Authors revisit local cold case of John Shakespeare
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By JO ALLEN
jallen@morningsentinel.com
CENTRALIA — The Centralia Area Historical Museum welcomed more than 70 guests Friday evening for a book signing and discussion of the newly released “The Murder of John Shakespeare: A Centralia Cold Case,” written by Cary O’Dell and Richard L. Sprehe.
More than 50 years after the killing of well‑known Centralia resident John Shakespeare, the case continues to puzzle investigators and residents alike. Shakespeare’s death — long considered the city’s most mysterious unsolved murder — has inspired books, podcasts, and private investigations. In their new work, O’Dell and Sprehe revisit the case using a wide range of sources, including materials from the Centralia Police Department, financial records, and numerous interviews.
“At my job I’ve had access to different databases, including Newspapers.com and other vintage magazines,” O’Dell told the Sentinel. “We did interviews, and we’re still sorting through a lot of legal documents.”
Shakespeare’s body was discovered in May 1975 in the basement of his home. He was nearly nude, bound, and shot execution‑style. The 69‑year‑old bachelor — an eccentric millionaire, heir to the Shakespeare fishing‑tackle fortune, and a world‑renowned collector of vintage cars — was also rumored to harbor a few secrets. Despite his popularity in the community, investigators from local and state police, as well as the FBI and Interpol, identified numerous potential suspects but were never able to link the crime to a single individual.
The book examines several theories and persons of interest, including a mysterious hitchhiker, local businessmen, and other community figures. During Friday’s event, the authors acknowledged that additional theories and suspects — ones not included in the book — continue to circulate. While they did not rule out a sequel, they said it would require significant new evidence or a major break in the case.
One theory discussed at length during the event suggested that someone outside the Centralia community may have had a motive for Shakespeare’s death, given his international travel and business dealings.
Sprehe, a Centralia native who lived in the community at the time of the murder, and O’Dell, who is from the surrounding area, say interest in the book has been strong since its December release. A book signing held on Thursday at the Bryan‑Bennett Library in Salem drew about 50 attendees.
The book was published by The History Press, an imprint of Arcadia Publishing, the nation’s leading publisher of local nonfiction and lesser‑known historical narratives.
