Episode 312

Summary

Sword and Scale Episode 312 Summary: The Dark Descent of Rachel Sheridan

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Introduction: The Disappearance of Rachel Sheridan

In Episode 312 of Sword and Scale, listeners are taken through the harrowing story of Rachel Sheridan, a 24-year-old woman from North Canton, Ohio, whose sudden disappearance spirals into a tale of abuse, betrayal, and brutal murder. This episode delves deep into the complexities of human relationships and the dark paths they can lead to.

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Background: Rachel Sheridan – A Beacon of Kindness

Rachel Sheridan was known among her friends and neighbors as a hardworking and compassionate individual. Living independently in a modest basement apartment, Rachel balanced her life by working overnight shifts at a Love's gas station, saving diligently to afford her Jeep Liberty and maintain her independence.

Mike Boudet [15:07]: "You can see in the picture the sunlight. When it hit her, her skin glowed. She just was gorgeous."

Rachel's social media presence reflected her empathetic nature, often advocating for women in abusive relationships and showcasing her creative side through poetry and journaling. Her neighbors described her as friendly, always ready with a brief hello or a helping hand.

Lisa Sheridan [14:27]: "If I were like to be taken out the trash, I'd say hi to her, she'd say hi to me. It was really friendly, brief conversations."

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Entering Darkness: The Rise of Shawn Go

Rachel's life took a tumultuous turn when she met Shawn Go, a 26-year-old with a troubled past. Shawn's history was marred by burglary, theft, and aggression. His entry into Rachel's life was swift; despite his scant resume and lack of ambition, the two quickly became inseparable.

Their relationship, however, was far from ideal. Shawn's violent tendencies became evident as early as April 2024, with incidents including breaking into an apartment to steal a handgun and threatening Rachel with violence.

Lisa Sheridan [19:46]: "Oh yeah, because I live in that building, right on the third floor. I see it and I hear it all. So I've seen the night she comes out screaming in the parking lot."

Despite Rachel's attempts to help Shawn and her hopes of changing him, his behavior only worsened. By May 2024, Shawn had garnered multiple active warrants for burglary, grand theft of a firearm, and domestic violence, painting a grim picture of his character.

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The Disappearance: A Mother's Nightmare

On June 29, 2024, Rachel made her last known call to her mother, Lisa Sheridan. The following days saw a disturbing lack of communication, culminating on July 2nd when Rachel failed to show up for her job at Love's Travel Stop.

Lisa Sheridan [00:48]: "Sure, Rachel's busy a lot. She works full time. Even so, the 24-year-old always found time to call her mother."

Growing increasingly anxious, Lisa and her fiancé decided to conduct a welfare check at Rachel's apartment. Upon arrival, they found Rachel's cat alone, with no sign of Rachel. Attempts to reach her through the apartment were futile, prompting Lisa to call the sheriff's department.

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The Investigation: Tracking Down Shawn Go

Deputies arrived at Rachel's apartment, uncovering a scene indicative of neglect but finding no trace of Rachel. The absence of her car and the presence of her cat heightened suspicions of foul play.

Lisa Sheridan [06:09]: "She has not been answering me on my text, which she usually does. And then for some reason, I called her job."

A BOLO (Be On LookOut) alert was issued for Rachel’s red 2010 Jeep Liberty. The vehicle was soon spotted on Guilford Avenue in Stark County, and a traffic stop was initiated. The driver, identified as Shawn Go, attempted to flee upon realizing he was being arrested, disappearing into a wooded area despite the deployment of canines and drones.

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Shawn Go: From Suspect to Fugitive

Shawn's background revealed a pattern of destructive behavior. His history included a 2016 burglary in Jackson Township, leading to a four-year prison sentence. Upon release, Shawn reverted to his old habits, further entrenching himself in criminal activities.

Mike Boudet [53:59]: "But what was more valuable was the surveillance footage recovered from Mother Goose Land where Willie the Whale still lives. It showed Sean walking by the trash cans at 7:56pm on July 2."

Despite his attempts to evade capture, Shawn's digital footprint, including cell phone data and surveillance footage, placed him at critical points in the timeline surrounding Rachel's disappearance and subsequent murder.

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The Crime Scene: Unveiling the Horror

A second search of Rachel's apartment, prompted by a neighbor's concern for the neglected cats, led to the discovery of a gruesome crime scene. Rachel had been savagely beaten with such force that her skull was fractured, and her facial features were obliterated.

Mike Boudet [44:57]: "Per the medical examiner's own words, her cranium literally exploded. An obvious indication that Rachel had been savagely beaten with an instrument much heavier than a human fist."

Despite extensive searching, investigators struggled to identify the exact murder weapon, as the suspected hammer yielded no DNA evidence linking it to Shawn. This gap in evidence highlighted the challenges faced during the investigation.

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Trial and Conviction: Seeking Justice

In early November 2024, Shawn Go's trial commenced. The prosecution leveraged digital evidence, including Rachel's phone data and surveillance footage, to build a compelling case. Additionally, Rachel's journal unveiled heartbreaking details, including her pregnancy with Shawn's child, adding a layer of tragedy to the narrative.

Mike Boudet [61:17]: "The entry was dated April 17, 2024, indicating that Rachel was two months and nearly two weeks along in her pregnancy at the time that she was murdered."

Despite the defense's attempts to paint Shawn as a troubled individual shaped by a difficult upbringing, the overwhelming evidence led to a unanimous guilty verdict. Shawn was sentenced to 29 years to life in prison, marking the culmination of a deeply distressing case.

Lisa Sheridan [63:45]: "You have murdered our baby girl. My question is, why would you do this to someone that loved you?"

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Conclusion: The Aftermath and Reflections

Rachel Sheridan's story is a poignant reminder of the unseen battles individuals face and the devastating impact of abusive relationships. The episode underscores the importance of vigilance, support systems, and the relentless pursuit of justice in the face of unimaginable horror.

Mike Boudet [66:56]: "Rachel was kind, hopeful, loved. She was building a life. One that now exists only in memories and what ifs."

Through meticulous investigation and unwavering determination, Sword and Scale shines a light on the darkest facets of human nature, ensuring that Rachel Sheridan's legacy of kindness and resilience is remembered amidst the tragedy of her untimely death.

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Notable Quotes:

• Detective [07:29]: "I have the officers on the way."
• Mike Boudet [45:33]: "Despite that fact, the instrument used to cause such damage remained unclear as the weapon had yet to be discovered."
• Lisa Sheridan [22:50]: "That's when all hell broke loose."
• Detective [32:12]: "It's heartbreaking. Rachel Sheridan was beaten so severely that the sheriff deputy who saw her body couldn't identify her based on her own photo."

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End of Summary

Transcript

[Mike Boudet]

Sword and Scale contains adult themes and violence and is not intended for all audiences. Listener discretion is advised.

[Lisa Sheridan]

I come back picking.

[Detective]

Leonard opened the latch on the left side driver's side of the truck and.

