A MISSING PERSON, A HIDDEN BODY AND REAL ESTATE FRAUD

Where is Ronald Shumway?

The strange case of the missing Oak Cliff man, a body buried in his backyard and possibly fraudulent real estate documents began to unravel in October.

The Dallas Police Department in late October announced Shumway had been missing since April 23.

But Shumway’s house at 725 N. Winnetka sold in June, when his signature appeared on real estate documents. Also, either Shumway or someone posing as him posted missives to his Facebook page in late April and early May.

Sean Chien, a residential investor, bought the house from Shumway in June. He said in a phone interview that Shumway was present at the closing. Shown a picture of the missing man, however, Chien texted, “that’s not him.” An unidentified source inside the Dallas Police Department told NBCDFW that Shumway’s signature was forged on the documents. Patricia Bramhall of Chicago Title, who notarized Shumway’s signature on real estate documents in June, has not returned calls seeking comment.

Ownership of the house rapidly changed hands several times over the course of the summer, usually in cash sales. Records also show that someone paid off an existing lien of $56,900 the day before the sale closed on the house in June.

A home investor working on the house at 725 N. Winnetka in September uncovered a human body while digging up a concrete slab in the backyard. The body has not been identified yet, according to the Dallas Police Department. —Rachel Stone

| CRIME NUMBERS |

1500 block of East Woodin, near the Cedar Crest Golf Course, where a homeowner was killed during a home invasion on Nov. 5 the police were called to the home where 44-year-old Cecil Williams Jr. lay critically injured in the front yard. He later died

3:30 a.m.

27-year-old

Obra Louis London, known as “Lil Man,” was wanted as a suspect in the crime. Police say the attacker was known to the victims, who also included Williams’ wife, who was beaten, and a small child who was home but uninjured at the time of the attack

SOURCE Dallas Police Department