Katie Hadel, murdered Baltimore mother, was under police protection, report says

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Jeffrey Michael Shiflett

/ Baltimore County Police Dept. via CBS Baltimore

(CBS) PIKESVILLE, Md. - Police say Katie Hadel, a 33-year-old Maryland woman found stabbed to death Tuesday, was under police protection and had filed a peace order against her alleged killer, 33-year-old Jeffrey Michael Shiflett, The Baltimore Sun reports.

Baltimore County Police responded to Hadel's Pikesville, Md. residence Tuesday night on a report of a domestic disturbance. When they arrived, there was no answer at the door and it was locked, CBS Baltimore reports.

When police were able to enter, they found Hadel's dead body and two small children who were unharmed, according to the station. One of the children is reported to have been Hadel's daughter.

Police said Shiflett had left the apartment before they arrived. He was arrested Wednesday morning and charged with first-degree murder.

CBS Baltimore reports Hadel was married, and her husband was out of town at the time of her death. The Baltimore Sun reports Hadel's mother says her daughter was three months pregnant at the time of her death.

According to the paper, Shiflett had threatened to harm Hadel several times since his December 2012 release from prison and police were aware of the situation. The paper reports officers were regularly patrolling Hadel's mother's house, where they had advised her to stay.

Shiflett and Hadel had been in a relationship several years ago but ended things prior to Hadel getting married, the paper says.

The two were arrested together in 2007 for an alleged robbery. Hadel testified against Shiflett in the case and they were both found guilty, the paper says.

Shiflett served about four years of a five year sentence for the robbery and ever since his release, police have been trying to arrest him again on probation violations stemming from the harassment of Hadel, court records show, according to The Baltimore Sun.

The Baltimore County Police Department Homicide Unit is still actively investigating the case.

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by scarlatti2 February 8, 2013 6:48 AM EST: Carried away? She made mistakes in her past and was able to turn her life around...she was a lovely girl. She was not provided with a level of protection at her home when the police were notifed that she would be there...the perpetrator knew where her mother's home was, too. The police were monitoring her mother's home but did not monitor Katie's home when she met with the police and told them she would be there that day.

Police in this area have provided undisclosed locations for people who are endangered. The assailant threatened her for years while he was in jail; repeatedly said he would kill her; and yet, was released from jail only to immediately begin harrassing and threatening her...ultimately carrying out his threats.; Reply to this comment

by scarlatti2 February 7, 2013 5:10 PM EST

If she was under police protection, why did they allow her to go to her mom's or her own home? Those are the first places that he would go to find her. Why wasn't she at an undisclosed location until they had him behind bars? This is a tragedy that should not have happened. She was a lovely girl.

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by JMG4314 February 7, 2013 10:14 PM EST: Uh let's not get carried away with "she was a lovely girl" LOL. Lovely girls don't commit robberies.


by stamicrach February 8, 2013 2:35 AM EST: I don't know where you live, but in case you haven't noticed, there have been reductions in the number of police officers in almost every city and State across the country, because there is not enough money to pay for a full complement of officers; much less to pay for "undisclosed locations".

This woman was advised to go and stay with her mother until her husband returned.

She disregarded the advice of the police; returned to her own home because she had promised to babysit for someone and was murdered as a result.