[Lisa Sheridan]

He comes around the front of the truck and says, there's a dead body in there.

[Mike Boudet]

What is wrong with this fascist bidet asshole anyway? Why does he keep putting out episodes? Hi, it's me again. Putting the fries firmly in the bag. Would you like some ketchup with that? My staff is gonna fucking kill me for putting out so many episodes. I should really spread them out. But you know what? I doubled the pricing this year. Kind of owe you one, don't I? Or maybe two or three. So it's gonna be a little bit of a fun white boy summer here at Sword and Scale Enterprises. And then we're probably gonna take a little time off in the fall, just letting you know so you don't freak the F. Everybody needs a vacay, you know, but gonna try to put out as much as we can here because why not? Why not? Not like I'm doing this for the money anyway. I'm doing it to piss off liberals. It's the summer of 2024, and Lisa Sheridan's concerns are growing with each unanswered call. She can't reach her daughter Rachel, who she speaks with every day. Lisa tries to calm her nerves by telling herself that she's fine, but it's not working. Sure, Rachel's busy a lot. She works full time. Even so, the 24 year old always found time to call her mother. Call your mother, guys. She misses you. The last time Lisa heard from Rachel was three days ago, on Saturday, June 29th. Now it's July 2nd, and Lisa picks up the phone again to call Rachel's work. After just one ring, the manager at Love's Travel Stop gas station in North Canton, Ohio, answers the phone. Lisa asks if Rachel is scheduled to work that day. The manager says she is, but she hasn't shown up. Lisa's stomach drops, realizing just how uncharacteristic this was of her daughter. It's at this point when Lisa and her fiance decide to drive over to her apartment, see what's going on. When they arrive, they see one of Rachel's cats sitting on the basement unit's windowsill. As it pokes its white head past a blanket covering the large pane of glass. Lisa wonders what happened to the curtains she bought her daughter that were once there. She and her fiance then enter the building and walk down the small set of steps that lead to Rachel's apartment. Immediately, Lisa's fiance starts banging on the door, but there's no answer. Lisa then reaches into her purse, grabs her phone, and calls the sheriff's department.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Hi, I was wondering if I could speak with a police officer. Okay. In reference to what, ma'? Am? My daughter. I'm. I haven't spoke with her for three days, and then I find out that she called. She was a no call, no show at her job, and her car is gone. And we're at her apartment right now looking for her. What's the address? 4107 Orchard, Dale. The police have been out here more than once, but all of a sudden, now she's nowhere to be found. She's not answering my text. Okay, what apartment does she live in? I'm not sure. I know it's downstairs to the left. And you say her car is not there? No, it's not. Not. Okay. It's not. It's not here. Okay. She has not been answering me on my text, which she usually. She usually does. And then for some reason, I called her job. What's her job? And they told Rachel. R A Y C H E L Sheridan S H E R I While.

[Mike Boudet]

Lisa's on the phone with dispatch, her fiance yells from the background after hearing a noise coming from inside Rachel's apartment.

[Lisa Sheridan]

What'd you do? You didn't break that, did you? No. I'm banging on the door. There's somebody in there. Okay, so he didn't make contact with anyone, Is that right? No, he hasn't. He was banging on the door and he said it's like nobody's in there. And. Oh, God, it sounded like somebody was in there. Oh, it sounded like. So he didn't talk to anybody? He said it just sounded like nobody. So who was he yelling at? Probably trying to get. Trying to get somebody. Answer the damn door. Okay. Do you hear anything? Do you hear anything at this time? Like somebody's inside? No, all I heard. Listen. All I heard was my fiance screaming. He was banging on the door, trying to see if somebody was going to come to the door. All I heard was him yelling. That's all I heard. Yeah. Hold on. All of a sudden, the iPad shut off. Do what? They had a computer or something going on in there, and then they quit. Soon as I started knocking.

[Mike Boudet]

The dispatcher instructs Lisa and her fiance to get away from the door and step outside until the police arrive.

[Lisa Sheridan]

I want you to both to come out of there and come on the property. Come to the parking lot and stand by your Buick, okay? Yep, not a problem. All right. I have the officers on the way. Okay. Thank you so much. You're welcome, ma'. Am. Bye. Bye.

[Mike Boudet]

At around 1pm deputies are dispatched to the apartment on Orchard Dale Drive to conduct a welfare check. Upon entering the unit, deputies are met with a scene that is nothing short of a health hazard. Clothes, cigarette butts, dirty dishes, and several neglected litter boxes are just some of the items contributing to this mess. A deputy then looks down to find one of Rachel's several cats purring and nuzzling against his boot. According to Lisa, she would never leave her animals unattended like this, especially for days on end. I'm sure we have a lot of cat lovers in the audience that feel the same way. After a quick look around, authorities decide it's probably best they step outside, mindful of not contaminating any potential evidence.

[Detective]

When they went in the apartment, they felt that something wasn't quite right. When they determined that nobody was at the apartment, they then determined to get a search warrant so they could investigate further.

[Mike Boudet]

While outside, one of the deputies returns to his patrol car to issue a BOLO alert for Rachel's red 2010 Jeep Liberty. At 2:15pm The Jeep, or yeep, as some jeep enthusiasts like to call it, is spotted less than half a mile away, traveling along Guilford Avenue in Stark County, Ohio. After tailing the vehicle for a few blocks, the officer initiates a traffic stop. The Jeep then slowly pulls into a nearby parking lot. As the officer approaches the driver's side of the vehicle, she's greeted by the sole occupant, a white male appearing to be in his mid twenties.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Go and step out of the vehicle for me. Do you have any weapons on you? Base that way. I'm gonna pat you down real quick, okay? Yes, ma'. Am. Nothing's going to sticker folk me. Don't grab anything. Yeah, okay. No needles, nothing like that?

[Mike Boudet]

No, ma'.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Am. Okay.

[Mike Boudet]

The man is seen on body cam wearing a purple T shirt and red basketball shorts. As the deputy continues to search him.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Where's your girlfriend at?

[Detective]

I haven't seen her.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Why? Because she's missing right now. All right. Gonna put your hands on your back. She drinks so well. She's not home.

[Mike Boudet]

As the officer reaches to grab her handcuffs, she turns her head for just a split second too long, and the suspect takes off running. These lady cops, am I right? Calm down. Calm down. It's a joke. Relax your hormones.

[Lisa Sheridan]

167. He's running from me. Get on the ground.

[Mike Boudet]

After outrunning the officer, the man disappears into a densely wooded area. The out of breath deputy immediately radios her location along with the name and description of the suspect.

[Lisa Sheridan]

My fiance. I. I know how he feels about all of this because her boyfriend has got warrants out for him. Okay. And. Yeah, it's not. This is not a good thing. Okay. Ma'? Am. Yes? What is the boyfriend's name? Do you know? Sean. Go. S E A N G O E. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

[Detective]

And Doug.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Limu and I always tell you to customize your car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual, but now we want you to feel it.

