Joe Shymanski's murder case on 48 Hours season 39 episode 4 - A detailed case overview 

48 Hours season 39 episode 4 explores the case of Joe Shymanski, a Washington, D.C., photographer. He was gunned down and murdered over Labor Day weekend in his driveway in 2023. The 51-year-old father of two had just been awarded primary custody of his young children during a contentious divorce from his estranged wife, Heather Snyder.

Authorities swiftly attributed the crime to Brandon Holbrook, Snyder's ex-boyfriend, who traveled more than 200 miles from Pennsylvania to commit the attack. Holbrook pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in 2025 and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

However, the motive remains unclear, and Joe Shymanski's family is speculating whether others were involved, inquiring about custody disputes and secret tensions.

This case of violence and ongoing suspicion is investigated in the 48 Hours special, My Uncle Joe's Murder, with exclusive interviews with Snyder, family members, friends, and investigators. Correspondent Nikki Battiste, who grew up with Snyder, examines the personal side of the game. The episode airs on Saturday, October 18, 2025, on CBS or can be streamed on Paramount+.

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48 Hours: The life and family dynamics of Joe Shymanski

48 Hours season 39 episode 4 (Image via Unsplash/ @Martin Podsiad)

Joe Shymanski was a photographer in the Washington, D.C., region. He sold his work at places such as Eastern Market and earned a reputation for being friendly and committed to his work. Joe Shymanski was born into a tight-knit family and cherished relationships. He and Heather Snyder met at a community fair, where he was selling his artwork and she had a vegetable stand, according to CBS News.

They got married in July 2014 and moved into a house in Calvert County, Maryland. The couple had a daughter in 2015 and a son in 2016, marking the beginning of what Snyder later termed a "fairy tale" start, as per CBS News.

Over the years, tensions within the union arose. Snyder alleged that Joe Shymanski became too centered on the children, creating emotional and, in one case, physical tension, according to the outlet.

She reported pushing incidents and feeling isolated, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shymanski's friends and family, however, painted a different picture, describing him as kind and denying abuse allegations. They reported that the divorce became bitter, with custody and financial disputes arising. According to CBS News, by July 2021, Snyder had departed with the kids and returned to Newport, Pennsylvania, her place of origin.

Court rulings favored Joe Shymanski in key areas. He gained primary physical custody during the school year for the children's stability, and a judge reduced the financial settlement he owed Snyder.

In summer 2023, Joe Shymanski secured a $1 million life insurance policy naming his minor children as beneficiaries, as reported by CBS News. Snyder began dating Brandon Holbrook, a Pennsylvania resident she met online, who worked as a driver at a chicken processing plant.

Their marriage lasted for roughly two years. During this time, Holbrook became close with Snyder's older children from a previous marriage and the two Shymanski children, who affectionately referred to him as Uncle Brandon, as per the website Justice for Joe. Joe Shymanski and Holbrook never actually met.

Friends such as Anneli Werner described the divorce as ugly, but stressed Shymanski's increasing courtroom victories as a committed father. This family transition provided the foundation for tragedy, as Shymanski worked tirelessly to ensure a secure life for his son and daughter, as per CBS News.

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The disappearance and initial response to the murder

Joe Shymanski was shot in his driveway (Image via Unsplash/ @Tsvetoslav Hristov)

Around 4:00 PM on Labor Day Sunday, September 3, 2023, was the last time Joe Shymanski was seen alive. He had assisted a neighbor with a project on their home before returning to his house in Huntingtown, Maryland. Neighbors later heard the sounds of gunfire but had no idea that Shymanski had been shot in his driveway in broad daylight.

The following night, Snyder came down from Pennsylvania for a court-mandated custody transfer. With no one home, she found Joe Shymanski's wallet, phone, keys, and flip-flops there, but no sign of him or the children, who were about to enter school soon. She contacted 911 at 7:47 PM and reported him missing, describing the abnormally silent house.

Calvert County Sheriff's Office deputies came, canvassed residents, and reported no immediate evidence of a struggle. They recommended waiting until morning to fully search, due to the darkness, as reported by CBS News. By September 5, the situation grew more serious. Deputies discovered blood on the driveway, signs of violence, and transformed the missing persons report into an investigation of homicide.

An interview with Snyder and Shymanski's social circle uncovered the custody background. Snyder rejected any current boyfriend in early questioning on September 2, noting only a fleeting past relationship to Holbrook.

Shymanski's family was later informed, who felt shocked by the delay in alerts. His niece, Janine Shymanski, afterwards expressed frustration at the children's lost school time and farewells to friends, according to WUSA 9.

