Life Without
The Wrongful Conviction of Sandy Shaw
Will be published approx. on 11. December 2025
Book
Hardback
296 pages
979-8-8818-0280-6 (ISBN)
Description
In 1987, when Sandy heard the bark of the first pistol shot right next to her ear, she bolted and ran for her life. After ducking behind desert scrub brush in the dim glow of the moonlight, she spotted eighteen-year-old Troy Kell and his buddy Billy Merritt standing over the dead body of James Cotton Kelly. Though only fifteen, this was the fourth murder Shaw witnessed in two years.
Touted as the "Show & Tell Killer" by the media because a crooked prosecutor told the press and jury she took classmates to view the dead body, Sandy was immediately mutilated by the press. She was convicted and sentenced to two life terms without parole and became the youngest female ever incarcerated in an adult Nevada prison. Shaw endured twenty-one years in prison and fifteen more on "lifetime parole" for this wrongful conviction before being fully exonerated in June of 2022 by the Nevada Supreme Court. Yet, she lost her entire youth in the process-the best years of her life. She never went to Prom. Never got married. Never had kids. Her dreams were stripped away.
And she has never told her story. Now-being fully free-the time is right to tell it.
Life Without is a crisis-driven tale of violence and murder, tragedy, and injustice, and ultimately-triumph. This book is the almost unbelievable, yet true life story of a woman with extreme bad luck, a childhood ripped away, generations of dysfunction before and alongside her, who endured abuse of all kinds, and who still found her way to freedom and redemption.
Touted as the "Show & Tell Killer" by the media because a crooked prosecutor told the press and jury she took classmates to view the dead body, Sandy was immediately mutilated by the press. She was convicted and sentenced to two life terms without parole and became the youngest female ever incarcerated in an adult Nevada prison. Shaw endured twenty-one years in prison and fifteen more on "lifetime parole" for this wrongful conviction before being fully exonerated in June of 2022 by the Nevada Supreme Court. Yet, she lost her entire youth in the process-the best years of her life. She never went to Prom. Never got married. Never had kids. Her dreams were stripped away.
And she has never told her story. Now-being fully free-the time is right to tell it.
Life Without is a crisis-driven tale of violence and murder, tragedy, and injustice, and ultimately-triumph. This book is the almost unbelievable, yet true life story of a woman with extreme bad luck, a childhood ripped away, generations of dysfunction before and alongside her, who endured abuse of all kinds, and who still found her way to freedom and redemption.
Reviews / Votes
Like most of society, I'm fascinated by true crime stories. What happened to Sandy Shaw at the young age of 15 is unbelievable. As a master storyteller, Dan Gleason beautifully conveys Sandy's unfortunate story and her long fight to clear her name. -- Kristina Rivera, producer, American Sniper, Sully, and The Mule Sandy Shaw's powerful story, in the hands of writer Dan Gleason, is hard to put down. Time would expose the injustice of Shaw's sentence (she was 15 when sentenced to life without parole). Gleason, with empathy and admiration, details how Shaw used her prison time to grow as a compassionate person. This is a story of redemption and reclaimed justice. -- David Bonior, US House Majority Whip, 102nd and 103rd Congresses; author of When Mercy Seasons Justice (2021) This is an important story, the kind not often told because it includes revelations that society doesn't want to hear. That Sandy Shaw is both willing and able to tell her story is miraculous. That Dan Gleason recognized its significance and worked for years to make it available is a public service. -- Stephen Greenleaf, author of the John Marshall Tanner detective mystery series, The Ditto List, and Impact In this powerful telling of resilience and the persistent quest for justice in Life Without, Sandy Shaw and co-author Dan Gleason relate a compelling story of a young girl, framed for murder and illegally sentenced as an adult, who endures years of injustice. Her personal awareness and moral conviction sustain her on the long journey to find justice. -- Anthony Flacco, New York Times and international bestselling author Few writers with a commitment to a cause can compare to Dan Gleason's efforts on behalf of Sandy Shaw. Imprisoned for 21 years for a crime committed when she was a teenager, Shaw kept the faith and Gleason stayed in her corner. In Life Without, he tells her story in her voice, with an insider's insight, deftly recreating the crime, the trial, the bleak times that followed, and the push for the ultimate victory. It's a hell of a story! -- William Brashler, author of The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings, City Dogs, and The Don: The Life and Death of Sam GiancanaMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
With dust jacket
Illustrations
15 bw photos
Dimensions
Height: 231 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
558 gr
ISBN-13
979-8-8818-0280-6 (9798881802806)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
10/2025
1st Edition
Bloomsbury Academic
€28.49
Available for download
E-Book
10/2025
1st Edition
Bloomsbury Academic
€28.49
Available for download
Persons
Sandy Shaw, whose life experiences provide the information for this story, became the youngest female ever incarcerated in an adult Nevada prison. After earning two college degrees in prison, the former honors student launched her valiant battle to win her freedom.