[Detective]

Cue the emu music.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Limu. Save yourself money today. Increase your wealth, customer mice and save. We say that may have been too much feeling.

[Mike Boudet]

Only pay for what you need@liberty mutual.com.

[Detective]

Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty Savings Very unwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance company and affiliates.

[Mike Boudet]

Excludes Massachusetts. When Rachel Sheridan abruptly stopped responding to calls and texts in late June of 2024, her mother was the first one to sense something was wrong. Deputies conducted a welfare check at her apartment, but there was no sign of her. By July 2, her absence had escalated into a full blown panic in search of a missing 24 year old. That afternoon, the situation took a turn, let's say, when Rachel's red Jeep Liberty was seen driven not by her, but by her boyfriend, a 26 year old named Shawn. Go. Officers attempted a traffic stop on Guilford Avenue in Canton, but Shawn fled, ultimately leaving Rachel's vehicle behind. As the manhunt for Shawn and the search for Rachel intensified, investigators spoke with witnesses, friends and family members to learn what led up to Rachel's sudden disappearance. Before she mysteriously vanished, Rachel Sheridan was described as a hardworking woman with a resilient spirit. At age 24, she'd forged her own path, living independently in a modest basement apartment in Canton, Ohio. If you've ever been to Canton, or Ohio for that matter, it's probably for the best, put it that way. Aside from the pro Football hall of Fame, the city doesn't exactly scream opportunity or fun. Probably because the crime rate is almost 200% higher than the national average. And you thought Chicago was bad, but for Rachel, it was home. You know, the place she'd known her entire life. She didn't come from money by any means, but she was disciplined. Rachel had saved up enough funds working overnight shifts at a Love's gas station to afford a Jeep and her own place, which is a lot more than I could say about a lot of people. The Neighbors over at her complex described her as an extremely friendly neighbor, even if it was a quick hello when passing through the halls.

[Lisa Sheridan]

If I were like to be taken out the trash, I'd say hi to her, she'd say hi to me. It was really friendly, brief conversations.

[Mike Boudet]

When she wasn't working, which was almost never, Rachel found time to nurture her creative side. She loved poetry and journaling, filling its pages with her thoughts, dreams, and observations of the world around her. In terms of looks, Rachel also happened to be very attractive. She was petite, with dirty blonde hair that curled and draped over the flower tattoo on her left shoulder.

[Lisa Sheridan]

You can see in the picture the sunlight. When it hit her, her skin glowed. She just was gorgeous.

[Mike Boudet]

What truly stood out about Rachel more than her physical appearance was her personality. She was just as goofy and loud as she was kind. The type of person to stick up for the underdog. Much like the time she noticed a female co worker at a BP gas station behind the counter with a black eye.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Okay, mama, so what's your name? Amanda. I'm with Amanda at the 30 ACE BP, and the owner, for whatever reason, has failed to do his job. Ms. Amanda was assaulted by not only an ex coworker, but three to four other men and women that decided to throw alcohol bottles at her face and other things around the corner. And just being very disrespectful. She's asked the boss to take the proper. The proper steps in doing what they need to do for her, and they've failed to do so. She's contacted attorneys and all of that, but I am just letting it be known that 30 ACP is clearly managed by somebody very, very disrespectful.

[Mike Boudet]

The last video Rachel posted to Snapchat wasn't anything groundbreaking, just a moment in her day. But it said a lot about who she was. Kind, empathetic, especially when it came to women dealing with abusive relationships. She cared. She paid attention. She gave a damn. Then came Sean go. It was 2022, and Rachel was behind the counter at a Love's gas station stacking cigarettes like she did every week, when a skinny guy with a shaved head strolled in and asked if they were hiring. Rachel recognized him instantly. Sean Go. A few years older, same hometown. He had that kind of reputation, the kind where you don't have to know all the details, you just know it wasn't good. He filled out an application. She said she'd put in a word for him. And just like that, despite a resume that was thinner than his hairline, Shawn landed the Job working side by side. They started to click. Sharing jokes, friendly banter. It wasn't long before those interactions turned into something a little more. And while people who knew Rachel would probably say Sean was punching way above his weight, she didn't seem to care. She was, after all, a kind, decent, good person. She liked him. Maybe she saw something in him that the rest of us didn't. Maybe she was captured by that idea that she could change him, you know, fix him in some way. Soon, Facebook got the memo. Selfies, hugging, kissing, that sort of thing. One particular memorable shot showed a shirtless Shawn in the passenger seat of Rachel's Jeep, flashing a tattoo across his collarbone that read, born sinner. But if you've been listening to us long enough, you know, social media is a lie. And behind every curated love story is a. A thing. I don't even know how to describe it. A truth that people don't want you to see. Within months, Sean had moved in. Then he quit his job. Rachel, now working 40 plus hours a week, was paying all the bills, playing chauffeur, and supporting her new full time house guest, who, instead of finding work, chose to sleep in, blaze up and chase soundcloud fame. Nothing like a little clout, you know. It's addictive. More addictive than a lot of hard drugs, actually. And that's what Sean did, because of course he did. Sean didn't have a license. He didn't have any ambition. Probably not much of a personality either. He didn't have much of anything, really, except a history and a girlfriend. What Rachel probably didn't know or didn't want to believe was that Sean's past wasn't just sketchy, it was violent. In 2016, he broke into a home in Jackson Township and walked off with $24,000 in stolen jewelry. Not long after that, he was caught, pleaded guilty to burglary and heroin possession, and was sentenced to four years behind bars. Once out, he went right back to the usual drugs, theft and aggression. Soon the neighbors knew who Shawn was and so did the local cops. And that so called love story, it was beginning to look more like a countdown.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Oh yeah, because I live in that building, right on the third floor. I see it and I hear it all. So I've seen the night she comes out screaming in the parking lot. I've heard her call him a dumb piece of shit. I've called him call her a dumb piece of shit.

[Mike Boudet]

But things only got worse from there. On April 2, 2024, Sean broke into another apartment in North Canton, where He stole a handgun. The following month, he threatened to shoot his girlfriend, Rachel, before putting a knife through the tires of her beloved Jeep.

[Lisa Sheridan]

I walked out of our door, and her tires were slashed. Like I said, what happened to your tires? She said, shawn happened to my tires.

[Mike Boudet]

As a result of his prior offenses, Shawn was hit with charges related to burglary, grand theft of a firearm, domestic violence, and more. Shawn never showed up to court for any of them, of course, resulting in five active warrants. I miss those days when we used to put criminals in prison. Thankfully, they seemed to be coming back. It was around this time when Rachel's friends started to notice the bruises on her neck and arms. An employee at the BP gas station that Rachel frequented would later tell police that she often confided in him, especially about her abusive boyfriend.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Every time she would come in, she, you know, she was alone or whatever. She would, you know, I need to.

[Detective]

Get rid of them.

[Lisa Sheridan]

I. I can't. I guess the courts weren't doing anything for an eviction, so, you know, she would be like, I can't do nothing. I. I'm stuck. She said, I wanted to get away from him.

