5 chilling details about Shelly Harmon's crime

Shelly Harmon's name became infamous after the 1981 murder of Lisa Wick, a 20-year-old college student from Arizona. Shelly Harmon was not initially considered a suspect in the case, but years later, when she was found to be involved in another violent crime, investigators reopened the old case.

It became clear from court records, witness accounts, and a police inquiry that the murder was a part of a cold plan that had been kept under wraps for years. Lisa Wick's body was left in a barren desert region of Maricopa County after she was fatally beaten with a big rock.

Her head had been severely struck several times, according to forensic reports. Although there were no conclusive clues at first, the case was reexamined years later when it was revealed that Harmon had been involved in another murder. Since Wick and Harmon knew one another well, the crime was rife with cruelty and treachery.

The episode Cold-Blooded Lies of the well-liked CBS series 48 Hours brought the case back into the public eye. Both Lisa Wick's 1981 murder and Cheryl Ann Parlver's 1995 shooting death were discussed in the program. In order to bring the case back to viewers and reveal long-kept secrets, the show featured statements from the victims' relatives, police interviews, and expert analysis.

---

5 key details of Shelly Harmon's crime explored

1) Background and relationship before the murder

Shelly Harmon and Lisa Wick relation (Representative image via Pexels)

Shelly Harmon and Lisa Wick knew each other in college. According to the case files of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, the two were in each other's close circle.

Reports indicate that there was personal tension between the two that was never explicitly reported. This close acquaintance allowed Harmon to trick Lisa into taking him to a secluded location where the murder was committed.

---

2) Beaten to death by a rock in a desert canyon

Beaten to death (Representative image via Pexels)

According to the forensic report published in The Arizona Republic, Lisa Wick had been hit multiple times on the head with a large rock. Her body was found in a deserted canyon near Phoenix.

The scene did not show any signs of robbery or s*xual assault, making it clear that this was a personal and deliberate crime.

---

3. Old file reopened years later with another murder

Old file reopened (Representative image via Pexels)

In 1995, Shelly Harmon was convicted of murdering her ex-boyfriend's new partner, Cheryl Perlver. According to CourtTV and police reports, police reopened the Lisa Vick murder case after this second crime.

Shelly Harmon was convicted of two separate but extremely violent murders that bore eerie similarities between personal deception and premeditated planning. She was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison for shooting and killing Cheryl Perlver, her ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend, in California in 1996.

Investigators noticed a similar pattern in both cases; Harmon was targeting women who were involved in his personal life.

---

4) Role of witnesses and psychological pressure

Witnesses and psychological pressure (Representative image via Pexels)

When the old case was reopened in 2002, two witnesses came forward who said that Shelly Harmon had admitted to them in private that he had “killed Lisa.” According to a report, these witnesses kept quiet at first because they were afraid of Harmon.

In interviews shown on 48 Hours, the witnesses said that they felt guilty and that was the reason they decided to come forward and testify years later.

---

5) Confessed to avoid punishment

Shelly Harmon pleaded guilty (Representative image via Pexels)

The 1981 stoning death of her college friend Lisa Wick was revisited by Arizona police after she was found guilty. According to witnesses, Harmon admitted to the crime herself.

In Lisa's case, she was sentenced to 10 years concurrent with her prior term after entering a guilty plea to manslaughter in 2004. She was freed on parole in the early 2010s after serving over 15 years in prison, according to official documents.

---

The case has come to light through sources like 48 Hours, CourtTV, and The Arizona Republic, and shows how even years-old events can receive justice in today's system.

To find out more about this case, viewers can watch 48 Hours' episode, Cold-Blooded Lies, available on Paramount+.

Edited by Bharath S