Naman Shrestha
Shannon Madill wanted to make it big as an actress and was working hard to achieve her dreams when fate intervened. In late 2014, she suddenly disappeared, and the search for her began. Her family’s worst nightmares came true when her remains were discovered months later. The entire case and the investigation that ensued are intricately explored in NBC’s ‘Dateline: The Night of Audition,’ which also features exclusive interviews with Shannon’s loved ones and the officials linked to the investigation, providing more insight into the case.
Shannon Madill Went Missing For Months Before Her Remains Were Found Buried in Her Backyard
Shannon Heather Madill Burgess was born on July 6, 1989, in Calgary, Alberta, to David and Lisa Madill. Growing up in a close-knit household alongside two brothers, Tyler and Brett Madill, and a sister named Erin Madill, Shannon developed a passion for comedy, as she loved making everyone laugh with her quirky sense of humor. Her family also consisted of a furry little member named Beowoof. Apart from being a comedian, she also aspired to become a successful and recognized actor. Given her vibrant and outgoing personality, it was quite easy for her to make new friends and gel with others.
While she was studying at Central Memorial High School, she participated in several music and drama programs. Having exceptional skills as a musician, Shannon was also an integral member of the Calgary Stampede Show Bands for a while. She was a talented individual who had a knack for various other things, including improv games and voice acting. Shannon also surprised her mother on one of her birthdays by performing one of her stand-up comedy routines for her at the Calgary Fringe Festival. She was in a long-term relationship with a man named Joshua Burgess, whom she eventually married after four years of togetherness.
Looking forward to making it as an actress, Shannon had given the biggest audition of her acting career in late 2014. However, on November 30, she didn’t show up for a family event, raising concerns among her loved ones. The following day, her sister reported her missing. The police launched extensive searches for the missing 25-year-old, but to no avail. After seven long months, a lead took the police to her house in the 1900 block of Spiller Road Southeast in Calgary, Alberta. Upon digging in the backyard, they discovered her remains.
The Killer Tried to Take His Own Life Before Confessing to His Crimes
During the investigation, the authorities learned that the marriage between Shannon Madill and Joshua Burgess was far from perfect. It turned out that by November 2014, they had separated and begun dating other people. On top of that, Shannon was also in the middle of packing up her possessions in order to move to Edmonton, where she had landed a dream job. As per reports, on the morning of November 27, the separated couple got intimate before a heated argument erupted between them. Shannon allegedly told Joshua that she regretted marrying him.
As the argument turned physical, Joshua began strangling her, first with his hands and then with his belt, after she allegedly bit his hand when he put his hand on her mouth. He then reportedly proceeded to keep her remains inside a large plastic bin on the patio of their house in the Ramsay neighborhood. Seven months later, he dug a shallow grave in the lawn and buried her remains, covering the area with dirt, cement slabs, and branches. The authorities were also told by an employee at the nearby 7-Eleven that after Shannon went missing, Joshua was allegedly seen with a new girlfriend.
As the police became suspicious of Joshua, they obtained a search warrant for his house. When they knocked on his door on July 2, 2015, he refused to open up or come out of the house. After calling him by phone, he answered and admitted that he had killed his estranged wife, Shannon. Although he eventually came out, he was bleeding from a self-inflicted slash on his throat. He was rushed to the hospital immediately. Once he had recovered, he confessed to his crime during an interrogation. “I chose my lawn because I just didn’t want her to leave,” he revealed. Thus, he was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection with the killing of Shannon Madill.
The Killer Expressed Remorse At His Sentencing Hearing
More than two years later, on December 4, 2017, Joshua Burgess pleaded guilty to second-degree murder right before his trial began. Several members of Shannon Madill’s family came prepared with their victim impact statements. Her sister, Erin, stated, “(He) kept us suffering for so long … intentionally keeping us in limbo…I’ve lost myself. I lost my lifelong best friend.” As for her brother, Tyler Madill, he addressed the killer and stated, “The ability to look a person in the eyes, knowing you’re the cause of all the pain and suffering that you see, and act like you know nothing. No amount of time will ever be enough to make up for what he’s taken from us.” Shannon’s father, David, also took the stand and felt guilty for not being able to keep her daughter safe.
“I feel a significant amount of betrayal. Josh was not some stranger on the street, but rather someone we had welcomed into the family,” he said. Meanwhile, her mother, Lisa, said, “There is a hole in my heart that will never heal. He kept us dangling in limbo for seven horrible months.” Before his sentencing, Joshua addressed the court and apologized to the Madill family. He stated, “I’m very sorry for the vows that I made, that I promised to look after her, no matter what the circumstances were. I failed her in that…For several months afterwards, everybody stood by me, unquestionably … I failed all of you in that and I am so very sorry for that and so very sorry that I didn’t say something earlier.” Ultimately, he was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after serving a minimum of 10 years.