[Mike Boudet]

Days before her disappearance, Rachel visited the store by herself. But according to the witness, he knew things had gotten worse after noticing an injury to her face.

[Lisa Sheridan]

And she had already came in, like, a few days earlier, she already came in with a black eye.

[Mike Boudet]

The clerk explained to the police that around 1pm the day before she disappeared, he saw Rachel's Jeep pull into the gas station. But according to a statement, he was surprised when he saw her boyfriend Sean behind the wheel and enter the store alone.

[Lisa Sheridan]

But it was just odd. Like, again, because he don't go nowhere. He's not driving her car ever. You know, he didn't know suspicious movements.

[Detective]

Or like, he was looking around or nothing like that.

[Lisa Sheridan]

He just came in like a regular day, and he left, was inside maybe two, three minutes.

[Mike Boudet]

Despite realizing that she was in an abusive relationship, the shiner witnessed on Rachel's face unknowingly paled in comparison to the violence that lay ahead. Which is why if your boyfriend ever hits you, even just once, you need to call it quits right then and there. It always escalates well after that day.

[Lisa Sheridan]

That's when all hell broke loose. That. That. Well, that morning actually was when all hell broke loose.

[Mike Boudet]

After Shawn fled on foot following the traffic stop, canines were deployed into the woods and drones flew overhead. Despite the swift response of law enforcement, the dogs eventually lost track of them. While the search for Shawn remained ongoing, Rachel's Jeep was impounded and processed for evidence. One of the first things that investigators noticed was the exterior damage to the rear passenger side as a large section of plastic paneling was missing. Investigators also noticed that the cargo area of the Jeep was empty, bearing only the imprint of a plastic floor mat that was also missing from the vehicle.

[Detective]

Everything that appeared to have been in the back cargo area of that Jeep was now in the back seat. It was a bunch of blankets, it was a bunch of spare tires and one thing that really stuck out was there was a shovel with dirt on it.

[Mike Boudet]

In addition to the shovel, a gray grass stained blanket was located along with a trash bag filled with freshly washed blankets. To the right of the driver's seat was Rachel's cell phone wedged between the center console. Her wallet and journal were found on the passenger seat which contained several recent handwritten entries. A few hours later, authorities received a tip that a man matching the suspect's description had attempted to rip a woman out of her vehicle at a body shop in Canton. After failing to obtain a getaway car, the suspect took off again on foot. The incident was captured on surveillance, but by the time the cops got there, Sean had gotten away again.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Sheriff's deputies searching Star county looking for 24 year old Rachel Sheridan. She was reported missing on Tuesday by her mother after she didn't show up for work.

[Mike Boudet]

Investigators then started to pull surveillance video from other local businesses in the area. Less than 24 hours after Sean ran from police, CCTV cameras captured him at a McDonald's in Canton just before 7:30pm on the evening of July 1, Sean was seen wearing a white T shirt behind the wheel of Rachel's red Jeep. He appeared to be alone while waiting in the drive through lane. After grabbing his burger or Happy Meal through the window, surveillance showed him pull around to the opposite side of the building where he proceeds to enjoy his meal. Delicious. Don't you just love McDonald's? I like the filet o fish. I think I'm one of the only people anyway. Almost around an hour later the red Jeep backs out of the parking spot before exiting the camera's frame. Despite all this digital evidence that the investigators were actively gathering, Rachel was still missing and her boyfriend Sean was still at large.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Right now sheriff's office are searching for him. They say if you have any information about either Go or Sheridan or where either of them might be be located, they ask you to contact the Starr County Sheriff's Office.

[Mike Boudet]

For a while, Sean Gough managed to stay ahead of the game, ducking cameras, DODGING cops and laying low. But it doesn't matter how many times you've watched the fugitive. That sort of thing doesn't last forever. And on the night of July 3rd, his time ran out. A call came into the Canton PD from the higher ups at Refuge of Hope, a local homeless shelter. The guy on the line was the shelter's director, and he sounded a little panicked. One of his employees had just called him, saying that a man had walked through the front door who looked exactly like the guy flooding everyone's feed from the recent BOLO alerts. You know, the one that police were actively hunting. That man was, of course, Shawn Gough. The employee had recognized him immediately. She kept her cool, stepped into a nearby office and called her boss. He called the cops. And just like that, the clock started ticking. Meanwhile, Sean, either bold or desperate or dumb or all three, was at the front desk asking for help getting out of town. He said he needed a bus ticket to Zanesville, wherever the hell that is. Just an hour and a half away, but far enough. He must have figured the staff. They played it cool. They put on an Oscar worthy performance. Acting, they call it. Smiling, nodding, offering to help. Pretending like they weren't stalling for. For time. While the police sirens got closer, an assistant director brought Sean into a private office, offering to help search for tickets. He typed slowly, clicked even slower, buying every second that he could try to do that without looking awkward. Then the moment finally came. The door burst open, officers rushed in, and Shawn Gough was taken into custody without a fight. No theatrics, no last ditch attempt to run. He had been caught. Just handcuffs, silence, and a one way ride to the Canton police station. Because when you live the kind of life that Sean Gough lived, eventually the door does get kicked in.

[Lisa Sheridan]

After an extensive search, GO is now in custody. Deputies say GO has active warrants for. For burglary, grand theft of a firearm, and domestic violence.

[Mike Boudet]

Upon entering the interrogation room, Little Sean was thirsty.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Is there any way I can get water? Yeah, absolutely.

[Mike Boudet]

He's then patted down for contraband.

[Lisa Sheridan]

I gotta check you, man, real quick. Yes, sir, I know they probably did. And they probably did a bunch of times, but I'm going anyway, all right.

[Detective]

Because you're uncomfortable, right?

[Lisa Sheridan]

Yeah. No offense to anybody else, but even our own people like. Chick. You mind spraying your legs real quick? Thanks. Just have seen me on. Grab your water. No problem.

[Mike Boudet]

With the detective out of the room, Sean looked up to see the surveillance camera pointed directly at him. Seemingly unfazed, he starts analyzing the cuts on his hands. When the Detective returns. He's provided his cold bottle of water and proceeds to chug the whole thing down. All that running makes you thirsty. After intros were made and Miranda writes read, the investigator asked Sean if he knew why he had been arrested.

[Lisa Sheridan]

You know why. I need to talk to you, Sean. What? Where's she at? You talking about Rachel? Yeah, yeah, they. They asked me about that. And I do not know who asked you.

[Mike Boudet]

Haha. Yeah. This entire ordeal is so funny. The detective then cuts to the chase by essentially telling Sean that you're fucked, buddy.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Sean, you don't know me, right? I don't know you. Right. I've never met you. I don't believe I have. I'm very forthcoming. I'm pretty blunt, right? Yes, sir. Okay. We did a search warrant on your house. We did a search warrant on the car. Yeah. I don't believe. You're a monster. I don't want to believe that. Yes. I don't want anybody else to believe that. But you know what happened, and you know where she's at. We need to know. I think I might need an attorney then.

