Anthony Allen Shore

Case information

• Name: Anthony Allen Shore
• TDCJ Number: 999488
• Date of birth: 06/25/1962
• Age at the time of receiving case information: 42 (received 11/15/2004)
• Education level: 12
• Race: White
• Gender: Male
• Hair color: Gray
• Height: 5' 10"
• Weight: 198
• Eye color: Brown
• County: Native County Pennington
• State: Native State South Dakota
• Prior occupation: Wrecker Driver / General Construction / Lineman
• Prior prison record: None

The offence

Anthony Allen Shore was accused and convicted for capital murder involving multiple victims, including kidnappings, sexual assaults, and strangling using a cord. He kidnapped and strangled multiple females and dumped their bodies behind fast-food restaurants and other locations.

Shore operated from 1987 to 2000 and was known as the “Tourniquet Killer” due to his use of a ligature, described as similar to a tourniquet style tightening or loosening mechanism using items such as a toothbrush or bamboo stick.

Victims identified

• Maria del Carmen Del Estrada / Maria Carmen Del Estrada
• Diana Rebollar
• Dana Sanchez
• Laurie Lee Tremblay
• Additionally, Shore was linked in other proceedings to the 1993 sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl, which is described as an incident where the girl survived.

Offence details described for each victim

On 09/26/1986, in Harris County, Texas, Shore kidnapped a 15-year-old white female and strangled her to death with a cord, then dumped the victim’s body behind a Ninfa's Restaurant.

On 04/16/1992, in Harris County, Texas, Shore kidnapped a 21-year-old Hispanic female, sexually assaulted her, and strangled her to death with a cord, then dumped her body behind a Dairy Queen Restaurant.

On 10/19/1993, Shore entered the home of a 14-year-old female, bound and sexually assaulted her, and strangled her to death. Shore then fled the scene on foot. The victim in this incident survived.

On 08/07/1994, Shore kidnapped and sexually assaulted a 9-year-old female, causing her death, and then dumped the victim’s body behind an abandoned commercial building.

On 07/06/1995, Shore kidnapped a 16-year-old Hispanic female, sexually assaulted her, and caused her death, and then dumped the victim’s body in a field.

Investigation

Detectives later connected the case using DNA evidence.

DNA and evidence processing

In 2000, detectives pulled Carmen Del Estrada’s case from cold files and tested DNA evidence from underneath Carmen’s fingernails, obtaining a full genetic profile. The profile was uploaded to Texas’s DNA database containing DNA profiles of sexual offenders.

Shore’s DNA matched the DNA underneath Carmen’s fingernails. Shore had DNA in the database due to a prior conviction related to molesting his two daughters, for which he had been offered a plea bargain resulting in probation.

During Shore’s interrogation, he confessed to the murders of Carmen Del Estrada, Diana Rebollar, and Dana Sanchez. He also confessed to the 1987 murder of fourteen-year-old Laurie Tremblay and the 1994 rape of a fourteen-year-old girl. One account described the murder of Laurie Tremblay as a killing where detectives had no way of linking it to the other three murders because Laurie was strangled with a ligature.

Another account described police seeking death penalty proceedings and described DNA evidence used by prosecutors as allegedly questionable by the defense, including arguments about what interpretation showed.

Laboratory and testing developments

Investigators sent evidence not previously tested from the Estrada case to a private DNA laboratory in Dallas, Orchid Cellmark, using Combined DNA Index System technology. The lab called with results after securing a warrant.

The department’s crime lab shut down in December 2002 after an independent audit. After that, independent accredited labs were used for testing. Samples from some high-profile murder victims, including Estrada, were sent to the Dallas lab.

Arrest

Shore’s arrest followed DNA evidence linking him to Estrada.

A warrant was secured on Friday at 2:30 and Shore was in custody at 4:15 p.m. after the lab called with results. Another account described Shore as arrested last October after DNA evidence allegedly linked him to the Estrada case.

Authorities said Shore offered no resistance when arrested.

