Niece seeks answers in 1977 Illinois homicide of Sharrey Case

Melissa Winnie was only 7 months old when her aunt Sharrey Lynn Case was killed, and she's now pushing for the cold case to be solved.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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Sharrey Lynn Case, a 17-year-old college student, went missing in October 1977 in Belleville, Illinois. Her body was found two months later, strangled with a wire. Now her niece, Melissa Winnie, is advocating for the decades-old cold case to be solved, hoping to finally get answers about who killed her aunt and why.

Why it matters

Sharrey's murder has haunted her family for nearly 50 years, with her niece Melissa Winnie feeling a deep sense of loss over never getting to know her aunt. The case remains unsolved, leaving the family without closure. Solving this cold case could provide long-awaited answers and justice for Sharrey's loved ones.

The details

On October 28, 1977, Sharrey's mother dropped her off at her boyfriend's mobile home and gave her $20. Sharrey stayed behind while her family went on a camping trip. When they returned, she was missing. Her body was found on December 19, 1977, by a jogger on a dirt road, covered in construction debris. She had been strangled with a wire that was still around her neck. Police interviewed Sharrey's boyfriend and neighbors but did not find any suspects. In 2005, her body was exhumed in hopes of finding DNA evidence, but only a hair belonging to Sharrey was recovered.

  • On October 28, 1977, Sharrey's mother dropped her off at her boyfriend's mobile home.
  • On November 1, 1977, Sharrey's family reported her missing.
  • On December 19, 1977, Sharrey's body was found by a jogger on a dirt road.
  • In 2005, Sharrey's body was exhumed in search of DNA evidence.
  • In 2015, a potential person of interest named Gregory Bowman was re-interviewed, but he denied involvement and died in 2016.

The players

Sharrey Lynn Case

A 17-year-old college student who was killed in 1977 in Belleville, Illinois.

Melissa Winnie

Sharrey's niece, who was only 7 months old when her aunt was killed and is now advocating for the cold case to be solved.

Ben Vise

A senior detective with the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department who has taken on Sharrey's case and believes it is solvable with modern technology.

Gregory Bowman

A man with a history of violent crime who was interviewed as a potential person of interest in Sharrey's case, but denied involvement and died in 2016.

Shirley Greathouse

Melissa Winnie's mother, who advocated for Sharrey's body to be exhumed in 2005 in search of DNA evidence.

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What they’re saying

“I feel like a part of my identity and family belonging -- because I didn't have the chance to know her -- was taken.”

— Melissa Winnie (Dateline)

“I do not think it was solvable in 1977, not without confessions, but I do believe it's a solvable case.”

— Ben Vise, Senior Detective, St. Clair County Sheriff's Department (Dateline)

“My goal is to just try to bring some closure to some people at this point.”

— Ben Vise, Senior Detective, St. Clair County Sheriff's Department (Dateline)

What’s next

Detective Vise and his boss are actively looking into Sharrey's case, and he believes it's possible that more evidence could be found using modern technology. Anyone with information about Sharrey Case should contact Det. Ben Vise at the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department.

The takeaway

This case highlights the lasting impact of unsolved homicides on families, and the importance of law enforcement's continued efforts to investigate cold cases, even decades later. With new technology and a renewed commitment to solving Sharrey's murder, there is hope that her family may finally get the answers and closure they've been seeking for nearly 50 years.