Mom's boyfriend charged after remains of missing teen found

In this episode of Crime Watch Daily Updates: The tragic disappearance of a 13-year-old girl. 11 years later, her family is still seeing justice.

Hailey Dunn’s mom Billie was the last person to see the teen alive on December 27, 2010. Then, Hailey vanished.

Billie’s boyfriend, Shawn Adkins, said Hailey was at a friend’s house, but when she didn’t return home, Billie became concerned. She reported Hailey missing the next day, December 28, 2010. Three days later, Billie and Shawn threw a New Year’s Eve party at their home while Hailey’s father continued to wait for his little girl to come back.

Suspicion of Shawn was elevated during a search of Billie and Shawn’s house when investigators reportedly found a trove of documents that delved into the lives of several notorious serial killers.

Police kept a close eye on the couple, and Shawn eventually became a suspect, especially after he failed two polygraph tests. But there was never enough to charge him — until recently.

On March 16, 2013, a hiker found a skull and femur bone on a trail about 20 miles away from Hailey’s home. Investigators located a tooth with the remains and used dental records to positively identify Hailey.

Eight years later, in June 2021, Adkins was arrested on suspicion of murder and tampering with evidence. He was booked into the Howard County Jail with a bond set at $2 million, then transferred to another detention center. Adkins allegedly hit Hailey in the head with an object, which caused her to die.

Adkins’ trial is scheduled to begin in April 2023.