'Somebody put a hit out on me': Woman found dead inside trash can in Buffalo Bayou identified

Daniela Hurtado Image
Saturday, July 23, 2022

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The person found inside a trash can in the Buffalo Bayou on Tuesday night has now been identified.

The Harris County Medical Examiner's Office confirms it was 31-year-old Shelby Vercher.

Her cause of death hasn't been determined. As of Friday evening, Houston police representatives would not say if foul play was involved.

But Shelby's father is certain someone murdered her. After all, he says her body was found in a shut trash can inside the bayou.

Shelby's father says he and his daughter met at a park on Tuesday morning to enjoy each other's company and some coffee. It's something they did often.

"She told me, 'Daddy, someone put a hit out on me,'" said Shelby's father, Coy Vercher.

It was a chilling final conversation between Coy Vercher and his daughter hours before she was found dead in the bayou. She didn't tell him who she thought was trying to kill her.

"No, daddy, it will be ok... apparently, it won't be ok. Apparently, she was telling me the truth. Someone did put out a hit on her. I intend to find out who," said Coy Vercher. "(First responders) found this container floating with my daughter in it. My daughter may be a lot of things, but she wasn't trash."

Shelby was a mother of three and had recently moved back to Houston after living in Tennessee for some time.

"(She) would do anything in the world for anybody. There was nothing selfish about her. Nothing," Coy said. "She was trying to get her life together, but it got cut short."

Her father is asking for someone to speak up if they know what happened to Shelby.

"Somebody needs to pay for this," Coy said.

He's hurting and wants answers.

If you have any information on this case, you're asked to call the Houston Police Department.

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