Dan Gleason is a prolific magazine writer of award-winning fiction and non-fiction. He earned his Masters of Fine Arts degree from Iowa University's celebrated Writers Workshop.
Dan Gleason is a prolific magazine writer of award-winning fiction and non-fiction. He earned his Masters of Fine Arts degree from Iowa University's celebrated Writers Workshop.
Content
Chapter One: High Anxiety: Seeking a Pardon
Chapter Two: Turbulent Beginnings
Chapter Three: Battle Scars
Chapter Four: Sweet in Small Doses
Chapter Five: The One that Broke the Camel's Back
Chapter Six: My Bridge to Sin City
Chapter Seven: Things We Lost in the Fire
Chapter Eight: Beware of an Enemy Reconciliation
Chapter Nine: "Who You Want to Live With?"
Chapter Ten: Dysfunction: The New Normal
Chapter Twelve: Vegas: Doorway to Disaster
Chapter Eleven: Kidnapping Us Back
Chapter Twelve: Vegas: Doorway to Disaster
Chapter Thirteen: Sixth Sense
Chapter Fourteen: Neon Wilderness
Chapter Fifteen: Enter Troy Kell
Chapter Sixteen: Rescuing Baby Nicole
Chapter Seventeen: Kidnapped . . . Again
Chapter Eighteen: I Already Got a Sister
Chapter Nineteen: The Last Kidnapping
Chapter Twenty: The Truce
Chapter Twenty-One: Grandma's Sobering Moment
Chapter Twenty-Two: Big Trouble at Rancho Circle
Chapter Twenty-Three: Virginia's Fatal Decision
Chapter Twenty-Four: Triple Homicide
Chapter Twenty-Five: Alex's Grand Plan
Chapter Twenty-Six: Aftermath
Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Night Terrors
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Psychotic Intrusions and Lowlife Friends
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Halloween Fiasco and Back to Dad's
Chapter Thirty: Another Shooting
Chapter Thirty-One: Enter "Cotton"
Chapter Thirty-Two: Fighting Off a Rapist
Chapter Thirty-Three: The Stalker: Prelude to Murder
Chapter Thirty-Four: Cotton's Murder
Chapter Thirty-Five: A Nightmare, But Not a Dream
Chapter Thirty-Six: Booked for Murder
Chapter Thirty-Seven: Clark County Jail
Chapter Thirty-Eight: Five-Day Circus
Chapter Thirty-Nine: On Hold
Chapter Forty: Welcome to the Rest of Your Life
Chapter Forty-One: Lockdown in the Fish Tank
Chapter Forty-Two: Breaking Point
Chapter Forty-Three: What to Do with Me
Chapter Forty-Four: First Day in the Yard
Chapter Forty-Five: Monica
Chapter Forty-Six: Wall of Noise, Den of Violence
Chapter Forty-Seven: Facing a Predator
Chapter Forty-Eight: Ordeal in the Prison Kitchen
Chapter Forty-Nine: Just a Bar of Soap
Chapter Fifty: Return of My Jailhouse Stalker
Chapter Fifty-One: Sheila's Ordeal
Chapter Fifty-Two: First Appeal and Varela's Contrition
Chapter Fifty-Three: Changing My Tune
Chapter Fifty-Four: Appeal Denied!
