MUS-2026-0194
Archive card
MUS-2026-0194
Homicide
- Incident
- 2002
- Indexed
- Oct 11, 2026, by MuseUnsolved
- Agency
- Henry County Sheriff's Office
- Location
- Bassett VA
Public record. Index entry.
Index entry. Case details compiled from public reporting; our researchers have not verified this file yet.
Summary
What happened, as the record shows.
Michael Short, 50, and Mary Short, 36, were found shot in the head in their Bassett, Virginia, home on August 15, 2002; the phone lines had been cut. Their nine-year-old daughter Jennifer was missing. Six weeks later her remains were found 35 to 50 miles away in Rockingham County, North Carolina; she had also been shot in the head. An early suspect was officially cleared, DNA uploaded to CODIS matched nothing, and a $62,500 reward stands unclaimed. A multi-agency task force re-reviewed the case in 2021; it remains unsolved.
Timeline
What the record establishes.
- 2002
Michael and Mary Short are found shot in their Bassett, Virginia, home on August 15, 2002; the phone lines were cut and their daughter Jennifer is missing.
- 2002
Six weeks later, Jennifer's remains are found in Rockingham County, North Carolina.
- 2021
A multi-agency task force re-reviews the case. It remains unsolved.
Key people
The people in the file.
50, of Bassett, Virginia. Found shot in his home on August 15, 2002.
36, of Bassett, Virginia. Found shot in her home on August 15, 2002.
9, of Bassett, Virginia. Missing from the home; her remains were found six weeks later in Rockingham County, North Carolina.
Contact details change over time; confirm the current assignee before publishing.
Investigating agency
Where tips go.
This case is with the Henry County Sheriff's Office. If you know something, say something to them. For public-record leads for our researchers, use the tip line on any open file.
Coverage
Coverage and further reading.
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