Amy Shaw

On a quiet, rural road in Hillsborough County, Florida, Amy Shaw had made a home. She was a daughter and a granddaughter, part of a family that included her parents, Wendy and Charles F. Shaw, and her maternal grandfather, Edward Lehmann. At 45 years old, her life was anchored by these family bonds. That life came to an abrupt and violent end in the summer of 2019, leaving her loved ones with a void of unanswered questions and the community with the chilling reality of an unsolved murder.

The case began on Monday, June 17, 2019. That day, Amy, a 45-year-old White female, was found deceased outside her own residence at 4813 W Trapnell Road. The discovery in the otherwise peaceful area, a road that winds through a mix of residential properties and open land, was jarring. The circumstances of her death immediately pointed toward a homicide, prompting a major criminal investigation. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) was called to the scene and opened an investigation under case number 2019-423177.

From the outset, investigators have been sparing with details. The specific nature of Amy's injuries and the official cause of her death have not been publicly released. This silence is common in homicide investigations where detectives believe withholding certain information can protect the integrity of the case and help them identify a true suspect from someone with false knowledge. Law enforcement has not shared what, if any, evidence was collected at the scene, nor have they publicly named any suspects or persons of interest in the years that have passed. The absence of public information has left a vacuum where facts should be, making it difficult for the community to comprehend the violence that occurred in their midst.

The investigation has been handled by the HCSO Homicide Section, but with no arrests made, the trail for new leads has seemingly gone cold. In the absence of a resolution, Amy Shaw’s case has been added to the official Unsolved Homicides portal for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. This digital catalog of cold cases serves as a constant, quiet appeal to the public for help. It lists the basic, confirmed facts of her death: her name, her age, her date of birth, and the location where her life was taken. It is a stark and permanent reminder that while the years continue to pass, the search for justice for Amy is not over.

For her family, the pain of losing a daughter and granddaughter is profoundly compounded by the lack of resolution. The knowledge that the person responsible for her death remains free is a source of ongoing grief and uncertainty. There have been no widely publicized vigils or anniversary appeals in the media, suggesting a private and deeply personal mourning process for those who knew and loved Amy most. Her death left a permanent hole in the fabric of their family, a wound that cannot begin to heal while so many critical questions remain unanswered.

As of late 2023, Amy Shaw’s murder remains an active but unsolved investigation with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. Cold case detectives often rely on advances in forensic technology or on individuals who, for reasons of their own, finally decide to come forward with what they know. Investigators believe that someone, somewhere has the key piece of information that could break the case open and finally provide answers for Amy’s loved ones. The department encourages anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward. Anyone with knowledge about the death of Amy Shaw is urged to contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Homicide Section at (813) 247-8660.