Town saw wife change when husband vanished

AP ^ | October 26, 2003 | Mike Wilson

[witnesstothefall]

DEFIANCE, Iowa -- Townspeople knew about Scott Shanahan's temper, that he was often moody and was anti-social. Some people said they saw the bruises that his wife, Dixie, tried to hide.

But authorities say Dixie Shanahan, 36, kept her biggest secret for the 14 months that followed her husband's August 2002 disappearance. This past week, Scott Shanahan's skeletal remains were found in a spare bedroom in their house. An autopsy showed he had been shot in the head.

Dixie Shanahan has since been ordered held on a charge of first-degree murder, and her children - ages 7, 5 and 8 months - have been placed in state custody.

Her lawyer, public defender Greg Steensland, did not return a message left Saturday seeking comment on the case.

In July, nearly a year after Dixie Shanahan had reported her husband missing, she told sheriff's Deputy John Kelly that he had left her and moved to the nearby town of Atlantic.

Neighbors had already noticed a change in her.

"She was free - like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders," said Mary Schmitz.

Schmitz and her son, Doug, said that they never saw Dixie Shanahan with bruises but that there were rumors that abuse was common in the household.

"I can see what she went through, and he got what he deserved if what they say is true," Mary Schmitz said.

Court records show that on several occasions Scott Shanahan beat his wife, leaving her bloody and bruised.

In October 2000, a friend of Dixie Shanahan's told deputies that he had dragged her to the basement, tied her hands with a coat hanger and told her he could leave her there for weeks and "no one would know the difference," court records show. She went to a women's shelter in Texas, near relatives, but soon returned.

Resident Mickey Kloewer said people knew of the abuse. "But you didn't want to intrude in their business," Kloewer said.

Dixie Shanahan had moved in with Scott Shanahan and his mother, Bev, in this western Iowa town of 350 people when she was a foster child about 14 years old. They married about eight or nine years ago and stayed in the same house, which his mother had left to him when she died.

Doug Schmitz and other neighbors described Scott Shanahan as moody and anti-social.

No one thought much about his disappearance until several months had passed and they noticed he had left his pickup truck and dog behind, Doug Schmitz said.

"People joked about it, that he was buried in the back yard, or buried in concrete in the basement," Doug Schmitz said.

Karen Kloewer said the case has shaken the town.

"It's heartbreaking to think she didn't think she could turn anywhere for help," she said. "I think the whole town stands behind her and is feeling for her and her children. I just wish she would have turned to the community for help."

[witnesstothefall]

Check that dateline. Whoa!

[ambrose]

I guess she decided to save money on a divorce lawyer.

[Savage Beast]

...A Rose for Dixie...

[mvpel]

"Some folks whispered, some folks talked, but everybody looked the other way."

[kittymyrib]

He's been dead 14 months and she has an 8 mo. old baby...yep, sounds like she was enjoying herself. Poor kids. They are always the ones that suffer for their parents' soap opera lives.

[hotpotato]

He's been dead 14 months and she has an 8 mo. old baby...yep, sounds like she was enjoying herself.

How do you figure? She got pregnant at least 17 months ago.

[jazzlite]

Unfortunately, it is sometimes very difficult for a woman to get real help in these situations. Their abusers know that. Women stay or go back to their abusers for a variety of reasons and that is why others are reluctant to get involved. Evidently this man had an antisocial personality which tends to alienate people but more often the abuser is a public charmer and a private villian..Or, as my Mother used to say,"He is a street angel and a house devil." Many women endure emotional/psychological abuse which wrings the joy out of life and most of the time it has to do with the guy needing her in his life but not wanting the required commitment to her..He is a coward but he want to control. It looks likes this poor woman had a choice and she chose to save her own life. When society claims to protect but will not get involved, it is just a lie. This is not the only area where vast amounts of money is taken from tax payers just to give bureacrats a job without evidence of anyone really doing that job. I am reading O'Riley's book, Who's Looking Out for You." The guy is brilliant and he has a perfect understanding of all this. With movie makers and rap musicians desensitizing our children with regular "injections" of unspeakable horror and bloody violence along with the sex exposure for children as young as kindergarten, we can rationally expect that soon, the world of little boys and little girls will degrade into the survival of the fittest in a world of sex and violence. For many adults, it is that way already. The Koby situation, I feel is probably a mild example of what is really going on. I do not know why the millions of good people out there do not stand strongly against this.

[Belisaurius]

Since when is it OK to "mind your own business" when you know someone who is regularly abused by their spouse?

[hellinahandcart]

yep, sounds like she was enjoying herself.

I wouldn't blame her if she had, but the husband was alive when the child was conceived.

Poor kids. They are always the ones that suffer for their parents' soap opera lives.

Yeah, like Dixie. Some foster home the state put her in at 14, she never got out of it.

[witnesstothefall]

Personally, as a male who presumes to call himself an old-fashioned gentleman, I'm gratified whenever a coward like this is taken out of circulation, one way or the other.

Any man who strikes a woman is not a man. Period.

[Disgusted in Texas]

My daughter,31,was in an abusive relationship for several years.She married this idiot when she was 17. He is a drunk ,having caused a fatal accident several years ago ,when he was a juvenile,killing several persons. He continues to drink,doesn't pay child cupport (Ohio is famous for not following up on deadbeat dads.)He had another incident just a couple of weeks ago. The last time that he abused her was his last. She is a petite girl and really was beaten badly ,with no way to defend herself. She did not press charges ,but did take my grandchildren and leave ,thank God.
This lady did what she felt that she had to do to survive. God help her. I wonder how many other women are pushed to that point?

[Tenya2112]

Looks to me like she decided to save the new baby's life. Abusive men tend to be MORE abusive when their wives are pregnant. Also, it would be typical if he was abusing the older children as well. Seems likely that she decided this one would have a better life than the others had.

[TaxRelief]

At 3 months of pregnancy, women become extremely protective of their bodies for their babies sake. I am not surprised that this was the time period when she snapped. She certainly should be able to claim temporary insanity.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

"It's heartbreaking to think she didn't think she could turn anywhere for help," she said. "I think the whole town stands behind her and is feeling for her and her children. I just wish she would have turned to the community for help."

Sounds like many in the community already knew and they didn't want to get involved. Glad she has police reports of the abuse, those will help. Figure with those she can plea bargain down to Manslaughter, 3 years, out in 18 months with good behavior.

[Durus]

She should walk. While I wouldn't be surprised if the prosecuter decides to charge her, I think there is a more than plausible case for self defense.

[Texas Deer Hunter]

Goodbye Earl...........

[kaboom]

Someone should sue the Dixie Pigs for inciting this woman to kill. /sarcasm off

[newgeezer]

Just last week, my wife asked me if I'd like to tell her the combination to the gun safe.

"After you learn to use them," I said.

Hmm...

[steve8714]

public school math class alert.

[Safetgiver]

Be afraid, very afraid.