[Mike Boudet]

Well, so much for an interrogation. Once Sean asks for an attorney, that's it. Interview over.

[Lisa Sheridan]

I'm Sergeant Johnson. If you would like to talk to me, please reach out. Okay. You have a part. If I don't, I can get you one.

[Mike Boudet]

While legally he couldn't be questioned further without a lawyer present, the detective couldn't help but notice the condition of Shawn's hands and feet. They were dirty, covered with cuts and scrapes, some of which didn't look like they were from running through the woods. Sean's fingernails also looked trimmed painfully low, almost intentionally. These observations prompted DNA samples, fingernail scrapings, and processing of his clothes. Choices that weren't Shawn's to make at this stage in the game. While he was being held on charges related to his outstanding warrants, the Stark County Sheriff held a press conference that same evening. During the televised briefing, a sigh of relief was shared among the public after it was announced that their only suspect was in custody. Any semblance of hope was then shattered when law enforcement revealed that this was no longer a missing person's case.

[Detective]

As a result of the search warrant that was executed. The apartment apartment Rachel, Sheridan and Shango. Evidence of foul play was discovered. Detectives determined that Sheridan was murdered inside the apartment.

[Mike Boudet]

It's unclear what Lisa's fiance heard when they first showed up at Rachel's apartment, but police later confirmed that no one was inside at the time. Maybe it was one of those Amazon Alexas just going off on its own. They do that now sometimes in the middle of the night and it's fucking terrifying. But what they did find once the search warrant was signed by a judge was much more alarming. Upon entering Rachel's bedroom, a damaged flat screen TV was found on a dresser. The entire right side of the glass had been smashed out by some sort of blunt object. Located in the right corner of the room, near the foot of the bed was an overflow filled black trash bag. On top of it was a blood soaked pillow. Inside the plastic bag were latex gloves, a sponge, blood soaked paper towels, and a bloody comforter. As they approached the bed, investigators witnessed a bottle of oxiclean, a box of latex gloves, and additional cleaning sprays found on and around the mattress. Thing about lazy pieces of shit is they can't even clean up their own murder scenes properly. On the bed itself was a massive bloodstain found on the top right corner where someone's head would typically rest after lifting the mattress, the extent of the blood became apparent. It had soaked entirely through the foam and onto the box spring, forming a small pool on the carpet below. Aside from three small blood droplets trailing downward on the wall, minimal blood spatter was present. Crime scene techs then applied luminol to the back wall, which ultimately revealed just how vicious the attack actually was. The black light chemical produced stains that virtually lit up the entire wall, suggesting that even if Rachel tried to defend herself, there was little to no chance of her making it out alive. Which was consistent with another discovery they had already made. Roughly four miles across town, Rachel Sheridan's disappearance in the summer of 2024 quickly evolved from a missing persons case to something much more sinister. A welfare check at her apartment revealed a disturbing scene. And her red Jeep Liberty spotted later that day, led officers to her boyfriend, Sean Gough. When authorities attempted to stop him, Sean made a run for it. As investigators worked to locate both Rachel and Shawn, the search ended when he was finally arrested. After walking into a local homeless shelter asking for help obtaining a bus ticket out of the city. Following his arrest, Shawn was transported to the Canton Police Department for questioning. With their suspect in custody, investigators finally had the opportunity to confront Shawn face to face. While he invoked his right to retain counsel and remain silent, authorities didn't need him to say anything, really. They already knew what he'd done to Rachel. On the morning of July 3, just hours before Shawn was arrested, a two man sanitation crew was busy collecting garbage cans at an abandoned amusement park once known as Mother Goose Land. In Canton, Ohio, we were on our.

[Detective]

Normal trash route and we just finished.

[Lisa Sheridan]

The left side of Waterworks. We pulled across Tusk because usually if the traffic's clear, we'll go straight from there into here.

[Detective]

If not, we go around the other side of Waterworks. So today we just happen to find a clear spot in traffic, come across.

[Lisa Sheridan]

The street, creep into the park.

[Mike Boudet]

The only remnant of this once lively children's park was a statue of Willie the Whale, a local character that brought joy to the youth of Northeast Ohio, dating back to the 1950s. As the park shut down in the 80s, the crumbling whale sculpture was left to rot and now serves as a temporary shelter for Canton's growing homeless population. What a shithole. Not sure what kind of emotionally stable adult would actually choose to live in Ohio. Let me know in the comments, though, and send me hate mail. You know, the kind I get every day. Better yet, write it on a scrap of paper and throw it away because it'll serve the same purpose. By 9:30am the humid summer had already exaggerated the sour smell emanating through a series of trash cans neatly aligned by.

[Lisa Sheridan]

A concrete wall pulled up next to the can.

[Detective]

Passenger got out on his side to.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Operate the wall lift and get the can dumped.

[Detective]

I got out of driver's side and I went along the graffiti wall to the left to start picking up litter because he told me at the last.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Part he can handle the cans. On the bedside, not to help.

[Mike Boudet]

As the driver adjusts the control levers, the mechanical arm clamped down on one of the last barrels. It felt noticeably heavier than usual, but he didn't give it much thought. As the barrel hoisted into the air, the driver watched the can slowly tip and empty its debris into the truck's compactor.

[Lisa Sheridan]

When I put the can up to the lift, it lifted it and everything fell out.

[Detective]

And then it fell out.

[Mike Boudet]

Whatever it was fell into the steel bed of the truck, producing an audible thud on impact. Not enough to pique their curiosity.

[Lisa Sheridan]

I've come back from picking litter.

[Detective]

Open the latch on the left side.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Driver'S side of the truck, dumped my bucket in there, put that into my.

[Detective]

Box for storage, and he comes around the front of the truck and says.

[Lisa Sheridan]

There'S a dead body in there, wrapped.

[Mike Boudet]

In a black blood soaked bed sheet that was covered in flies. A human limb was seen exposed from the fabric.

[Lisa Sheridan]

And then when I was letting it down, that's when the leg came out.

[Mike Boudet]

The men immediately stopped what they were doing before stepping away from the truck and calling 911. Within minutes, the Scene was secured.

[Detective]

All you can see right now is.

[Lisa Sheridan]

The left leg and down by the foot.

[Detective]

It's like a little down on the.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Left side of the calf.

[Detective]

Lower calf. Oh, I'm down.

[Lisa Sheridan]

At Mother Goose stand. They found a body in the trash can.

[Mike Boudet]

After removing the sheet, the corpse was seen with all its limbs intact. As for the victim's face, though, there wasn't much there.

[Lisa Sheridan]

And we'll lay her out right here.

[Detective]

And we're gonna strip her, and she's gonna go straight to Cleveland for autopsy. Okay, so. But it is a female. You can tell it's female. It has the appearance. Okay, but as soon as Hunter gets. As soon as their ID Is done, her fingers.

