Donald Jerome Shea, also known as "Shorty" (September 18, 1933 – August 26, 1969), was a Hollywood stuntman, actor and murder victim.
According to Shea's autopsy report, he served in the United States Air Force (s/n AF 11 270 704)[citation needed] from December 1954 until June 1956.
[citation needed] When the Manson family moved to Spahn Ranch, Shea initially co-existed with them peacefully.
[8] Family member Bruce Davis claimed that the decision to kill Shea came from Manson because he considered him to be a "snitch".
As a result, Shea, Bucklee, and others stripped Bailey naked and tied him to a tree facing the main road to send a message to the others.
One account states that Susan Atkins of the Family lured Shea to a remote spot on the ranch; there he was ambushed and killed by Bruce M. Davis and Steve "Clem" Grogan.
[12][13] Bruce Davis testified that Manson told him, Tex Watson, and Steve Grogan to ask Shea for a ride to a nearby car parts yard on the ranch.
According to Davis, he sat in the back seat with Grogan, who then hit Shea with a pipe wrench and Watson stabbed him.
Bruce Davis recalled at his parole hearings: I was in the car when Steve Grogan hit Shorty with the pipe wrench.
[14]According to Bruce Davis and Steve "Clem" Grogan, who participated in Shea's murder, Bill Vance and Larry Bailey also were present at the killing.
'"[4] According to the Los Angeles Times, "a witness testified that Manson boasted he had cut Shea up into nine pieces and buried him under some leaves.
"[3][9] Hoyt's testimony of the approximate time of Shea's murder contradicts the official stories given by participants Davis and Grogan at their parole hearings.
[5] On December 9, 1969, Shea's 1962 Mercury was found with a footlocker of his possessions and a pair of bloodstained cowboy boots belonging to him.
[citation needed] Despite the lack of Shea's body as evidence, in 1972 Manson[17] and Family members Grogan[11] and Davis[18] were convicted of murdering him.
[9][19] According to the autopsy report, his body suffered multiple stab and chopping wounds to the chest, and blunt force trauma to the head.
[citation needed] Gleason had been the officer who obtained the Spahn Ranch Raid search warrant in August 1969.