Belleville News-Democrat | 04/30/2006 | Millstadt teen found alive; Freeburg teacher charged

Millstadt teen found alive; Freeburg teacher charged

Girl was left to die in park with broken neck

BY GEORGE PAWLACZYK

News-Democrat

BELLEVILLE -

A Freeburg High School driver's education instructor and professional wrestler, whose ring name is "The Teacher," has been charged with breaking the neck of 17-year-old Ashley Reeves of Millstadt and leaving her in dense woods to die.

She was found by police at 2 a.m. Saturday. First listed in critical condition, Reeves had improved somewhat as of late Saturday afternoon after being evacuated to Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in St. Louis.

On Saturday evening, hospital spokesman Bob Davidson listed Reeves' condition as serious.

The sheriff's department held a press conference at 11 a.m. Saturday to announce the charges against Samson "Sam" R. Shelton, 26, of Wildwood Lake Estates in Smithton. Shelton was charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder and one count of kidnapping. He is being held at the St. Clair County Jail with bail set at $1 million.

Shelton teaches both driver's and physical education and is a volunteer assistant baseball coach at Freeburg High School.

The formal charges state that Shelton "used his forearm with such force as to break the neck of Ashley Reeves," and also used his belt in an attempt to strangle her. The 6-foot, 1-inch, 200-pound Shelton is listed as a wrestler in the Ultimate Wrestling Alliance and has appeared in several metro-east prize rings, including in Fairview Heights and Cahokia.

After spending more than 30 hours over a rainy night in thick brush and trees behind a baseball diamond at Citizens Park in Belleville, Reeves, a student at Columbia High School, was discovered about 2 a.m. Saturday by sheriff's investigators.

She was reported missing by her family about 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

After Belleville firefighters used chain saws to cut a path for emergency medical personnel, Reeves was carried out on a stretcher and taken to St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Belleville before being transferred to a hospital in St. Louis.

Chief Investigator Steve Johnson said Reeves was unable to speak when found. He said during a press conference on Saturday that he could not answer questions about whether Reeves was clothed or whether an attempt had been made to conceal her. St. Clair County Sheriff Mearl Justus said investigators were attempting to determine whether there had been a sexual attack.

Johnson and Justus said Reeves and Shelton had a "relationship" but neither would elaborate beyond the one-word description.

Freeburg Community High School District 77 Superintendent Andrew Lehman said background checks for Shelton revealed no cause for concern. He said Shelton was unmarried.

"He has never been a problem," Lehman said. "We feel very bad for the young lady and her family and for Shelton. We wish the attack never took place." Lehman said Saturday. A decision concerning Shelton's status as a school employee had not been made.

While investigators said they would not release details of the nonstop investigation that led to the girl's rescue, this much is known:

Investigators Dan Stockett and Mike Hundelt, along with chief investigator Johnson, could not substantiate Reeves had gone on a job interview, as she had told relatives.

However, more than a dozen officers led by the investigators searched a field Friday night until about 10 p.m. on Radio Range Road outside Belleville, off Illinois 161, assisted by dogs and a helicopter.

"I can't comment on what if anything was found, but I can tell you that was part of our investigation," Johnson said.

About 11:30 p.m. Thursday, a Jeep believed to have been driven by Reeves was found at Laderman Park in Belleville. The vehicle was owned not by Shelton but by her boyfriend, Johnson said.

A Mustang owned by Shelton was also taken into custody and searched. Several items were seized and will be sent to the Illinois State Police Crime Lab for tests.

Shelton was arrested and formally charged at the sheriff's department in Belleville during the early morning hours on Saturday, but investigators would not reply to questions about whether he had made a statement or told them where to search.

Assistant State Attorney Joe Christ said Shelton had been arraigned on a warrant signed by St. Clair County Associate Judge Steve Rice. Christ said Shelton likely will face indictment by a grand jury. If convicted of the charges, he would face a prison sentence of 6 to 30 years.