Still Missing: What Happened to Shelia Bradford?

February 10, 2025

Kyle Peppers,

A West Tennessee woman vanishes after giving authorities information on a double murder. More than three decades later, Shelia Bradford is still missing.

Name: Shelia Faye Bradford
Last Seen: September 21, 1992
Missing From: Camden, Tennessee
Current Age: 65 (33 at time of disappearance)
Height: 5’2″
Weight: 110 lbs
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown

WHO IS SHELIA BRADFORD?

Shelia Faye Bradford was a “kind and loving” mother from Camden, Tennessee, with a smile that “made you feel safe.”

Shelia’s daughter, Kristie Bradford, tells us that her parents grew up on the same road in Camden. They would later marry and have three children, including Kristie and her two brothers, Jackie Jr. and John.

📸: Shelia with her ex-husband and three children (Courtesy: Middle Tennessee Mysteries)

Kristie tells us that her parents divorced when she was 12. She would end up in her mother’s custody, while her father took custody of her brothers. According to Kristie, Shelia briefly moved to Scotts Hill following the divorce, but moved back to Camden after less than a year.

Shelia would later enter a relationship with a man known as J.C. Bruce., and the pair dated for around two years, according to Kristie. Former District Attorney General Matt Stowe told WKRN in 2020 that J.C. had previously been convicted of attempted murder and rape, and was sentenced to five years in prison before being released in 1979. Stowe also suggested in the interview that during their relationship, Shelia may have experienced domestic abuse. Kristie told us Shelia eventually ended her relationship with J.C. about two weeks before she disappeared, and mentioned that J.C. had been “stalking and harassing” Shelia after the breakup.

📸: J.C. Bruce (southernfriedtruecrime.com)

And it turns out that J.C. was not the only member of his family with criminal tendencies, which Shelia was apparently aware of. She believed she had information that could help authorities in a murder investigation, and a meeting was arranged to discuss further. However, that meeting would take a shocking turn.

AN EXPLOSIVE INTERRUPTION

The Charley Project (TCP) reports that on Friday, September 18, 1992, Shelia met with law enforcement at Country and Western Steakhouse in Camden.

📸: Country & Western Steakhouse in Camden (Courtesy: Trip Advisor)

She brought along her daughter Kristie, who was 15 at the time and also employed at the restaurant. According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Shelia intended to ask police for protection in exchange for information she allegedly had about a double murder that happened in Camden – a crime that several members of J.C.’s family would later be convicted for.

During the conversation at the restaurant, which involved the local sheriff and a TBI agent, Kristie says that Shelia was told she didn’t have enough information to be provided any type of protection.

“That’s when she said, ‘What does he have to do? Kill me first?!’ Then the explosion happened.”

An explosion outside of the restaurant interrupted the meeting. Kristie tells us that Shelia pulled her to the ground, initially thinking the sound was gunshots. TCP reports that Shelia told Kristie, “He knows we’re here.”

According to WKRN, the explosion came from a fire involving an outbuilding near the restaurant, which authorities later determined had been intentionally set.

Fearing for their lives, Shelia and Kristie quickly left the restaurant. Kristie says that she went to stay with her father that night, while Shelia went to stay at her sister’s house to hide out.

SHELIA GOES MISSING

On Monday, September 21, 1992, Shelia reportedly made a trip home to pick up some clothes and do laundry. According to TCP, she intended to go to the bank to make a deposit after her clothes were done drying.

📸: Google Maps

Reports show that she was last seen by her sister between 8-10 that morning, and she stopped answering calls after 10:30 a.m.

Shelia was never seen or heard from again.

Stowe told WKRN that her clothes were found in the dryer, and her money was found alongside it, stating that it’s believed she possibly went missing in her t-shirt and underwear. Several outlets have reported that there were no apparent signs of a forced entry into the home.

Kristie tells us that family tried to file a missing person report on Shelia the same day she disappeared, but was told that they would have to wait until the next day. Despite the events that happened prior, Kristie says authorities did not initially suspect foul play.

