The 2011 murder of a Platte City woman will be featured on a Discovery Channel series which premieres this weekend.
Alissa Shippert, 22, was found dead in the Platte River in the Platte Falls Conservation Area on June 1, 2011. A cashier at the Platte City Casey’s General Store, Shippert was fishing at the river when she was attacked with a hatchet, apparently by someone she knew. In December 2011, a 21-year-old Ferrelview woman was nearly disemboweled in a razor attack in her home. Shortly after, one of Shippert’s coworkers at Casey’s was arrested for both crimes.
In an attempt to avoid the death penalty, 23-year-old Quintin O’Dell pleaded guilty to both Shippert’s murder and the razor attack. He is currently serving life in prison.
On the Case with Paula Zahn will premiere the episode on Investigation Discovery Sunday, March 11.
Platte County Sheriff Mark Owen stated in a press release on Wednesday, “I hope this episode is a fitting tribute to the memory of Alissa and that shows the hard work of the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office and the Prosecutor’s Office that went into bringing her killer to justice. The show will also serve as a memorial to Detective Mark Stephens. The show’s interview of Detective Mark Stephens was completed shortly before he passed away and I’m glad he got the opportunity to participate in filming.”