Dec 10 1957 JEALOUSY ANGLEL SIFTS IN SLAYING 15 LOVE LETTERS, THREATS KNOWN Henderson, KY-(Special) The theory that jealousy was responsible for the brutal beating and slaying of WEHT-TV Artist William Arles (Curly) Shelton, 33, was advanced today by sheriff Lee Williams The Sheriff said he knows of 15 or more love letters Shelton received from women in Henderson and "other places" in addition to threatening letters Shelton received from a former Henderson man regarding an affection between Shelton and the man's wife. The body of Shelton, a vocalist and guitar on WHET's Hillside Hoedown program, was found about 4 p.m. yesterday in his car parked behind the VEW Club on Highway 41A about three miles south of here. Shelton, father of a three-week-old son, was employed until Wednesday at Mesker Steel Company, Evansville, in addition to his television work. Legs also broken Henderson County Corner, Fred Allen Tapp, said Shelton had been dead since Wednesday night, "He died of a cerebral hemorrhage from the beating he received around the head," the corner said Shelton's right leg was also broken near the ankle. Mr. Tapp added that he has no idea what was used to beat Shelton. He said no weapon was found at the scene. The Corner plans no inquest "because there are no witness to question." Reached at the Kentucky Sheriff's Association convention in Owensboro, Sheriff William said one of the threatening letters Shelton had received form the former Henderson man was dated last Sept 22. The other was not dated, he said Sheriff Williams is in charge of the investigation. Not in Henderson Sheriff Williams said the man us not from Henderson County and he has been unable to talk to hi, but added that he knows where the man is. He declined to elaborate further on the letters or the man. He also declined to comment or the writers of the letters. Corner Tapp said that while Shelton used his mother's home on Letcher Street as his home address, he spent part of his time at the home of Mrs. Shelton's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Printice Cates, 1038 First Ave . Lives apart at times Mrs. Shelton and the Shelton child were living at the First Street address. The corner said the Shelton's lived apart some of the time because of crowded conditions at the two homes. He added that the Shelton's has rented a home of their own and planned to move soon. There was no "trouble" between the two, the corner emphasized. An employee of WEHT-TV said Shelton usually brought a girl friend to the Hillside Hoedown show on Saturday night and "seldom brought the same girl twice." The WEHT spokesman said he had no knowledge of Shelton's having been threatened at any time, but added that at times "there are a lot of men who might have had reason to do so because Shelton's heavy dating. Robbery could have been the motive of Shelton's murderer, the station employee speculated, because, "Curly" often flashed large roll of money. Blood on Ground The body was discovered by Mrs. Minnie Shuttleworth, who lives across the highway from the VFW Club. She went to the parking lot the car after he son , Eddie 10, and a neighbor child, James w Williams, had found belonging to Shelton and Shelton's empty wallet behind the club and blood on the ground. Mrs. Shutterworth called police. Sheriff's officers abd State Police found Shelton's body sprawled on the front seat of his car. His feet were on the dashboard and his face in the seat of the late model convertible. Several coins were scattered about the ground near the car. Police found $8.10 in Shelton's clothing. The hood of the car was smeared with blood. The evidence led police to believe that Shelton was engaged in a bloody fight with a person or persons. In trying to trace Shelton's whereabouts Wednesday nigh, police learned the following; Worked Wednesday He had worked Mesker Wednesay. Wednesday night, police learned Shelton had been at the American Legion Home about 7 to 7:30 p.m. From there he went to the VFW Club. Weather Curly had a woman with him in the car at the time of the attack or just before it, they don't know. There was no evidence in the car indicating that a woman was with Curly, they say. They also consider the possibility that a jealous man hid Curler's car parked near the Moose Club last Wednesday night and that a man forced Curly to drive to the VFW Club when Curly left the Moos about 9 p.m. In questioning several men and woman at the Evansville police station last nigh Sheriff Williams said that one of the girls questioned mentioned that Curly possessed marijuana cigarette about a year ago. That line of questioning wasn't followed up Preferred To be Alone Shelton's associated said that