on the "Click To Listen" icon. You might want to refresh your page because the icon will not show until the show starts.

Call in live at: (347) 838-9781 to participate in the show!

To comment on the shows Click Here!


Stacy Dittrich "The Devil's Closet" is a superb, action packed crime thriller. The book is in stores nation-wide and on Amazon.com, October 9, 2008