According to the TBI, Shelia was officially reported missing to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office on September 22, 1992, and TBI joined the search.

Her vehicle was found at her sister’s home on Little Jim Drive with the keys in the ignition. Kristie tells us that a “big” search was not conducted until 1995, when the Benton County Rescue Squad searched the property.

BRUCE BROTHERS MURDERS

Just over a year after Shelia went missing, J.C.’s brothers Gary, Robert, and Jerry Bruce were indicted for the 1991 murders of Danny Vine and his fiancée, Della Thornton. The pair’s remains, along with their dog, were found inside Danny’s home after the residence burned to the ground. Investigators later determined the fire was arson, and the two had been shot “execution style” before the blaze.

📸: Della Thornton & Danny Vine (Courtesy: Middle Tennessee Mysteries)

Vine was a mussel shell buyer, and the brothers allegedly hoped to steal shells that Vine had collected so they could profit from them.

TCP reports that their neighbor, David Riales, was also indicted in connection to the crime. Additionally, the brothers’ mother, Mary Kathleen Bruce Ryion, was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice in the case.

The brothers were sentenced to life in prison without parole. Gary escaped from jail in July 1994, but was later captured in Nashville in September 1995.

📸: Jerry, Gary, & Robert Bruce (Courtesy: Middle Tennessee Mysteries)

J.C. was allegedly suspected of playing a role in the crimes, but he was never charged. TCP reports he pleaded guilty to federal weapons charges in 1993, was convicted of assault in 2000, and was arrested for poaching in 2015.

According to several sources, J.C. still resides in Camden to this day.

THE SEARCH CONTINUES

More than 32 years later, Shelia’s whereabouts remain unknown. Remains have never been discovered, and no one has ever been charged in regards to her disappearance. Shelia would be about 65-years-old at the time of this report.

Her daughter Kristie has never given up hope. She operates a Facebook page dedicated to her mother’s search, and has entered a career in law enforcement.

📸: Kristie Bradford, 2018 (Courtesy: WZTV)

While researching Shelia’s disappearance, we got in touch with Kristie to present her with a few questions:

You were 15 when your mother disappeared – what happened to you during this time?

“I lost my boyfriend in a wreck five months after Momma disappeared. He had helped me hold myself together after her disappearance. I had a very close friend who was helping me through the two worst times of my life, then she was killed in an accidental shooting. I went through a lot that year. I ended up going to counseling and being diagnosed with PTSD.”

What has it been like not having answers after more than three decades?

“I had seen my mother one other time after the explosion, then she disappeared. My brothers and I have been angry, mad, hurt, sad, and disappointed. I would say I am more disappointed and angry than anything, with the lack of interest or effort put in by law enforcement. My brother’s didn’t like law enforcement either because of our Momma’s disappearance. My oldest brother hasn’t been asked to speak to law enforcement about my mother, even though he was the one who was supposed to meet her the morning of her disappearance. My brother John was Momma’s baby boy. John had finally got his life on track, but we lost him almost a year ago to a heart attack.”

Did your mom’s case inspire you to pursue a career in law enforcement?

“I never thought I would be in law enforcement. When I was asked to come work for Cecil Wells when he became Sheriff, I was hesitant. I am so glad I did. I learned a lot more about my mother’s case. I was able to see what wasn’t done and correct it. I was able to meet the TBI director face to face, where I asked if he could call me. He called me the next day and I asked him if there would be any way to get DNA on file for my mother’s case. He was very helpful and by the next week, we had my grandparents at Jackson TBI. DNA was taken from them to add to her file. I also got her dental records added to her file in the national database. I want to help those who feel they are alone, and how to take action and be an advocate for your loved ones. I want to make sure that everyone gets the help they need and deserve. I want them to know the bad things don’t define you, it’s how you respond and get back up that makes you who you are. I love my job.”

In 2020, at the request of Stowe, Governor Bill Lee announced a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Community members reportedly matched the reward, raising it to $20,000.

If you have any information that could assist the investigation, call 1-800-TBI-FIND.