Now her daughter, who has lived with the emptiness of losing her mom, is trying to shed light on the cold case and has a message for the killer or killers.
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"I would say that you pretty much ruined our lives. You took my mother away from me, sorry, you have taken someone that is so important to me away," says Desiree Apodaca.
Shannon was described by her family as a free spirit.
The youngest of four kids, and her parent's only daughter.
She was also the loving mother of Desiree, who was just three years old at the time.
She was found dead at her house on July 23rd of 1985 by her husband, Thomas, Desiree's stepdad.
Thomas told investigators that he arrived home, left his stepdaughter in the truck, walked into the house through the back door, and found Shannon's body.
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Police found few clues and no forced entry was suspected.
To this date, no arrests have been made.
"It's been a rough road, there are a lot of emotions, just about everything you can think of. There is anger, grief, it's always kinda lingering in your head, the unanswered questions and that void that has been there," says Desiree.
The detective at the time, Ernie Burk says there are key pieces to the case missing.
No weapon has been found and few witnesses came forward.
"You have possible evidence that was probably concealed from us. It's just a frustration, that we didn't have anyone to come forward, and basically have given us information that they probably should've given us the first time," says retired Detective Ernie.
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Desiree believes that money could've been a motive in her mother's murder.
Shannon had three life insurance policies in her name.
One was taken out the month before her death.
Her husband, Thomas, was the beneficiary.
We reached out to Tom Saville and are still waiting to hear back.
Anyone with information on the case is urged to call Crime Stoppers or Cold Case Investigator Sergio Toscano at (559) 600-8027.
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