Peggy Joyce Shelton (March 30, 1943 - c. July 1972), nicknamed "Edna" while unidentified, was a woman found murdered in Florida in 1972.
She was identified with assistance from Othram Inc. in January 2024.
Case[]
Peggy's body was discovered in a wooded area off of State Road 50 and High Corner Road in Brooksville, Florida, by a local teenage boy passing along through the area close to the Withlacoochee State Forest. Her body had been concealed beneath a brown and yellow bedspread or quilt, its pattern described as a "Pineapple Damask" print with three square corners and one rounded corner. Upon investigation, authorities concluded that the woman had been strangled to death 3-4 days before her discovery.
Peggy may have been seen alive a few days prior with two other individuals inside a white 1961 or 1962 Ford Falcon. The group was witnessed in the area exiting the vehicle and venturing into the woods, returning some time later without one group member. Additionally, it was theorized the woman may have recently traveled to the area from Alabama or north Florida.
In 2015, Peggy's remains were exhumed for additional testing and to make a reconstruction. Isotope tests indicated that she had lived in the United States for at least 5 to 10 years and spent several years in Florida. Investigators then nicknamed her 'Edna' due to her facial features in the reconstruction.
In August 2024, it was revealed that Peggy's husband, suspected serial killer Jerry Lee Fletcher, was responsible for her murder. Fletcher spent his life in prison in Illinois from 1973 onwards for the murder of 13-year-old Shirley McCune. It was later confirmed through DNA testing that he also murdered 14-year-old Gina Justi in Florida in 1971. While imprisoned, he also admitted to police that he had committed further murders in Florida, but because Illinois prosecutors would not give him the assurance that he would not face the death penalty, he refused to give details. He died in prison in 2014.
Characteristics[]
- Brown hair measuring 4 to 6 inches.
- Her teeth were in poor condition, with only six upper and six lower teeth remaining.
Clothing and accessories[]
- A quilt or bedspread decorated with a "Pineapple Damask"-type pattern in brown and yellow. It had three square corners and one rounded corner.
- White bra.
- White bikini-style panties.
Gallery[]