Snyder's behavior was questioned. She had brought the children to Maryland under court pressure from Joe Shymanski's new attorney. Cooperating fully, her alibi home photos from Pennsylvania and supermarket video kept her three hours away during the approximately timed death. They took her reported home gun but withheld a full search of her property.

The swift transition to tragedy highlighted the underlying risks in broken homes, and a multi-state investigation ensued. This stage emphasized the confusion caused by unexpected death and the initial focus on personal relationships, as CBS News reported.

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The investigation leading to Brandon Holbrook's arrest

Holbrook was convicted of killing Joe Shymanski (Image via Unsplash/ @ Volodymyr Hryshchenko)

The Calvert County Sheriff's Office spearheaded the investigation, partnering with the Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, police. License plate readers captured Holbrook's truck near Joe Shymanski's home on September 3, matching the gunshot timeline. The link to Snyder surfaced quickly, revealing that Holbrook's residence was just 30 minutes from hers, as reported by WUSA 9.

On September 5, around 11:00 PM, investigators approached Holbrook's Reedsville home. He agreed to the questioning but denied any trip to Maryland. Plain-view items inside, such as firearms, plastic tarps, rubber gloves, cleaning fluids, and an unopened pack of power saw blades without a matching saw, raised alarms, according to CBS News.

A foul odor emanated from his truck, where tests found what appeared to be blood, later identified as animal remains from his chicken plant job, possibly used to mask evidence. Surveillance showed Holbrook buying cleaning supplies the morning after the murder and dumping bags near a Weis Market; those contained human remains, as per WUSA9.

Without finding a body, authorities arrested Holbrook on September 6 for first-degree murder, firearm use in a violent crime, and evidence tampering. The next day, searchers found dismembered, burned remains in woods and fields behind his property and along a creek, confirmed as Joe Shymanski's via DNA. Gas station footage tracked his truck's route back to Pennsylvania after the killing.

A burn barrel outside his home, photographed days earlier, aligned with disposal efforts, WUSA9 reported. Text messages between Snyder and Holbrook added context to the situation. He suggested "other solutions" to her ex-husband's issues, which she called a joke. She vented frustrations, like hoping "karma" would hit Shymanski, but denied inciting violence, as per CBS News.

Detective Jessica Aurand noted the saw blades could dismember a body, while Sgt. John Chester described the scene as a clear homicide. No direct forensics tied Holbrook to the driveway, but circumstantial evidence built the case. Snyder's gun was recovered slowly. Her home was initially unsearched, drawing criticism towards the defense.

The multi-agency effort, deemed "thorough" by State's Attorney Robert Harvey, closed in on Holbrook swiftly, transforming a missing person case into a cross-state manhunt resolution, as per CBS News. This investigation relied on technology and persistence to uncover the grim path of the crime.

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The trial, conviction, and ongoing family concerns

Holbrook's trial began on March 31, 2025, in Calvert County after he rejected a plea deal. Prosecutors argued premeditation: the 200-mile drive, driveway shooting, body transport, dismemberment, and disposal proved intent. Evidence included truck surveillance, shopping videos, dumping footage, and remains recovery.

The jury deliberated 80 minutes before convicting him on April 9 of first-degree murder, firearm use, and evidence alteration, and he was also guilty of assaults, as WUSA9 reported. Snyder's role loomed large, mentioned over 400 times. Called as a witness, she invoked the Fifth Amendment on advice from her lawyer, citing fears of twisted words.

Prosecutors presented her alibi; the defense suggested she benefited most, gaining custody control and insurance oversight. They questioned the probe's focus on her, such as the delayed gun recovery. Holbrook's team admitted disposal involvement but denied murder ties, citing no motive or direct scene links, according to CBS News.

On July 18, 2025, Judge Robyn Riddle sentenced Holbrook to life without parole in a courtroom filled with Shymanski supporters. Motive stayed elusive, possibly tied to Snyder-Holbrook breakup or custody woes, but unproven. Joe Shymanski's family, including sister Mary and niece Janine, attended, calling it a "nightmare." Janine stated, "She just needed it done and she found her person," implying deeper involvement.

They sought access to the children and the full truth, urging tips via public channels. Snyder denied roles in interviews, saying, "I didn't... That's the torturous part." She expressed sorrow but frustration at suspicions, noting that people wanted the "true-crime narrative." Investigators like Aurand know more but stay silent due to the appeal, as per CBS News.

The conviction brought partial closure, yet doubts persist, fueling the 48 Hours examination of justice's gaps.

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Edited by Riya Peter