Suvechha Sarkar
In April 2006, 17-year-old Ashley Reeves from Millstadt, Illinois, mysteriously went missing after she set out from home. Hours later, her sudden disappearance sparked a frantic search, leaving her family and authorities deeply concerned. The investigation led officials to a Teacher and Coach, Samson Shelton, AKA Sam, with whom Ashley had been secretly involved. Lifetime’s ‘Left for Dead: The Ashley Reeves Story’ shed light on the crime with a reenactment of the circumstances leading up to her disappearance and what followed. It also provides the details of Sam’s actions and the journey towards justice.
Samson Shelton Initially Tried to Mislead Detectives With False Claims
Samson Shelton, AKA Sam, was born on March 9, 1980. He lived with his mother, Susan, and grandmother in the neighborhood of Wildwood Lake Estates in Smithton, Illinois. In 2006, the 26-year-old worked at Freeburg High School as a Driver’s Education Teacher and Assistant Baseball Coach. He was also a professional wrestler who went by the name “The Teacher.” Things took a turn when one of his former students, 17-year-old Ashley Reeves, suddenly went missing on April 27, 2006. She reportedly told her mother she was going out for a job interview in Fairview Heights, Illinois. Hours later, when she didn’t return home or respond to anyone’s calls or texts, her mother reported her missing.
Ashley had left with the car of her boyfriend, Jeremy Smith, and it was found by the officials at Laderman Park in Belleville. When her parents tried to call the numbers she frequently contacted, one of them came up repeatedly, which was Sam’s. According to her sister, Casey, their mother had asked him if he knew where Ashley was, but he denied knowing anything. According to reports, her friends claimed Sam and Ashley were romantically involved and often met each other. However, when detectives questioned him, he claimed he and Ashley were just friends who played basketball together. The reports stated that Sam alleged shortly after that she was becoming increasingly attached to him, which he claimed was why he had been trying to distance himself from Ashley for weeks.
Samson Shelton Confessed After 12 Hours of Interrogation
Sam changed his statements soon after and confessed that he was intimate with Ashley in his car on April 27. He claimed that they had allegedly gotten into an argument while he was driving. He insisted that Ashley was upset because he wanted to end their relationship, and then claimed to have left her at the side of the road. As the interrogation went on for 12 hours, Sam finally confessed that he had taken Ashley to the woods of a public park in Belleville and put her in a “wrestling chokehold.” As per official records, he said that he heard a “pop,” following which she lost consciousness.
Sam further claimed that he “panicked” and took her deeper into the woods, where he proceeded to strangle her. Sam confessed that he believed Ashley was dead, following which he admittedly left her there and fled the scene. More than 30 hours after she went missing, he led the officials to the location where he had left Ashley. Fortunately, she was alive and rushed to the hospital, where she made a recovery. Ultimately, Sam was arrested and charged with two counts of attempted murder and one count of aggravated kidnapping.
Samson Shelton is Out on Parole Today, Awaiting His Discharge
Following his arrest, Sam was held in a St. Clair County jail on a $1 million bail bond. The reports stated that the grand jury eventually dropped two charges against him, leaving only one count of attempted first-degree murder. Despite his confession, Sam reportedly was released on house arrest. In May 2007, during the pre-trial period, he reportedly tried to die by suicide by ingesting alcohol and prescription pills. It even led to a psychiatrist’s assessment to determine whether Sam was mentally fit to stand a trial. However, a judge reportedly accepted the test result and ordered the trial to proceed.
Ultimately, Sam entered a guilty plea on June 15, 2007, to one count of attempted first-degree murder. He was sentenced on the same day to 20 years in prison. He was ordered to serve 85% of his sentence, approximately 17 years, before being eligible for parole. Following the sentencing, Ashley stated, “I’m glad it’s over with. I just want to continue with my life and not worry about it.” Sam served his time in the Illinois Correctional System and was released on parole on April 22, 2024. According to the prison records, his projected discharge date is April 22, 2027, by which time he will be around 47 years old. As of writing, Sam maintains a low profile and has remained away from the spotlight.
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