Chapter Fifty-Five: Bitter Winter and Off to Reno
Chapter Fifty-Six: Troy's Troubled Life
Chapter Fifty-Seven: The Annabelle Hall Situation
Chapter Fifty-Eight: Sold Down the River
Chapter Fifty-Nine: Our Escape Plan
Chapter Sixty: What Happened in Between
Chapter Sixty-One: Shakopee Prison and Troy Kell's Fate
Chapter Sixty-Two: Fighting for a Parole
Chapter Sixty-Three: 2002 Pardons Hearing and the Mob Cop
Chapter Sixty-Four: The Mystery Packet
Chapter Sixty-Five: Big Win at the Pardons Board
Chapter Sixty-Six: 2007 Parole Hearing
Chapter Sixty-Seven: On Parole-Forever
Chapter Sixty-Eight: Last Visits with Dad
Chapter Sixty-Nine: Back to Prison
Chapter Seventy: A Week of Sorrow
Chapter Seventy-One: Judgement Day
Chapter Seventy-Two: The Morning After
Index
About the Authors
Chapter Two: Turbulent Beginnings
Chapter Three: Battle Scars
Chapter Four: Sweet in Small Doses
Chapter Five: The One that Broke the Camel's Back
Chapter Six: My Bridge to Sin City
Chapter Seven: Things We Lost in the Fire
Chapter Eight: Beware of an Enemy Reconciliation
Chapter Nine: "Who You Want to Live With?"
Chapter Ten: Dysfunction: The New Normal
Chapter Twelve: Vegas: Doorway to Disaster
Chapter Eleven: Kidnapping Us Back
Chapter Twelve: Vegas: Doorway to Disaster
Chapter Thirteen: Sixth Sense
Chapter Fourteen: Neon Wilderness
Chapter Fifteen: Enter Troy Kell
Chapter Sixteen: Rescuing Baby Nicole
Chapter Seventeen: Kidnapped . . . Again
Chapter Eighteen: I Already Got a Sister
Chapter Nineteen: The Last Kidnapping
Chapter Twenty: The Truce
Chapter Twenty-One: Grandma's Sobering Moment
Chapter Twenty-Two: Big Trouble at Rancho Circle
Chapter Twenty-Three: Virginia's Fatal Decision
Chapter Twenty-Four: Triple Homicide
Chapter Twenty-Five: Alex's Grand Plan
Chapter Twenty-Six: Aftermath
Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Night Terrors
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Psychotic Intrusions and Lowlife Friends
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Halloween Fiasco and Back to Dad's
Chapter Thirty: Another Shooting
Chapter Thirty-One: Enter "Cotton"
Chapter Thirty-Two: Fighting Off a Rapist
Chapter Thirty-Three: The Stalker: Prelude to Murder
Chapter Thirty-Four: Cotton's Murder
Chapter Thirty-Five: A Nightmare, But Not a Dream
Chapter Thirty-Six: Booked for Murder
Chapter Thirty-Seven: Clark County Jail
Chapter Thirty-Eight: Five-Day Circus
Chapter Thirty-Nine: On Hold
Chapter Forty: Welcome to the Rest of Your Life
Chapter Forty-One: Lockdown in the Fish Tank
Chapter Forty-Two: Breaking Point
Chapter Forty-Three: What to Do with Me
Chapter Forty-Four: First Day in the Yard
Chapter Forty-Five: Monica
Chapter Forty-Six: Wall of Noise, Den of Violence
Chapter Forty-Seven: Facing a Predator
Chapter Forty-Eight: Ordeal in the Prison Kitchen
Chapter Forty-Nine: Just a Bar of Soap
Chapter Fifty: Return of My Jailhouse Stalker
Chapter Fifty-One: Sheila's Ordeal
Chapter Fifty-Two: First Appeal and Varela's Contrition
Chapter Fifty-Three: Changing My Tune
Chapter Fifty-Four: Appeal Denied!
Chapter Fifty-Five: Bitter Winter and Off to Reno
Chapter Fifty-Six: Troy's Troubled Life
Chapter Fifty-Seven: The Annabelle Hall Situation
Chapter Fifty-Eight: Sold Down the River
Chapter Fifty-Nine: Our Escape Plan
Chapter Sixty: What Happened in Between
Chapter Sixty-One: Shakopee Prison and Troy Kell's Fate
Chapter Sixty-Two: Fighting for a Parole
Chapter Sixty-Three: 2002 Pardons Hearing and the Mob Cop
Chapter Sixty-Four: The Mystery Packet
Chapter Sixty-Five: Big Win at the Pardons Board
Chapter Sixty-Six: 2007 Parole Hearing
Chapter Sixty-Seven: On Parole-Forever
Chapter Sixty-Eight: Last Visits with Dad
Chapter Sixty-Nine: Back to Prison
Chapter Seventy: A Week of Sorrow
Chapter Seventy-One: Judgement Day
Chapter Seventy-Two: The Morning After
Index
About the Authors