[Mike Boudet]

While investigators were able to determine that the victim was female, she'd been bludgeoned so severely that any indication beyond that was pretty much impossible. Preliminarily, that is. When investigators spoke to the sanitation crew, they got their first real window into the timeline. The driver told him that his team had emptied the park's trash bins the day before in the afternoon. That meant someone dumped the body between 2pm on July 2 and 9:30am the next morning. When it was finally discovered, that narrowed it down. Not much, but enough to get started. Officers began canvassing the area, hoping someone, anyone, might have seen something. And that's when someone mentioned Willie the whale. Locals knew the statue well. Meant to be whimsical, it had become something else entirely over the years. Kids climbed on it, teenagers tagged it, and at night, the city's most forgotten residents sometimes used it as a shelter. So officers went to check. Peering into the small, shadowy tunnel of the whale's mouth, one of them spotted movement. Just a faint silhouette curled up inside. A few tense moments passed before a figure stirred, then crawled out of the darkness. It was a woman, homeless, disoriented, and somehow still asleep. Through the sirens, the flashing lights, the discovery of a corpse just yards away. Some people sleep really well. I envy that. Anyway, she had no idea what happened. But she was about to find out. After speaking to her, police learned she'd arrived at the property roughly 15 minutes before they got there. When asked if she'd seen anything suspicious, she said that she hadn't. Right before crawling back into the concrete whale and resuming her nap like nothing happened. Meanwhile, back at the trash truck, crime scene units met with homicide detectives, Detectives. To establish their next steps.

[Detective]

What I'm gonna do, we'll get her out. We'll photograph everything. We'll get her out. We'll photograph every square inch of her did they do a missing person report?

[Lisa Sheridan]

Yes.

[Detective]

Did they document tattoos in that? That's what he's looking at right now in the photo.

[Mike Boudet]

If they can run it down here.

[Detective]

Any photos or anything they've got.

[Mike Boudet]

Upon taking a closer look at the body, authorities noticed three distinct tattoos. One on the victim's calf, a dainty flower located on the victim's shoulder, and an infinity symbol on her right wrist.

[Detective]

Infinity tattoo.

[Mike Boudet]

That's right. Yes, it is. It's also a little ironic if you have a dark sense of humor. Once the barrel was brought down from the arm of the garbage truck, investigators located a large cargo mat that was still stuck inside.

[Detective]

There is a floor mat to a Jeep Liberty that had been dumped in the dumpster with Rachel. And that floor mat had a pattern on the bottom that matched the pattern in the carpet of Rachel's Jeep Liberty.

[Mike Boudet]

Not only was it a match, but the floor mat contained a vast amount of blood. Luckily for investigators, the sanitation workers had not pulled the trash compactor's lever before they arrived, ultimately saving several pieces of evidence from being crushed. Inside the trash compactor were articles of blood soaked clothing, additional bedding and house curtains. In addition, a damaged red side panel of the Jeep Liberty was located, along with a smashed Samsung phone. By now, a large crowd had already formed around the perimeter. A privacy panel was quickly set up as the local EMS hesitated to help load the body onto a stretcher.

[Lisa Sheridan]

That's where you step in, grab them.

[Detective]

Feet and move it on that sheet.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Work the courage up for that part.

[Detective]

This bothers you?

[Lisa Sheridan]

It's not the visual, it's the smell I still have to get used to. That's lean on your nose. Oh, I did that.

[Mike Boudet]

While investigators were fairly certain who the deceased was, it wouldn't be until the autopsy came back that DNA and dental records confirmed that the victim found inside the garbage was in fact 24 year old Rachel Sheridan. The medical examiner found that she suffered upwards of 10 fatal blows to the head, leaving a third 3 by 2 inch hole on the top of her skull. The upper and lower jaw were reduced to small fragments. In short, Rachel's face had been crushed with such force that her orbital bones and teeth were pushed into the skull to the point of puncturing her frontal lobe.

[Detective]

The coroner described that that crushing blow actually drove pieces of her skull into a her brain.

[Mike Boudet]

Per the medical examiner's own words, her cranium literally exploded. An obvious indication that Rachel had been savagely beaten with an instrument much heavier than a human fist.

[Detective]

I've tried a lot of homicides And I will say that the injuries inflicted upon Rachel Sheridan were some of the most horrific injuries I've ever seen in my almost 40 years as a prosecutor. And I've seen very few murders that were so vicious and brutal.

[Mike Boudet]

Despite that fact, the instrument used to cause such damage remained unclear as the weapon had yet to be discovered. Dennis Barr, the lead prosecutor in the case, was kind enough to sit down with us for an interview. During our conversation, he informed us of two major discoveries that came the day after Sean's arrest, and they weren't made by the police.

[Detective]

On July 4th of 2024, the Stark County Sheriff's Office was contacted by an individual who was a neighbor of Rachel and Sean. This individual was aware that Rachel and Sean had two cats in that apartment. And after the apartment had been released on July 3, because the sheriff's office had conducted their search and done everything they wanted to do with the apartment, they locked it up. This neighbor got permission from the landlord to enter that apartment and go in there and take care of the cats, to feed them, to make sure they had water. They were also in the process of trying to find somebody to take these cats to their home because obviously Sean wasn't there and Rachel wasn't there to take care of him. And during that time, he stumbled upon a shirt that appeared to have blood on it. And he also stumbled upon a paper bag that had inside it a hammer and some nails.

[Mike Boudet]

After returning to Rachel's apartment for a second search, the newly discovered items were photographed and processed as evidence.

[Detective]

The shirt ended up being tested for DNA, and that DNA turned out to be Rachel Sheridan's blood.

[Mike Boudet]

Obviously, the shirt was a crucial discovery. Not only did it have Rachel's blood on it, but it was the same shirt Shawn was seen wearing at the McDonald's drive thru hours after the murder. As for the hammer, authorities were convinced they'd found their smoking gun that is the murder weapon. But as it turns out, the hammer wasn't as valuable as they'd thought.

[Detective]

The hammer was tested, but there was absolutely nothing that linked this hammer to the crime. There was no DNA on the hammer. There was no blood on the hammer. Now, that's not to say that Sean could not have cleaned it off, because there were obvious signs that Sean tried to clean up the bedroom after he murdered Rachel. But even the coroner could not say definitively that these wounds could have been caused by that hammer. So we could never prove that that hammer was the murder weapon.

[Mike Boudet]

Local journalists ran rampant with unsubstantiated headlines, fake news Claiming Sean beat his girlfriend to death with a hammer as soon as a rumor leaked to the media. They just love doing that, don't they? Fucking creeps. Naturally, this only complicated things as the prosecution was actively building their case.

[Detective]

Our local newspaper did have an article in the paper that seemed to imply that the hammer that we located was, in fact, the murder weapon. However, I am here to say that we never alleged that that was the murder weapon. Obviously, based upon the injuries to Rachel. When we find a hammer in that room, we're going to have it tested. However, there was nothing in the evidence to indicate that that hammer was used to cause Rachel's death. And I'm not really sure where the reporter for our local paper got that information, but it was certainly not something that we put forth to the jury.