Trial

Charges and prosecution approach

Prosecutor Kelly Siegler decided to charge Shore for only Carmen Del Estrada’s murder, because that case contained the most forensic evidence, while the jury learned during sentencing that he was a serial killer.

Shore faced charges described as capital murder in each of the four cases (as described in one account). Prosecutors seeking death penalty argued that to prove capital murder they had to show Shore killed Estrada while committing another crime, described as abducting Estrada and then sexually assaulting her while strangling her with a cord.

Defense position and DNA dispute

Defense counsel Gerald Bourque argued opening statements that Shore should not be convicted of capital murder in the 1992 death of Del Carmen Estrada, 21. The defense argued that Estrada and Shore were acquaintances and she willingly got into his vehicle. The defense also argued DNA evidence from beneath Estrada’s fingernails linked Shore to the killing, but defense characterized DNA evidence as questionable and disputed prosecutors’ interpretation.

At one point, defense attorney Gerald Bourque said:

“You would have to push a lot of buttons to get me to trust any DNA from any place.”

Another statement attributed to Bourque:

“Their interpretation of what this evidence shows and my interpretation of what this evidence shows is significantly different.”

Witness testimony and victim impact at sentencing

During the sentencing phase, the prosecution put Shore’s only surviving victim on the stand, who described an assault where Shore broke into the victim’s family’s home after she returned from school and tied her up.

Verbatim statements included:

• The woman described Shore as saying, “I’m just here to rob your house,” and stated that he covered her eyes and mouth with duct tape and bound her hands behind her back.
• She stated:

  “He used a knife to cut off my panties,” “As I was screaming, he got upset and told me I was being too loud.” “Then she felt hands around her throat.” “I kind of came out of my stupor and realized I had to do something. If I don’t do something, I’m going to die,”

• She described Shore threatening her after leaving the house and stated:

  “He said he knows everything about me. He’d been watching me come home from school. He knew that I played soccer,”

Shore appeared to sit leaning back in his chair and staring at a pen tapping on the defense table during the woman’s testimony.

Shore’s sister, Regina Shore Belt, testified about his intelligence and musical ability and also stated she did not seek mercy. Regina Shore Belt said:

“I and the rest of my family believe that he should have the death penalty.”

Prosecutors warned jurors about disturbing evidence. Prosecutor Kelly Siegler said:

“Evil lives among us,” and Terese Buess said: “A monster, absolute horrendous monster, capable of things that made this jury cringe as we showed them this week,”

Opening statement attribution also included that Prosecutor Kelly Siegler said:

“The last eyes she ever looked into on this earth were of that man, the defendant,''

Another statement attributed to Houston police homicide Sgt. Hal Kennedy included testimony that the cord found around Estrada’s neck was wound so tight it wasn’t even visible.

Jury verdict and sentencing

The jury found Shore guilty of capital murder. Less than one hour later the jury sentenced Shore to death.

Sentencing

Shore was sentenced to death on November 15, 2004.

In one account, it was described that Shore requested a death sentence and had instructed his lawyers not to cross-examine witnesses or make any other effort to persuade jurors to give him a life sentence. Defense attorney Alvin Nunnery told jurors:

“He believes it’s time for him to sacrifice his life for what he has done,”

Another quote attributed to Nunnery:

“He’s accepted the Lord into his life. He understands that while he would ultimately be free from the pain and penalty of sin — that is, eternal damnation — he has to pay the consequences for what he did,”

Appeals

The judge denied a motion to withdraw plea, and an appeals court later upheld the sentence in connection with his earlier guilty plea proceedings related to molesting his two daughters (probation outcome described in the narrative).

Outcome

Shore was convicted and sentenced to death on November 15, 2004, and he awaited execution on Texas’s death row at Livingston, Texas.

Additional descriptions included that Shore was not tried for other murders because he received the death penalty for the murder of Estrada, as stated in one account.

Other details

Current status and custody

• Shore awaited execution on Texas’s death row at Livingston, Texas.

