Missing
Shawn Eric Spencer
Spencer, approximately 2006; David Smith
Date and time person was reported missing : 04/04/2006
Missing location (approx) :
Camdenton, Missouri
Missing classification : Endangered Missing
Gender : Male
Ethnicity :
White
DOB : 08/07/1979 (41)
Age at the time of disappearance: 26 years old
Height / Weight : 5'10 - 6'0, 150 - 165 pounds
Description, clothing, jewerly and more : A white t-shirt and cut-off blue jeans.
Medical conditions : Spencer suffers from asthma. He is allergic to iodine and seafood.
Distinguishing characteristics, birthmarks, tattoos
: Caucasian male. Blond hair, brown eyes. Spencer has acne scars on his face and back and an appendectomy scar on his abdomen. He has previously broken his clavicle and has also had hernia surgery. Spencer has numerous tattoos on both arms and legs, including a two-inch black 8-ball with a red alien behind it on his shoulder blade, a Jester with a skull face on his upper arm, and mechanical parts on his lower leg.
Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : Spencer was last seen in Camdenton, Missouri on April 4, 2006. He was working in the food service industry at the time. His dog, a Rottweiler/Bullmastiff mix, disappeared with him. Spencer has never been heard from again.
His mother didn't report him missing until April 18, 2007 because he had previously dropped out of sight for months at a time. He has previously resided in California and worked in convenience stores, as an auto detailer and as a laborer. Spencer's family stated he loved animals and would sometimes go without food so his pets could eat.
In June 2015, David W. Smith was arrested and charged with Spencer's murder. A photo of Smith is posted with this case summary. The police got a break in the investigation when Smith's wife, his former roommate, and associate of Smith's named Jake East gave statements to them about the homicide.
The witnesses said Spencer and East had gone to Smith's home to sell him marijuana, but the deal went bad and Smith shot Spencer to death with a .38 special, ripped his teeth out, and dismembered and burned the body.
In November 2016, Smith pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and abandonment of a corpse in Spencer's case. He was sentenced to nineteen years in prison.
Authorities don't believe they will be able to recover Spencer's remains. Foul play is suspected in his case due to the circumstances involved.
Other information and links : ncy
Camden County Sheriff's Office
573-346-2243
September 2021 updates and sources
Missouri State Highway Patrol
A missing person is a person who has disappeared and whose status as alive or dead cannot be confirmed as their location and condition are not known. A person may go missing through a voluntary disappearance, or else due to an accident, crime, death in a location where they cannot be found (such as at sea), or many other reasons. In most parts of the world, a missing person will usually be found quickly. While criminal abductions are some of the most widely reported missing person cases, these account for only 2�5% of missing children in Europe.
By contrast, some missing person cases remain unresolved for many years. Laws related to these cases are often complex since, in many jurisdictions, relatives and third parties may not deal with a person's assets until their death is considered proven by law and a formal death certificate issued. The situation, uncertainties, and lack of closure or a funeral resulting when a person goes missing may be extremely painful with long-lasting effects on family and friends.
Several organizations seek to connect, share best practices, and disseminate information and imAge at the time of disappearance: s of missing children to improve the effectiveness of missing children investigations, including the International Commission on Missing Persons, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), as well as national organizations, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the US, Missing People in the UK, Child Focus in Belgium, and The Smile of the Child in Greece.
The Rolla Daily News
Camden County Sheriff's Office
Lake News Online
Interactive Missing Person Search Map
