The A&E show, Cold Case Files, examines the tragic murder of 16-year-old Shawna Yandell, whose body was found floating in the Yakima River in Washington State. The case, which dates back to 1993, left detectives stumped for over 15 years until a breakthrough in DNA technology pointed them towards an unexpected killer.
Shawna’s body was discovered by boy scouts near Sportsman Park. She was clad only in her underwear and had been brutally beaten, strangled, and struck on the head with a blunt object. The violent nature of her death shocked the community, and detectives initially suspected those closest to her. However, the investigation yielded few leads, and the case grew cold.
Years passed, but the determination to find Shawna’s killer did not waver. In 2007, the case was reopened, and the evidence was sent to a private lab in Dallas for further analysis. This decision proved pivotal, as a DNA test conducted the following year revealed the presence of Clayton Stafford’s DNA inside Shawna’s mouth and vagina.
Clayton Stafford, a career criminal with a lengthy rap sheet spanning from Yakima to Arizona, immediately became the prime suspect. Interestingly, he had been arrested in Yakima just months after Shawna’s murder on an unrelated misdemeanor charge, but at the time, there was no evidence to link him to her death. Now, with this new DNA evidence, the case took a decisive turn.
As a result of the DNA evidence, Clayton Stafford was arrested and, in 2010, sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole (LWOP).
DNA Speaks ‘Death Downstream’ airs on A&E on Friday, September 13, 2024, at 9:00 PM.
