Investigation Discovery’s ‘The Murder Tapes’ delves into the murder of Shelby Weatherly in an episode titled ‘Do You Want to Smell Human Blood.’ 24-year-old Shelby Weatherly’s body was discovered by a road. She had been brutally stabbed and injured. The police zeroed in on a suspect, for what seemed to be a mysterious death, following an excruciating investigation. We were curious to find out more about the exact circumstances and the primary suspect. Here’s what we know.
How Did Shelby Weatherly Die?
Shelby Weatherly had had a few run-ins with the law in her lifetime. She had pleaded guilty to trespassing and petty theft charges in Denver in 2016. In September 2017, Shelby had a court appearance on a felony drug charge. Court records indicate that in the hearing, which was scheduled for 9 a.m., she was charged with possession of a controlled substance. It occurred on September 9, 2017, the same day that she was arrested. And this was not the end of the misfortunes that befell young Shelby.
A Deputy County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman said that on September 30, 2017, the deputies received a report from a motorist at around 10 in the morning. The caller informed them about a body they had spotted along Interstate 25 near the Greenland exit. She also said the caller had provided a brief description of the body, mentioning apparent cuts to the hands and other wounds.
According to an autopsy report, she had sustained 19 stab wounds to her neck, her jugular, and her heart, which were included in the 50 or more injuries that she eventually succumbed to. The DA’s office said that evidence collected from Shelby’s body and witnesses linked her death to Mihail Petrov, who was arrested on October 13, 2017.
Who Killed Shelby Weatherly?
Mihail Petrov killed Shelby Weatherly. After Shelby’s body was discovered, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office indulged in an intensive investigation that incorporated forensics evidence, videos, photos, and witnesses. Eventually, their efforts bore results. On October 13, 2017, the Sheriff’s Office announced that they had made an arrest in Shelby’s death, which had been treated as a homicide from the very beginning. Mihail Petrov was taken into custody in Denver around noon the same day.
He was booked into the Douglas County Detentions Center on a hefty bail. On the day of his arrest, Mihail was found driving a stolen car with a stock of cocaine and methamphetamine. He tried to flee from the police following his arrest but was unsuccessful. The police charged Petrov with accessory to first-degree murder, tampering of physical evidence and concealing death.
The DA’s office stated that the police had linked forensic evidence found on Shelby’s body to Petrov. This included his fingerprints on the items near Shelby’s body and her blood on Petrov’s clothing and his car. Furthermore, Petrov had also admitted to two people that he had killed someone who was on the news. The DA’s office added that Mihail had also asked one of them, “Do you want to smell human blood?” In closing arguments, Senior Chief Deputy District Attorney Jason Siers addressed the jury, saying, “This is the man who killed Shelby, dumped her body and was caught literally red-handed.”
During a hearing separate from the murder trial, Petrov was also found to be a habitual criminal. In January 2019, Petrov was convicted for Shelby’s first-degree murder and was found guilty on all counts. While there are no official reports on his sentencing, the statutory sentence for first-degree murder, which Petrov was convicted of, is life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Read More: Where Is Mihail Petrov Now?