• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Crime / Courts / Defiance woman’s murder trial begins

Defiance woman’s murder trial begins

April 22, 2004 By admin

Opening statements are underway in the case of a western Iowa woman who’s accused of murdering her husband and hiding his body in a bedroom of her Defiance home. Prosecutor Charles Thoman says Dixie Shanahan had chances to escape from her abusive husband, Scott, but she chose to stay. Thoman also suggested the murder may have had something to do with Scott Shanahan’s 150-thousand dollar inheritance running out. Thoman says in July of 2002, a bank officer called the Shanahans to tell them the inheritance account had dropped below one-thousand dollars.Thoman says “within a month, the account was zeroed out, and also within about a month, Scott Shanahan was dead.” Thoman says there is no doubt Scott Shanahan was abusive, and he says most people would’ve found him “hard to like.” But, he says Dixie Shanahan committed a premeditated crime by taking a loaded shotgun and shooting her husband in the back of the head as he slept.Dixie Shanahan’s attorney, Greg Steensland, is making opening statements today. Steensland says he plans to argue that Dixie Shanahan was justified in killing her husband because of the abuse she had to endure.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Crime / Courts

Featured Stories

Bill would limit placement of solar arrays on farm ground

Marquette casino moving to land, leaving only 2 casino boats in Iowa

Reynolds signs her ‘school choice’ bill into law

Governor Reynolds touts 2024 Iowa Caucuses in Inaugural Address

University of Iowa grad presiding over U.S. House Speaker vote

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

No coaching changes coming for Iowa football

Iowa State names new receivers coach

No. 2 Iowa visits No. 1 Penn State in wrestling dual Friday night

Iowa’s Clark brings increased exposure to women’s basketball

No. 18 Iowa State women visit TCU

More Sports

Archives

Copyright © 2023 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC