The Delicate Question: Owen Coffin's Last Draw

The Delicate Question: Owen Coffin's Last Draw

A plaque in West Virginia marks the only known case where a ghost's testimony helped convict a murderer. This isn't fiction; it's the true story of Zona Shue, a 23-year-old woman found dead at the foot of her stairs, her neck at an unnatural angle. How did a dead woman speak from beyond the grave to reveal her killer?

In this episode, we delve into the chilling details surrounding Zona Shue's mysterious death in 1897 and the extraordinary events that followed. Explore the unsettling actions of her husband at the funeral and the mother's unwavering conviction that led to an unprecedented trial.

Person: Zona Shue
Date: January 23, 1897
Location: Lewisville Mill, West Virginia
Status: Murder conviction
Case: The Greenbrier Ghost

- Zona Shue was 23 years old, four months married, and pregnant when she died.
- An 11-year-old boy found her body at the foot of her staircase.
- The doctor initially ruled her death as "pregnancy complications."
- Her husband, Erasmus Shue, dressed her for the funeral and obscured her neck with a scarf and high collar.
- Zona's mother, Mary Jane, claimed her daughter's ghost appeared to her four times, describing her murder.

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