Victim’s girlfriend arrested for murder after remains found on front porch

Shannon McCarthy was in jail on domestic violence charges when her friend’s remains were found.

JACKSONVILLE, Florida. A Jacksonville woman has been arrested for killing her friend, whose remains were found on a West Side porch on July 6.

Heather Sheppard has been missing since June 29 – officially reported missing to police on July 3 – until her body was found in a “high state of decomposition” near a house in the 5300 block of Colonial Avenue. The police were at the house to investigate Sheppard’s disappearance.

Shannon McCarthy, who has been in a relationship with Sheppard since November 2022, according to records, has now been charged with the crime.

McCarthy has already been charged with beating Sheppard in January.

McCarthy was released on bail on battery charges, but her bail was revoked after Sheppard was found dead. At that time, she was not officially involved in the crime.

Neighbors near the Colonial Avenue home reported smelling a “bad smell” before the body was found.

The house where she was found was the last place Sheppard was seen, according to a leaflet posted on the Coalition for Justice Facebook page. Sheppard’s family said her phone was turned off, her credit cards were missing, a stained pair of shoes were found at McCarthy’s house, and that they found Sheppard’s truck with a bullet hole.

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