MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories

Episode Summary: Fan Favorite - "The Artist" (Feb 20, 2026)

Main Theme

This remastered fan-favorite episode tells the chilling true-crime story of Shelly Nance, a talented and introverted art student in Dallas, Texas, who was found brutally murdered in her apartment in September 2009. Host MrBallen (John Allen) presents a suspenseful, step-by-step account of the investigation, intertwining the personal tragedies, mistaken suspicions, and complex motivations behind a murder case that haunted everyone involved.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Shelly Nance: An Artist and Outsider

• Shelly, 20, an art student at the Art Institute of Dallas, is described as a loner who found joy and belonging through her artwork and new friends at college.
• She had recently questioned her relationship with boyfriend Nathan but hadn’t yet broken up.
  • Quote: "[Shelly] wrote, 'You laugh at me because I'm different. I laugh at you because you're all the same.'" (04:01)

2. The Day Shelly Disappeared

• Last seen sketching late into the night; her parents, on a road trip, become concerned after she stops responding to texts.
• Her roommate, Ashley, finds her dead in bed after the school urges a welfare check (12:00).

3. Discovery and Immediate Aftermath

• Detective Elzey, a seasoned but sensitive investigator, feels an unusual personal connection to the case, as Shelly is the same age as his own daughter.
• The scene shows no forced entry or major signs of struggle, but contains gory, focused violence, suggesting rage—and that Shelly knew her killer.
  • Quote: "He couldn't even count the number of stab wounds in her neck and back..." (15:53)

4. Investigation and Suspect Interviews

Roommate: Ashley

• Initially, Ashley's nonchalance seems suspicious. She lived for 18 hours in the apartment with Shelly's corpse, noticing only "a few spots of blood" in the shared bathroom (18:00).
• She’s pressed hard but maintains her innocence, despite inconsistencies.

Boyfriend: Nathan

• Nathan has a poor alibi for the window of Shelly's death (20:59), and investigators discover scratches on his chest, plus a collection of knives and a bag with blood and hair in his bathroom.
• Nathan claims innocence, describing the relationship as non-sexual and awkward.
• Quote: "[Nathan] said they'd only been dating a couple of months and really their relationship was not that serious. They hadn't had sex. In fact, they hadn't even kissed." (24:46)

Nathan’s Roommate: Daniel Willem

• Nathan’s alibi and the blood/hair bag in his bathroom raise suspicions, but he suggests Daniel may be the actual suspect, hinting at jealousy.
• Surveillance and purchase records from Walmart reveal Daniel bought blue latex gloves matching forensic evidence, undermining his own alibi.

5. Turning the Investigation

• Detective Elzey methodically checks alibis. Both Nathan and Daniel accuse each other, and Daniel rationalizes his control of Nathan by blaming Shelly.
• Key evidence: blue latex glove fragment on Shelly’s wrist matches gloves Daniel bought, surveillance timestamps, and Daniel’s repeated texts to Ashley to confirm she was away (35:49).
  • Quote: "Elzie believed these text messages were the murderer trying to make sure the house was empty except for Shelley." (35:54)

6. Arrest, Resolution, and Aftermath

• Daniel is arrested and convicted (sentenced to life in 2011) after investigators unravel his duplicity, including duplicating Ashley’s apartment key and orchestrating the crime with careful timing.
• Shelly’s legacy lives on through a scholarship for art students, and Nathan receives an apology from Shelly’s mother after his name is cleared.
  • Quote: "After the conviction, Shelly's mother found Nathan and gave him a big hug and told him she was sorry for suspecting him..." (41:25)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Shelly’s Isolation:
  "She even joked about that in her senior yearbook. Choosing a biting quote to go with her picture, she wrote, you laugh at me because I'm different. I laugh at you because you're all the same." (04:01)
• On the Discovery:
  "[Ashley] saw Shelly's sheets were soaked in blood. Absolutely horrified, Ashley screamed Shelly's name over and over again..." (12:30)
• On the Detective’s Reaction:
  "He suddenly felt like he was looking at his own child lying there covered in blood." (15:30)
• On False Leads:
  "[Nathan] claims that his roommate Daniel was jealous... Daniel had gotten really possessive of him..." (31:06)
• On Evidence Linking Daniel:
  "Daniel had purchased hair dye, just like he said. But he also purchased blue latex gloves. And the crime lab determined that the material from the brand of gloves matched that little blue piece of latex..." (36:30)
• Shelly’s Mother’s Forgiveness:
  "After the conviction, Shelley's mother found Nathan and gave him a big hug and told him she was sorry for suspecting him and not shaking his hand at the memorial." (41:25)

Timeline of Important Segments

• 00:00–01:56 — Setup & Intro to the Case
• 03:00–08:50 — Shelly’s background, personal life, and last known actions
• 10:45–14:25 — Discovery of Shelly’s body & notification of her family
• 14:25–19:56 — Detective Elzey joins, surveys the crime scene, initial findings
• 20:59–28:40 — Suspect interviews: Ashley, Nathan, Nathan’s apartment search, suspicion and evidence
• 30:05–35:54 — Memorial & further investigation: shifting suspicion from Nathan to Daniel
• 36:00–39:00 — Key forensic links, Daniel’s purchase records, unraveling the case
• 39:00–41:45 — Arrest, conviction, and the establishment of Shelly’s legacy

Conclusion

This episode is a suspenseful, detail-rich narrative that guides listeners through the complexities of a real-life murder investigation—from the initial, all-too-normal circumstances to the misapplied suspicions, and finally, to the painstaking unraveling of the truth. It highlights how personal motives, subtle clues, and dogged police work eventually brought justice for a promising young artist whose life was cruelly cut short.

MrBallen's storytelling remains empathetic and compelling, honoring the victim while illustrating the shadowy depths of obsession and deception that can exist even in the most seemingly ordinary lives.