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All the United States West Virginia Lewisburg Greenbrier County Courthouse

Greenbrier County Courthouse

Step into the courtroom to learn details of the only case in history where ghostly testimony led to a murderer's conviction.

Lewisburg, West Virginia

Added By
Beth Gill
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Greenbrier County Courthouse in WV   bethmgill / Atlas Obscura User
Greenbrier County Courthouse in WV   bethmgill / Atlas Obscura User
Painting of Zona Heaster Shue by Misty Murray-Walkup   bethmgill / Atlas Obscura User
Roadside History Placard of the Greenbrier Ghost   bethmgill / Atlas Obscura User
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About

In the late 19th century, the mysterious death of Zona Heaster Shue raised the perplexing question: Did she die of natural causes, or was it murder? It was true Zona's mother, Mary J. Heaster, never approved of her daughter's marriage to Erasmus Trout Shue, but did he kill her?

On the fateful day of Zona's death in 1897, Trout Shue asked a neighbor to call on his wife at home. When the young man walked inside, he found Zona dead on the floor.

Curiously, Shue prevented a thorough examination of the body and helped dress her with a high collar and veil "tied in a large bow under her chin." Despite his efforts, witnesses reported that Zona's head was noticeably "loose upon the neck." She was buried with no charges filed against her husband, but Mary Heaster knew his secret—her daughter's spirit appeared to her, revealing foul play.

Upon exhumation and autopsy, Zona's broken neck and crushed windpipe provided clear evidence that she, indeed, had been murdered. Trout Shue was put on trial, and Mary Heaster's testimony of her daughter's visits from beyond the grave told the real account.

Within an hour, the jury convicted Trout Shue of first-degree murder, sentencing him to life in prison. This bizarre Greenbrier County case is the only trial in which ghostly testimony led to a murderer's conviction.

Related Tags

Ghost Stories Death Law Murder Mystery Crime Murder

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Added By

bethmgill

Published

October 2, 2023

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  • https://greenbrierwv.com/editorials/the-greenbrier-ghost
  • See full article for sources: https://greenbrierwv.com/editorials/the-greenbrier-ghost
Greenbrier County Courthouse
912 N Court St
Lewisburg, West Virginia, 24901
United States
37.803186, -80.445351
Visit Website
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Photo of Lewisburg

Lewisburg

West Virginia

Places 2

Nearby Places

Lost World Caverns

Lewisburg, West Virginia

miles away

Congressional Fallout Shelter at the Greenbrier Resort

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miles away

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miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Lewisburg

Lewisburg

West Virginia

Places 2

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