Third person charged in theft of historic skulls

Wednesday, Aug. 18, 1999 | 11:50 a.m.

Janice Marie Hershey, 33, was already facing charges of forgery. She was rearrested in the skull theft case when she appeared in Justice Court for arraignment in the forgery case.

Hershey is accused of going with David Shaughnessy to the cemetery around Halloween 1997 to steal the skulls of pioneer Carson City prosecutor Patrick Henry Clayton and his wife Susan.

Shaughnessy, 39, pleaded guilty to his part in the crime Monday. He'll be sentenced Oct. 18 and could serve up to four years in prison.

In addition, Nanette Birdsell. 36, who allegedly asked Shaughnessy to steal the skulls for use in some sort of occult ritual, faces a preliminary hearing on charges in the case Sept. 3.

Birdsell, already on probation in a drug case, could also get up to four years on grave robbery charges.

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