In the spring of 1983, Michelle “Shelly” Colliflower was a popular and well-liked 14-year-old freshman honor student at Weatherford High School in Texas. Born on June 20, 1968, in Clifton, Texas, Shelly was raised by her mother, Johnetta Nitcholas, and stepfather, Ronald Colliflower. Her family remembered her as a sweetheart with a kind heart who was always smiling. Described as "sweet and pure," Shelly loved music, playing outside, and caring for her registered quarter horse, Dancer. She dreamed of one day becoming a cosmetologist or a cosmetology teacher.
Shelly was dating 16-year-old Vincent Tijerina Jr., a sophomore and fellow honor student at Weatherford High. Vincent, born July 7, 1966, was close with his parents, Vincent Sr. and Carolina Tijerina, and his sisters. He enjoyed martial arts, participated in the Future Farmers of America, and was known as a boy who never got into trouble. He didn't drink, smoke, or pick fights.
Vincent was raising registered Brahman cows and planned to join the Air Force to become a pilot. The young couple had met through their school's FFA group, bonding over a shared love for animals.
On the morning of Friday, March 25, 1983, Shelly's mother dropped her off at school, telling her she loved her before leaving for an anniversary trip with her husband. Shelly was supposed to stay with a family friend for the weekend. That evening, Vincent picked Shelly up in his family's Chevrolet Monte Carlo. He was expected home by his midnight curfew but never arrived. Worried, his father, Vincent Sr., began searching for him, combing the town all night through a pouring rainstorm.
The next morning, around 7:00 a.m., the search came to a devastating end. Vincent Sr. discovered the Monte Carlo parked near an abandoned school off Tin Top Road and Cleburne Avenue, in an area known locally as "Piss Hill." Inside the vehicle, he found the bodies of his son and Shelly Colliflower. Both teenagers had been shot to death. Their deaths were quickly ruled a double homicide by the Weatherford Police Department.
The investigation into the execution-style killings began immediately, but details released to the public have been scarce for decades. In the months following the murders, the community organized an auction to raise reward money for tips, but no arrests were made. Over the years, rumors and theories circulated throughout Weatherford, but law enforcement never publicly identified any suspects. The lack of information has been a source of deep and lasting frustration for the families and the community, eroding trust in local authorities.
Decades later, the case remains open but unsolved. Friends of Shelly's family, including private investigator Mel Mitchell, have pushed for answers and transparency. Mitchell stated she attempted to work with the police on the case but was refused. Family members have been told that DNA evidence was collected and submitted to CODIS, the FBI's national database, but they have received no official updates on its status. The families have made multiple requests for information from law enforcement but say they have received no response, prolonging their suffering.
More than four decades have passed, but the shadow of the unsolved double murder still hangs over Weatherford. In a June 2026 report, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram confirmed the case was still cold. Shelly's mother, Johnetta, has made public pleas for information. "What if it was your child?" she asked. "So, please, I beg you, if you know one single tiny thing, even if you don’t think it’s important, please come forward."
The families of Shelly Colliflower and Vincent Tijerina Jr. continue to wait for justice. Parker County Crime Stoppers offers a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest in the case. Anyone with information is urged to call their tip line at 817-599-5555.
