Shawn Sutherland, Paralegal and Author

In 1988, two Carrollton teens went missing and the case quickly stalled.  Shawn Sutherland a Patents Law Paralegal, who grew up in Carrollton, decided last year to write a book about the missing teens, Stacie Madison and Susan Renee Smalley.  The book, This Night Wounds Time: The Mysterious Disappearances of Stacie Madison and Susan Smalley reopened the cold case.  According to Carrollton police Sgt. Joel Payne, “What this book did was push the full reset button, we threw out all the assumptions, and we started from scratch.”

With the case revived, investigators are re-examining theories dismissed long ago. There’s a heightened urgency to get anyone with information about the case to come forward.

The department and Payne, the lead detective, are throwing new resources into the case. The Denton County district attorney’s office also assigned an investigator after learning of a connection in its county.

There is a Facebook page, which gives more information on Stacie and Susan.  I am thrilled to learn that one of our own paralegal brothers is responsible for reopening this sad case.  I hope that the families of these two girls receive some closure.  Persons with any information regarding the Madison/Smalley case should contact the Carrollton Police Department at 972-466-3300.