[Mike Boudet]

Don't you just love the media? They're just so damn good at their jobs.

[Detective]

They do their job, and we do our job. It's just sometimes they don't hear things accurately in the courtroom, and sometimes things don't get accurately reported. But I think that's something that happens with every news media in the country.

[Mike Boudet]

Spoken like a true aspiring politician. I mean, that is the career track you're on as a prosecutor. Anyway, it's a nice way of saying fake news. And fake news is everywhere these days because morality has gone out the window. Ethics no longer exists. They're just a course you take in college and forget about thanks to money and greed and the pursuit of it, which y' all told me about. That's what we have to look forward to here in this world. Human nature. Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme. Now, one might think that the lack of a murder weapon might pose as an issue come trial. After all, any reasonable doubt suggesting that Shawn wasn't the guy is an advantage to the defense.

[Detective]

The bigger challenge was that we had no eyewitnesses, that we had nobody that could say they saw Sean carrying a body out of the apartment, that they saw Sean driving around with the body in the apartment, that Sean, you know, told them that he did this. Nobody that was credible that at least came forward that could have testified for us.

[Mike Boudet]

Even without eyewitnesses or a murder weapon, there was still so much evidence leaning in the other direction, particularly the cell phone data.

[Detective]

In this case, we obtained cell phone records from Rachel's phone.

[Mike Boudet]

After murdering his girlfriend, Sean forgot to turn off Rachel's phone. You believe that? What a fucking moron. He proceeded to drive around with it in the jeep with Rachel's body in the trunk.

[Detective]

We were able to take those records and establish a path that Sean followed because Rachel's phone was in the Jeep that he was driving that contained Rachel's body. We corroborated those phone pings with videos that we obtained of Sean driving here in certain areas. One of those areas was Stadium park, which if you enter the north side of Stadium park and you drive for about it's not even a mile, it might be three quarters of a mile, maybe a mile, you will end up at the entrance of Mother goose land. On July 2nd at 104, we had a video of Sean crossing 12th street, which is on the south end of Stadium Park. He went straight across the road and that road that he traveled south on leads right to Mother Goose Land. It's less than a half a mile away from there. At that time, we had a ping from Rachel's phone that showed his phone there.

[Mike Boudet]

According to the prosecutor, Shawn first went to Stadium park and was in that location for nearly two hours before dumping Rachel's body across the street. So why is this relevant? Well, remember the dirt covered shovel in.

[Detective]

That area of Stadium park, there's a rather secluded little picnic area that has a couple picnic shelters that people can rent and have family reunions and picnics and things. And Sean was in there from 10:10 to 12:09pm My theory always was, and I never got the sheriff's deputies out there to check this out, but was that he was trying to dig a hole that he could put Rachel in, because I know Rachel was in the back of the, of the Jeep at that point in time. However, this past summer, we were in the middle of one of the worst droughts we've ever had, and the ground was very hard. And I think Sean found out very quickly that there's no way at this time of year, under these conditions that he's going to be able to dig a hole. So he had to come up with a plan B as to how to dispose of Rachel's body.

[Mike Boudet]

Due to the fact that this location was never searched. Much like the hammer, the shovel was omitted as evidence and was never used.

[Detective]

In court at the time that it kind of clicked in my mind. It was a month or two after the case had been filed and shortly before trial. And there was really no way to say if we would have found a hole, that it was a hole that Sean dug. That was just one of my theories as to why he was sitting in that park for two hours, but it never panned out.

[Mike Boudet]

An interesting aspect of this case nonetheless. But what was more valuable was the surveillance footage recovered from Mother Goose Land where Willie the Whale still lives. It showed Sean walking by the trash cans at 7:56pm on July 2. Another foolish misstep was when Sean threw away both his phone and the side panel of Rachel's Jeep in the same trash as her body. I mean, does this guy even watch forensic files? This suggests that not only was he a shitty rapper, but also a pretty bad criminal as well.

[Detective]

Well, that was another thing that linked Rachel's Jeep to being the one that deposited her body at the trash can in Mother Goose Land. Because not only did we find the back cargo floor mat, we also found a damaged portion of the fender that had been, I think, came off in an earlier accident that she had had and had been. They had been just keeping it in the Jeep. Why he threw that in there, I don't know. When we retrieved it from the trash can, the deputy or the detective that was in charge of the the case took it back to the Stark County Sheriff's Office and actually showed how it fit right on the Jeep in the area where it was missing.

[Mike Boudet]

I mean, if you're throwing things away, including a human corpse, what's the difference, right? Well, the prosecution had more than enough evidence to convict Shawn of murder. You can't help but wonder, what was the instrument used to kill Rachel? Was it the lead pipe in the conservatory or the candlestick in the library? Well, prosecutor Dennis Barr provided us with yet another theory that wasn't picked up by the media.

[Detective]

While Mr. Goh was incarcerated at the Stark County Jail pending the trial in this case, there was a detective that was approached by an inmate who was in the same pod as Sean, awaiting his own trial. This inmate was charged with the rape of a young child and facing a significant sentence. But he came forward and indicated that Sean had confessed to him that he had, in fact, murdered Rachel and that he did so using a large wrench. He went on to tell the deputies that Sean had indicated some places where he may have gotten rid of this wrench. We went out and tried to corroborate that and tried to find this wrench. We were not successful in finding the wrench in any of the places that the wrench was supposedly disposed of. Nor did we use this individual at trial. Because in our job, when we get these jailhouse confessions, we have to look at, where's the source? Who's this coming from? What charges do they have pending? And more importantly, what do they want in exchange for this? And based upon the charge that this gentleman was facing based upon what we would have had to do with him. We did not feel that he had credibility and would have had credibility in front of a jury that would have assisted our case.

[Mike Boudet]

