Family Speaks Out About Man On Trial For 1980 Rape, Murder Of Hemet Stepmother
HEMET (CBSLA.com) —A family is speaking out about the 50-year-old man on trial for the rape and murder of a Hemet woman more than three decades ago.
Judy Stoh and her husband, Ronald, have spent years wondering who killed Judy's stepmother, Elizabeth Crossman.
"I'd like to see closure. I'm interested in the case and I'm following it," said Judy.
Crossman, also known as Betty, was strangled in her home on Jan. 17, 1980. When her body was found, police discovered evidence of rape, but DNA matching technology was extremely limited.
"After a while, you figure nothing was going to happen," said Judy.
The family assumed Crossman's killer would walk free—until there was a break in the case in 2011.
Shelby Shamblin, 50, was arrested on a drug charge.
"He got picked up on another charge and the DNA popped up," said Ronald.
Shamblin's DNA was taken by police and was ultimately matched to the samples found at the decades-old crime scene.
"Thank goodness for the officer that did enter the DNA from the cold case into the database," said Ronald.
Shamblin, just 17 at the time, worked odd jobs for the Crossmans. The arrest happened long after Judy's father died. She said her father passed looking for answers.
"He never knew," said Judy.
The trial continues tomorrow.