the slightly built guitarist "had a lot of good friends all over the "Tri-State," but that, unless he was on a date, he "seldom ran around with them." Among the murder victim's closest friends were his co-musicians in the Dixie Six band, Kenneth (Rusty Neck) Pendergraff said he and Shelton had been friends since their school days. Pendergraff and Jack Little, both members o the band, were among the first visitors to arrive at Tapp Funeral Home yesterday afternoon. "This is a mystery. " Pondergraff said. "I just can't imagine who could have done it. Curly was the type of fellow everyone likes-he was friendly and kept his troubles to himself. "Wasn't Big enough" Shelton's , stepfather, Gaylord Grant, said the musician's apparent, preference to be alone probably contributed to the beating. "If there had been another man along, he said , he would have at least stood a chance. He wasn't really big enough to protect himself. Some observers have guessed that Shelton's assailant hadn't intended to kill. Mr. Grant disagrees, saying that the condition of Shelton's body indicated that the attacker plotted murder. One employee of the VFW Club said "it's a shame such a thing gad to happen her, because everyone here who knew Curly thought he was more than special." The fact that Shelton is widely popular was evident yesterday when a steady flow of visitors filed through the Tapp Funeral Home to view the family. Visitors came throughout the day in a downpour of rain. Hillside Hoedown cast members will pay a special tribute to Shelton on tonight's show. Doug Odum, director of the Dixie Six band with which Shelton performed on the Hoedown show, said that a "a portion of to-night's show will be dedicate to the memory of Curly Shelton Hillside Hoedown will be telecast over WEHT-TV beginning at 10 p.m. December 10, 1957 Didn't Believe it June and Curly Planned Big Date HENDERSON- Curly and June had planned to do the town last night It was while Mrs. William Shelton was waiting for her husband to pick her up that she learned he had been beaten to death. Mrs. Shelton was at the home of her mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Prentice Cats, 1038 First St, when she learned of he husband's death by phone. Curly had been staying part time with his mother abd step-father, Mr. and Mrs. Gaylord Grant, in a room three-room walk up apartment above a shoe store until the young couple could move into a large enough quarters for themselves and t their three week old son, Rickie Wayne, This morning the stunned family members gathered in the plain kitchen of the Grant apartment. In the bedroom Mrs. Grant was at last asleep. Was to Rehears Mrs. Shelton sat in a kitchen chair, twisting her hands together and occasionally blinking back tears. He husband has visited her at he parents' home Tuesday night and told her he was to rehearse Wednesday nigh. He would come for her Thursday night and they would go out on the town, their first trip out together since their the birth of the baby, he promised. About 5 p.m. yesterday Mrs. Shelton commented to her mother "I winder where Curly is. We're going out tonight." Mrs. Case answered the phone when it rang. The caller said Curly had been found beaten to death in his car behind the VFW. "I didn't tell June at first because I thought they were kidding," Mrs. Cade said. Mrs. Grant learned of he sons death when she stopped in a beauty shop on her way home from work.. The women in the shop were discussing the murder. No Known Enemies All the family agrees that Curly had no known enemies. Mr. Grant said his stepson came home form work Wednesday, fixed himself something to eat, changed clothes and said he was going out. He left about 5:35 p.m. Neither he nor his wife thought it peculiar that he didn't return that night. Mr. Grant said, since he kept late hours when he was working with the band. They left for work without checking to see if Curly was in bed, he said. Curly didn't go to rehearsal, fellow musicians said. What did happen is still conjecture. Mr. Grant say Curly's body at the funeral home. "He was beaten horribly. The guy must have been awfully mad about something. He'd have to be crazy to do something like that. I don't know how one man could do that to another." Mr. Grant tends to the theory that it was only one man, and he believes he stomped Curly after he killed him. Mr. Grant is puzzled too by the fact that there was a five-inch scratch across Curly's back and yet none of his clothes were torn. "I hope they catch the man because I'd like to know what he has to say. " Mr. Grant said. Evansville Press, Henderson Gleaner, Sebree banner Mom scrapbook. --------------------------------------------