Dark Downeast – The Murder of Shirley McAvoy (Maine)

Host: Kylie Low
Original Air Date: January 1, 2026
Podcast Theme: True crime stories from Maine and New England, focusing on unsolved and underreported cases with empathy and careful research.

Episode Overview

This episode revisits the mysterious 1990 disappearance and murder of Shirley McAvoy, a 32-year-old mother from Pittsfield, Maine. Host Kylie Low reconstructs the timeline from Shirley’s troubled summer, through the shocking discovery of her remains in Virginia, to the ongoing search for a man known only as “Jerry”—the prime suspect who remains unidentified more than three decades later. The episode underscores both the personal impact of Shirley’s loss and the frustrating dead ends that have kept her case unsolved.

Key Discussion Points and Case Breakdown

Shirley’s Life and Disappearance

• Separation and Struggles: Shirley was going through a painful separation from her husband, Brian, living alone with her two dogs, while her daughters were in Brian’s custody. Friends described her coping with loneliness and depression, trying to reclaim some sense of normalcy ([00:03]).
• August 8-9, 1990: Shirley hosted friends at her house. The next day, a police officer served her with divorce papers; a custody hearing was scheduled for August 10 ([04:17]).
• Missed Court and Birthday: Shirley failed to appear at the court hearing and missed her daughter’s birthday, a highly uncharacteristic absence ([05:28]).
• First Alarms: Friends initially rationalized her disappearance, but as time passed, her absence and the empty home struck them as worrying ([06:41]).
• Brian Reports Her Missing: About a week or two after her last sighting, Brian reports Shirley missing. Her red Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and her two dogs were also missing, deepening the mystery ([07:27]).

Investigation and Discovery

• Delayed Action: Shirley’s information wasn’t immediately entered into national databases, possibly due to the era’s lackadaisical response to adult missing persons ([09:12]).
• Disturbing Discovery: In October, with Shirley gone nearly two months, Brian and others go to winterize her house. Shirley’s friend discovers a gruesome bloodstain hidden by the sofa. This prompts police involvement and a full crime scene investigation ([11:08]).
  • Blood found on carpets and walls, especially a large two-by-three-foot stain, suggested foul play ([13:09]).
  • Shirley’s clothes are untouched except for her new bedspread, which was missing—a clue that will gain significance ([14:38]).
• Signs of Canine Distress: Evidence showed Shirley’s dogs were likely locked in a room and had soiled the floor—strange, since Shirley was very devoted to them ([15:08]).
• Vehicle and Sightings: After the blood discovery, Shirley’s car details finally entered NCIC. Two leads:
  1. Boston Hit-and-Run: Involved a man, not Shirley, driving the car, who provided Brian’s insurance info and then fled ([17:30]).
  2. Florida Traffic Stop: A possible sighting, but records were unclear and inconclusive due to missing details ([21:39]).

The “Jerry” Mystery

• Composite Sketch and Description: “Jerry,” possibly 5'10", 180 lbs, mid-30s, dirty blond hair, blue eyes, southern accent, pockmarks, and slightly crooked teeth, had been seen staying with Shirley days before her disappearance ([23:09]). Composite sketches circulated but led nowhere substantial ([25:32]).
• Clouded Backstory: Jerry claimed various backgrounds—relatives in Saco, Maine, Millinocket construction work, military claims (Air Force in Virginia), old ties to Kentucky/Oklahoma/Virginia, possibly married (divorcing) in Massachusetts, and a 12-year-old daughter ([26:14]).
• Multiple Names: Some sources referred to him as "Don" instead of "Jerry" ([39:01]).

Discovery of Shirley’s Remains

• Location: November 20, 1990—a hunter in Spotsylvania, Virginia, finds skeletal remains wrapped in a quilt/curtain, feet bound by cord. The remains are quickly identified as Shirley’s via dental and personal items ([29:27]).
• Significance: Proximity to the road but in a secluded area led investigators to believe the perpetrator knew that part of Virginia ([31:04]).
• Dogs and Car Still Missing: Searches yielded no sign of the dogs, murder weapon, or Shirley’s car—each element a frustrating gap ([32:17]).

