Police arrested a suspect in the cold case of missing person Shane Ryan Donahue, of Nokesville, who was 23 at the time of his disappearance in 2010. Prince William Police suspect Timothy Sean Hickerson of murdering Donahue, who is presumably deceased.
On March 24, 2010, officers responded to a residence in the 14000 block of Aden Road in Nokesville to investigate a missing person. The investigation revealed family members had not heard from the victim, Shane Ryan Donahue, age 23, after he was last seen leaving his parent’s residence on March 22, 2010.
Over the course of the more than 14-year-long investigation, several investigative leads were developed and explored based on information brought to police attention.
In spring 2024, detectives reactivated the investigation, reexamining every detail of the case from scratch, including revisiting interviewed parties and digital evidence in greater detail due to advances in analytical technology and modern police investigative practices.
Hickerson was an acquaintance of Donahue's and the two were last seen leaving Donahue's parents' home together, reportedly returning to the victim’s nearby residence in the 12000 block of Aden Road. However, the victim was not seen or heard from again.
Although the victim’s remains have not been located, he is presumed deceased. During the investigation, the accused was connected to a burglary that occurred at the victim’s residence just days before his disappearance.
In September 2024, following the investigation, Prince William County detectives obtained arrest warrants for Timothy Sean Hickerson, who would have been 28 years old at the time of the victim’s disappearance. With the assistance of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, the accused was arrested in Palm Coast, Florida where he will remain incarcerated until extradited to Virginia.
Arrested on September 17: [No photo available]
Timothy Sean HICKERSON, 43, of 65 Foxhall Ln in Palm Coast, FL was charged with murder and burglary.
His court date is pending. He is in police custody, pending extradition
Anyone with information that can aid investigators in this ongoing case is asked to contact Prince William County police at 703-792-6500 or submit a tip online at pwcva.gov/policetip.
According to multiple sources, Timothy Hickerson was always a suspect in the case. Donahue and Hickerson worked together on a ceiling tiling job on the day Donahue was last seen. Donahue was paid $5,000 and paid Hickerson $1,000. Hickerson still had $4,000 in cash as he left Donahue's parents' house and allegedly went to Shane's house within walking distance.
Here is a True Crime Podcast that discusses the Shane Donahue case.
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/shane-donahue-187/id1448151398?i=1000555639375
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