While awaiting trial, Shawn was held on a $1 million bond, ensuring he remained in custody until he saw his day in court. In the weeks that followed, a grand jury indicted him on charges including aggravated murder, abuse of a corpse, and evidence tampering. After months of preparation and legal maneuvering, Sean Gough's trial started in early November of 2024. During opening arguments, the state established that Shawn Gough murdered Rachel on June 30 while she slept in her bed. Three days before she was reported missing. Although a motive in the crime remained unclear, the prosecution didn't need one. During the trial, the defendant's blatant digital footprint became the foundation of this case. While Shawn attempted to destroy evidence by tossing his phone in in the trash, all investigators had to do was pop a new battery in the Samsung to learn what he'd been up to before and after the murder. Forensic analysts testified to some of these findings, including a Google search Shawn made at 1:20am on Sunday, June 30. Breathing chemicals that cause Sean intentionally failed failed to finish the last sentence of this very telling Google search. Maybe it just hit him all of a sudden that what he was doing was extremely stupid. An obvious attempt to cover his ass once authorities inevitably dug through his phone. A few hours after researching ways to render his girlfriend unconscious via chemicals, Sean decided to type this little note into his phone at 7:10am Almost like someone was listening and not who you think. Thank you, God of the highest truth and compassion, for riding through me. Thank you for being with me. I am seeking transportation and assistance in my journey and in life. I will be walking through the park. I am asking for your assistance. Imagine thinking cops are that dumb. And not just cops, everyone. Imagine thinking everyone's that stupid that they're going to buy that. That's Sean right there calling you stupid. You right now. He thinks you're dumb. Despite having just clobbered his girlfriend to death, Sean continued to write these little notes on his phone, including one where he asked God for $500,000 to fund his pursuit as a musician. Now, I'm not much of a religious person, never have been, but I'm pretty sure that's not how it works. It's unclear where Sean came up with the magic number of half a million dollars, but it would be difficult to gain any sympathy from a jury knowing that he valued a Non existent hip hop career more than his girlfriend's life. This is one of the reasons I hate rap and hip hop culture. The glorification of getting money and hoes isn't something that your kids should be consuming regularly, even if that track is a banger. This sentiment became even more apparent when the prosecution presented a specific piece of Rachel's journal. When police first discovered the notebook inside Rachel's vehicle, they immediately recognized its significance. The handwritten pages provided a personal glimpse into her private world, including her struggles, her dreams, and the alarming details surrounding her relationship with Shawn. Go. That rapper piece of shit. But one entry stood out, ultimately revealing a secret that deepened not only the tragedy of Rachel's death, but the loss of another life as well. This is a recreation of from Rachel's journal.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Well, I'm newly pregnant. Sean's of course. Four days now and we haven't spoken. I'm going to my second ultrasound appointment today in less than an hour. I hope you're a boy. Your dad does too. Malachi David Lee.

[Mike Boudet]

Go, Malachi. The entry was dated April 17, 2024, indicating that Rachel was two months and nearly two weeks along in her pregnancy at the time that she was murdered. Despite the shocking revelation, the defense portrayed Shawn as a misguided young man shaped by a troubled upbringing. Everybody's a victim. His adoptive mother eventually spoke in court in support of the killer.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Before he came into our family, my son endured an incredibly difficult and traumatic childhood. He spent time in multiple foster homes, far more than any child should have to endure in such a short period. The instability, the uncertainty, and the emotional toil of being moved around so frequently had a profound impact on him. In addition to the upheaval of those constant moves, he also faced abuse and neglect in some of those homes. Experiences no child should have to go through. These early years left deep scars on his spirit. And though we tried to provide him with a loving, stable environment after his adoption, the trauma he experienced before coming to us was something that would take years to heal. His birth parents struggled with addiction and mental health issues, and the pain of those experiences only compounded what he had already been through. Boo hoo.

[Mike Boudet]

Jesus Christ. Talk about listing your L's as a mom. Maybe try parenting instead. A lot of these problems can be attributed to lazy parenting, and everyone knows it. You're not fooling anyone, lady. Well, maybe a few fellow Ohioans with missing brain cells. At the end of a four day trial, the jury returned with their unanimous verdict. On November 8, 2024, Sean Gough was found guilty of all charges. Weeks later came his sentencing, but not before Rachel's mother had one last chance to confront her daughter's killer in court.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Sean, to begin, I would just like to say that you have hurt us more than anyone else could have. You have taken one of the greatest joys in our lives. She was a true sunflower. You have murdered our baby girl. My question is, why would you do this to someone that loved you? Who wanted to help you through your own personal battles? She stood by you regardless of what you did to her when you had no one else. She truly loved you. And just thinking of this makes me sick to my stomach. There is no greater bond than that of a parent and a child. You, girl, brutally stole that from us. You have crushed all of our hearts. What you have done to us is truly evil. I hope that you spend the rest of your miserable life in prison.

[Mike Boudet]

Before the final ruling was handed down, the judge offered these parting words to the defendant, the monster. I've been on this bench 17 years and I agree with Mr. Bar.

[Detective]

This is without a doubt the most.

[Mike Boudet]

Brutal murder that I've seen. It was difficult up here. Even listening, it's appalling.

[Detective]

It's heartbreaking. Rachel Sheridan was beaten so severely that the sheriff deputy who saw her body couldn't identify her based on her own photo. The substance of this murder tells me.

[Mike Boudet]

Not only you morally bankrupt, but you.

[Detective]

Have no fiber of decency.

[Mike Boudet]

This is the person at one point.

[Detective]

You claim that you were in love with. Instead, you threw her in the trash like a piece of garbage. The only thing that stopped you getting.

[Mike Boudet]

Away from this crime, you almost pulled it off.

[Detective]

Was excellent work by the camp police department, Star county sheriff's, and your own one fatal flaw.

[Mike Boudet]

Keeping Rachel's phone in your possession.

[Detective]

I'm tired of people trying to blame.

[Mike Boudet]

Everyone else for their problems in life.

[Detective]

Everybody's had a difficult life in one way or another. But I don't find that your childhood excludes anything. We seem to live in an entitlement world for some reason.

[Mike Boudet]

But I want to make sure you understand something, son.

[Detective]

It is my job to protect this.

[Mike Boudet]

Community, and I will do so.

[Detective]

I will do everything I can to.

[Mike Boudet]

Lock you up for a long, long time.

[Detective]

Mr. Go. You sold your soul to the devil. I can't help you.

[Mike Boudet]

And with that, Sean Go was sentenced to 29 years to life in prison. Exactly where he belongs. Rachel's mom, Lisa, called what Gough did truly evil.

[Lisa Sheridan]

A judge agreed and handed down the maximum sentence because he said it was the worst form of his crime.

[Mike Boudet]

In the end, there's no twist, no redemption arc. Just another good person swallowed whole by someone who never deserved to be. In her orbit, Rachel saw the good in people. Maybe too much of it. And for that, she paid the ultimate price. She gave her time, her energy, her heart. To someone who only knew how to take. Sean Go wasn't some criminal mastermind. He was ordinary in the worst way. Selfish, lazy, entitled, violent. The kind of man whose legacy is measured in damage, not worth what he took from this world. Can't be replaced. Rachel was kind, hopeful, loved. She was building a life. One that now exists only in memories and what ifs. And the child she carried, that child never had a chance to see any of it. That life was extinguished as well. It's a brutal truth, but one worth remembering. Monsters don't always look like monsters. Sometimes they just show up at your job, fill out an application, and smile. So I just finished episode 18 of Sword and Scale Television that comes out in September, and I almost threw up, so there's that. Maybe head on over there and check out what we've done so far. It's pretty good. You might like it if you like Dateline and Forensic Files and all that other shit. It's a little edgier and a little more artistic, but I think it's pretty damn good, to be honest with you. I think some of you might agree as well if you're a fan of the genre. So go ahead and download the app and head on over to sword and scale.com Till next time, stay safe.

[Lisa Sheridan]

Sam.

[Mike Boudet]

Sarah.