Executive Summary
- Shea and Beau Grauer were murdered in separate incidents in Memphis within a seven-month period.
- A Christian Brothers University writing class is analyzing case evidence to identify potential new leads for police.
- Beau Grauer’s girlfriend died of an overdose the night before she was scheduled to speak with detectives about his murder.
- Memphis Police have released surveillance video connected to Shea Grauer’s death but have not yet identified a suspect.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Students at Christian Brothers University (CBU) have initiated an academic investigation into the unsolved homicides of two brothers killed less than seven months apart, aiming to uncover new leads to assist law enforcement, according to faculty and family statements.
Shea Grauer, 55, was shot and killed on February 18, 2023, in what the Memphis Police Department described as an apparent robbery on Lockett Place near Madison Avenue. Investigators obtained surveillance footage of a man walking away from the scene, but authorities have reported limited progress in identifying the gunman who allegedly took the victim’s wallet.
The incident followed the death of Shea’s brother, 50-year-old Beau Grauer, who was killed during a home invasion on Hawthorne Street on July 24, 2022. Complicating the investigative timeline, police records indicate that Beau’s girlfriend, Allison Joulwan Mironovich, died of a drug overdose on August 1, 2022, the night before she was scheduled to provide a statement to detectives regarding Beau’s murder.
The Grauer family, including mother Gail Grauer and sister Paige Taylor, have partnered with Professor Karen Golightly’s "English 402 Creative Nonfiction True Crime Writing" class at CBU. According to Taylor, while the family receives regular updates from the Memphis Police Department homicide detective assigned to all three deaths, they have not yet seen progress from federal agents associated with the Memphis Safe Task Force who were expected to review the cases.
Professor Golightly stated that students are conducting comprehensive research, including online analysis and field interviews, to reconstruct the victims’ lives and scrutinize available evidence. The goal is to identify overlooked threads that can be turned over to the police. "The family really appreciates the fact that we have this unique opportunity for a new set of eyes to look at both cases," Taylor said regarding the collaboration.
Academic Investigative Support
This initiative underscores the potential utility of academic and civilian collaboration in cold case investigations. When law enforcement agencies face resource constraints or high caseloads, structured academic programs can provide supplemental analytical power. By applying rigorous research methodologies to dormant case files, these "fresh eyes" initiatives aim to generate new witness leads or identify narrative inconsistencies that may reinvigorate stalled official inquiries without compromising forensic integrity.
