Parole denied for woman in ‘show and tell’ killing

By Cy Ryan

Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005 | 9:47 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- Sandy Shaw, the woman convicted for being a participant in the "show-and-tell murder" of a man in Las Vegas in 1986, is going to have to wait another three years for another shot at release from prison.

On Tuesday, the state Parole Commission announced that it had denied Shaw's first application for parole following her appearance before the commission last month. A commission spokesman said no reason was given for the denial.

Commission Chairwoman Dorla Salling and Commissioners Connie Bisbee, John Morrow and Tom Goodson were unanimous in their denial.

Shaw, who has served more than 18 years for the killing of James C. Kelly, will turn 34 years old on Jan. 18 and now must wait until December 2007 before she can reapply.

In November, the state Board of Pardons had voted 5-3 to allow Shaw to become immediately eligible for parole instead of making her wait until 2009.

Shaw, who was 15 at the time of the killing, lured 21-year-old Kelly into the desert in an attempt to rob him of $1,400. Troy Kell then shot Kelly six times in the head, authorities said. Kell received the death penalty. A third person involved in the killing, Billy Merritt, pleaded guilty to lesser charges.

Authorities said Shaw told her schoolmates that she shot Kelly and then took some friends to view the corpse. There was additional looting of the body.