Subsequent Leads and Dead Ends

• Car Recovered in Georgia: In April 1991, Shirley’s car, repainted and changed hands, is found near the Florida-Georgia border. Evidence inside is inconclusive ([34:13]).
• National Attention Efforts: Maine police sought help from programs like Unsolved Mysteries and later Real Stories of the Highway Patrol—though neither bore fruit. The family also tried to incentivize tips with a $10,000 reward in 2004 ([41:46]).
• Books and Media: The case was written up in Murderers Among Us, though Shirley’s family and the police criticized its inaccuracies and exploitation ([39:13]).
• Composite Sketch Circulation: Despite wide distribution and calls, the sketch never resulted in positive identification ([25:32], [41:46]).

Personal Reflections and Legacy

• Shirley’s Character: Remembered as a devoted mother, volunteer, and neighbor who “would help anyone who needed help without any questions asked” ([47:48]).
• Family’s Ongoing Pain: Detailing how Shirley’s children, especially her daughter Christina, suffered from both the immediate loss and the lack of closure. Christina: “We just want this guy behind bars, and we want to know why he did it.” ([49:07])
• Open Plea for Tips: Host Kylie Low directly asks listeners, especially in Virginia, to share the composite sketch and help finally break the case ([51:16]).

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Shirley’s Disappearance:
  “Maybe Shirley just needed to get away and deal with her problems somehow. Maybe she left to get some space from it all. So the days passed, and then a week and Shirley's home sat empty.” (Kylie Low, [06:41])
• On Discovery at the House:
  “The couch was also moved out of its usual spot… When they pushed the couch back, what it revealed made Shirley’s friend feel sick. She thought it looked exactly like dried blood. A lot of it.” (Kylie Low, [11:45])
• Police Statement:
  “A State Police sergeant stated that they'd found a significant amount of human blood inside Shirley's home, including a two foot by two or three foot stain on the living room carpet.” ([13:26])
• About ‘Jerry’:
  “Just who was this guy behind the wheel of Shirley’s car?” (Kylie Low, [17:27])
  “He told one person his name was Jerry, but others reportedly knew him as Dawn. To some he said he worked at a mill in Millinocket. To others he said he was an Air Force mechanic from Virginia.” ([38:56])
• On the Family’s Pain:
  “Her daughter, Christina, was only 12 years old when her mother disappeared… the truth found its way to them anyway, delivered by a classmate on a playground that her mother had been found not alive but discarded—it was a moment that changed the course of her childhood.” ([48:09])
• Family’s Hope:
  “We just want this guy behind bars, and we want to know why he did it.” (Christina McAvoy, [49:09])
• Ongoing Plea:
  “Please look at the composite sketch of the man known as Jerry posted at darkdowneast.com and consider whether you recognize him… Your awareness may help provide the critical information needed to move this case forward.” (Kylie Low, [51:36])

Important Timestamps

• [00:03] – Episode Introduction & Case Setup
• [04:17] – Timeline Leading Up to Disappearance
• [07:27] – Initial Missing Person Report
• [11:08] – Blood Discovered During House Winterizing
• [17:30] – Hit-and-Run Lead in Boston
• [23:09] – Physical Description & Background of “Jerry”
• [29:27] – Discovery of Shirley’s Remains in Virginia
• [34:13] – Car Recovery in Georgia
• [39:13] – Book Coverage and Disputed Portrayals
• [41:46] – TV Show Attention & Family’s $10,000 Reward
• [47:48] – Shirley’s Character Remembered
• [49:09] – Daughter’s Quote on Family’s Need for Closure
• [51:36] – Final Plea for Tips and Awareness

Episode Tone & Style

• Empathetic and Detailed: Kylie Low narrates with a heart-centered approach, respectfully honoring Shirley’s story while dissecting the investigative process and highlighting systemic challenges.
• Documentary Style: Mixes timeline narration with summaries of source materials, statements from friends and police, and reflections on the media’s impact.
• Persistent Call to Action: The host’s plea and outreach feel personal and urgent, closing with a direct appeal for public help.

Final Thoughts

This episode paints a vivid, somber portrait of Shirley McAvoy’s life, her tragic end, and the pain left in her family’s wake. Despite national exposure and intermittent new pushes for tips, the mystery of “Jerry” endures—encapsulating the enduring anguish of unsolved cases.

If you have any information:
Contact Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit Central at 207-624-7076 ext. 9, or use the anonymous tip form linked at darkdowneast.com.