Shirley Russell Gibbs an African American US Marine Corp Capt was murdered in 1989 by her husband Robert P Russell. Her story inspired the movie "The Perfect Murder."Facts in the real case
Robert and Shirley met in August 1985 when they were stationed at the Marine Corps, in Parris Island, South Carolina. Robert Russell was already married to another woman named Pamela Russell. They divorced a a few months later, and Russell moved to another military base in Mississippi. He began seeing Shirley Russell as well as other women. After 2 months Shirley Gibbs married Robert Peter Russell. The marriage was stormy. Robert Russell was an abuser and a cheater. Shirley tried everything she could to save the marriage. She sought marriage counseling many times. She had no idea that he was planning her murder. She finally separated from Robert, and she moved to the bachelors quarters. But, she had plans to return to the quarters to continue moving her belongings.
On March 4, 1989, Shirley Gibbs Russell had plans to meet her girlfriend Patrice Gayle for lunch. When Shirley did not show up at the expected time that afternoon, Patrice went to her to look fo her. Russell, who was sweating profusely, told her that Shirley had walked to buy some paint. Gayle was shocked by this because Shirley never missed appointments, and she wondered why she would walk 5 miles in the bitter cold that Saturday afternoon for paint. After she disappeared, Robert moved to Pennsylvania.
The government started the investigation into the disappearance of Shirley Russell. The investigation revealed the following: After Patrice Gayle left Russell’s quarters, Russell visited another officer where they talked and drank coffee. Russell was distracted the entire time, and kept concentrating on the clock. He then stopped by Sandy Flynt’s (one of his lovers) home and took a shower. He called his parents and made arrangements to visit them. He asked to borrow Flynt’s car, even though he had a truck of his own. Neighbor’s testified that they saw the car backed into a storage shed next to the Russell’s home. A computer disk had also been discovered in Mississippi under the file name “murder”. It was a sort of guide on how to murder someone in twenty six steps. They also recovered a pistol, and evidence of numerous extra marital affairs. Friends and family testified that Russell made it clear that he would know exactly what to do in order to get rid of a body by throwing down a mine shaft. The government contended that Robert Russell was jealous that Shirley Russell was a role model and a symbol of the Marine Corps, yet Robert had so many problems ie. drinking, unexplained absences, and questionable spending practices, which ultimately ended in a discharge.
Shirley disappeared from her home on the military base in Quantico, Virginia. It was later found and proven that her husband, Robert Peter Russell shot his wife with a .25 caliber pistol in a storage shed next to their home. He then dumped the body into a mine shaft somewhere in Pennsylvania. Her body has never been found. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 1991.
Tidbits
Robert Russell was very detailed in his murder notes aka “recipe for murder”. He wrote “how do I kill her.”
Robert Russell said he planned on writing a book telling what really happened. He said that Shirley was still alive, and that the government was conspiring against him.(there were a couple of officers who swore that they saw her)
When Robert’s mother found out he was being investigated for the murder of his wife, she threw away Robert’s writings.
