Shawn Adkins indicted on murder, tampering with evidence charges in Hailey Dunn case

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - Eleven years after the disappearance of 13-year-old Hailey Dunn in Colorado City, the longtime person of interest in the case, Shawn Casey Adkins, has been indicted on charges of murder and tampering with physical evidence by intentionally and knowingly concealing a human corpse, according to court records.

Dunn disappeared in December of 2010 when she was just 13 years old. Nearly three years later her body was found near Lake J.B. Thomas in Scurry County.

The indictments came down on Dec. 30, 2021, in the 32nd Judicial District Court and show Shawn Casey Adkins is accused of striking Hailey Dunn in the head with an unknown object causing her death on Dec. 26, 2010. This is the first mention of a cause of death from any official or court document since Hailey’s body was found.

The indictment for the tampering shows Adkins is accused of intentionally and knowingly concealing the remains of Hailey Dunn with intent to impair its availability as evidence in any investigation.

Hailey Darlene Dunn was reported missing from Colorado City on Dec. 28.

In June 2021, Shawn Casey Adkins was arrested in Howard County and charged with murder. The new court documents show Adkins is being held on a $1 million bond for the murder charge and $250,000 for the tampering with a corpse charge.

Through the years, Adkins has only been a person of interest. Adkins was Hailey’s mother’s boyfriend at the time of her disappearance.

Adkins was moved from the Howard County jail to the Mitchell County jail on Tuesday, June 15, 2021.

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

December 27, 2010: Hailey Dunn goes missing. Shawn Adkins, Hailey’s mother’s boyfriend, is the last to see Hailey. He tells authorities Hailey was going to go to a friend’s house, but she never made it.

January 4, 2011: Texas Rangers and the FBI get involved in the disappearance of Hailey. Authorities say the friend Hailey was supposedly going to visit says she was never expecting Hailey.

January 6, 2011: Billboards with Hailey’s picture and missing information are put up across parts of Texas. On this same day, Billie Jean Dunn, Hailey’s mother, admits she and Adkins failed lie detector tests concerning Hailey’s whereabouts.

January 12, 2011: New documents are revealed and Adkins becomes a person of interest in the case. Affidavits say Adkins had previously threatened Billie and Hailey’s life back in February of 2010. Documents about serial killers were also found in Billie’s home where Adkins lives.

January 15, 2011: Cadaver dogs search the landfill in Abilene for human remains, but nothing is found. Authorities later search the landfill in Big Spring, the town where Adkins’ mother lives.

January through February: Prayer vigils and searches continue in Colorado City. Searches by volunteers are hindered for several weeks due to freezing temperatures.

February 25, 2011: Authorities find thousands of pictures of child pornography on a memory stick found in Billie’s home and a computer in Adkins’ mother’s home.

March 17, 2011: Billie admits she lied to police about Adkins’ whereabouts. She is taken into custody.

March 30, 2011: Colorado City authorities hold a press conference saying they are investigating the case as if Hailey is deceased or under duress.

June 15, 2011: Billie is given a year of probation. Reports say she and Adkins moved to Austin.

June 19, 2011: Search efforts by volunteers dwindle as time goes by.

December 27, 2011: One year has passed since Hailey went missing.

March 16, 2013: Remains found near Lake J.B. Thomas southwest of Snyder.

April 26, 2013: Scurry County officials confirm identity.