Analysis: Shannon McCarthy Charged w/ Murder in Jacksonville, FL

By Alexis Sykes

Shannon McCarthy was charged with second-degree murder of  her domestic partner in July 2023 after the previously missing victim’s remains were found at the home the couple shared. There was a history of disputes reported between the couple including a prior arrest of McCarthy for battering the victim. It is unclear if McCarthy was the primary aggressor in all of the previous disputes or solely the one she was arrested for shortly before the homicide. The prior history of the parties could factor into whether McCarthy can make a legitimate claim of self-defense or not. It’s also not clear if there was a motive for the homicide and whether a “heat of passion” defense may factor in for a potential resolution to a lesser charges like manslaughter.

The difficulty for McCarthy would be explaining why the homicide was not disclosed immediately. The failure to disclosure could be considered consciousness of guilt or could also be explained as trauma or fear. Further investigation and possible mental health evaluations would be needed to determine an effective defense in this case.

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