Prior sex offender history and probation

Texas Department of Public Safety information described Shore as a registered sex offender since January 1998, when he received eight years probation for the sexual assault of two family members, ages 11 and 13. The relationship to him was described as unknown in one account.

Another account stated that in 1998 he pleaded guilty to molesting his two daughters for which he was offered a plea bargain resulting in probation.

Interrogation and confessions described

A quote attributed to investigators described Shore’s statement when asked why he switched to a tourniquet:

“because I hurt my finger while murdering Tremblay”

A statement attributed to Harris County Sheriff’s Lt. Danny Billingsley:

“He told me he would give me something that I didn’t know about,” and described that this was when he gave the Laura Tremblay case.

Another statement attributed to Sgt. John Swain described his concerns about the Tremblay death:

“We knew we had a serial killer working,” “I think that the Police Department danced around that. The powers that be didn’t want to admit that, didn’t want the public to panic.”

Evidence and scene-related descriptions

A description stated that officers found several large collages on cardboard matting compiled from tiny magazine cutouts of girls, lips and breasts, along with a black wig and a large box filled with pornographic magazines after a search of Shore’s garage and storage unit.

Names and relationships for additional persons mentioned

• Rosa was described as Carmen’s best friend.
• Amy Lynch, described as Shore’s former wife, divorced Shore in 1999 after she said he tried to kill her.
• Sherry Griffith was described as a friend.
• Bob King was described as a Houston homicide investigator who kept a photo of the youngest victim.
• Rob Shore was described as Shore’s father.
• Deanna Shore was described as Shore’s mother.
• Rose Shore was described as Rob Shore’s wife.
• Regina Shore Belt was described as Shore’s sister.
• Lynda was described as Shore’s girlfriend who asked that her full name not be used.
• Terese Buess was described as a prosecutor.
• Kelly Siegler was described as a prosecutor.
• Alvin Nunnery was described as a defense attorney.
• Gerald Bourque was described as defense attorney.
• Caprice Cosper was described as a state District Judge.
• Danny Billingsley was described as a Harris County Sheriff’s Lt.
• John Swain (Sgt. John Swain) was described as a Houston police detective who investigated Tremblay’s death.
• Hal Kennedy was described as Houston police homicide Sgt. who testified about the cord.
• Richard Holland was described as Houston police homicide Capt.
• Greg Neely was described as Houston Police Department homicide Lt.
• Estella Olguin was described as an agency spokeswoman for Children Protective Services in one account.
• Ivy Chambers was described as a supervisor with Children Protective Services in another account.

Statements from prosecutors and officials

Prosecutor Kelly Siegler said:

Prosecutor Kelly Siegler said:

Prosecutor Kelly Siegler was also described saying:

“The tug of evil and good in this city is alive. Finally, good triumphed.”

Timeline of dated deaths and key events included in the record

• 09/26/1986 — Laurie Lee Tremblay, 15, was found dead behind a restaurant in the 10600 block of Westheimer.
• 04/16/1992 — Maria Del Carmen Estrada, 21, was abducted as she walked to work; her body was found behind a Dairy Queen.
• 10/19/1993 — A girl, 14, was sexually assaulted in her home in the 1900 block of Portsmouth; the girl survived.
• 08/07/1994 — Diana Rebollar, 9, was abducted in the 6600 block of North Main; her body was found at 1440 North Loop West.
• 07/06/1995 — Dana Sanchez, 16, was located after contacting her boyfriend; her body was found on North View Park.
• 11/15/2004 — Shore was sentenced to death.
• 06/25/1962 — Shore’s date of birth.

Misspoken or conflicting details preserved as stated

• One account described the anonymous caller giving directions to Sanchez’s body and stating that Sanchez’s birthday was May 11 and incorrectly that her name was Ruby; police said Sanchez had a friend named Ruby and may have given her abductor that name.
• Another account described that Shore told police he offered Tremblay a ride to school and then strangled her and left her dead behind a restaurant.