In 1990, David Steinmeyer’s life tragically changed when he and his friend Robert Shafer became involved in a horrifying murder. They claimed to have hitched a ride with Donny Young and Jerry Parker, and they later confessed to their murders. Furthermore, they asserted that the victims attempted to sexually assault them, which sparked a heated dispute during which Robert and David took possession of their guns and shot the victims.
Even though their confession led to their detention and subsequent prosecution, the case eventually collapsed due to inconsistencies in their account. Because the physical evidence did not corroborate their accounts, law enforcement became doubtful of their version of events. Robert Shafer and David Steinmeyer were charged with murder despite these reservations.
The murders of Robert Shafer and David Steinmeyer
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David was only sixteen, therefore the situation got even more problematic due to his age. Still, the juvenile court had approved the accusation against him as an adult, so he might be given a life sentence. In October 1992, David Steinmeyer received a 12-year and 6-month jail sentence as part of a plea deal.
He was ultimately imprisoned for 11 years before being released. After being freed, David decided to live a calm, secluded life. However, Robert Shafer received the death penalty for the crime. But in 2004, a judge determined that Shafer had not fully comprehended the ramifications of forfeiting his access to legal representation. Consequently, rather than receiving the death penalty, Robert was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole.
In contrast to his former companion, David was in a different circumstance because he had previously completed his sentence and obtained a plea deal. Why David Steinmeyer chose to take part in the tragic events of April 1990 is still mainly a mystery. His decisions made during that depressing period have affected him ever since. Furthermore, he, the community, and the relatives of the victims were all negatively impacted by his decisions.
But now that David Steinmeyer is no longer under public scrutiny, his life is private.
His post-incarceration life story is veiled in secrecy, leaving open the long-lasting question of what happens to a person involved in a controversial and well-publicized crime when they try to live a normal life again.
Update 2023 from David Steinmeyer and Robert Shafer
The stories of David Steinmeyer and Robert Shafer were included in the crime series “I Am A Killer,” which Netflix produced in the wake of the 1990 murder case involving these two men. This is an especially scary instance because they turned themselves up willingly and didn’t seem to be feeling sorry for their horrible behavior.
But David Steinmeyer has already served out his time and gone back to living his normal life away from the prying eyes of the public. In a similar vein, Robert Shafer, his companion, was sentenced to life in jail without the possibility of parole.
Robert Shafer is incarcerated at the Potosi Correctional Center in Washington County, Missouri, according to the official court records. People convicted of serious crimes, like Robert Shafer, who is serving a life sentence without the possibility of release, are housed in this maximum-security prison. It’s where he will live out the rest of his life after his death sentence is commuted. Robert Shafer is destined to remain incarcerated till his death because there is no way out.
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