Daughters Of ‘Shelly’ Knotek Warn Mom Could Kill Again After Prison Release

Nikki, Sami, and Tori, three daughters of convicted murderer Michelle “Shelly” Knotek, revealed their fears about the near release of their mother from jail. In an interview with NYPost, they gave a warning to the public that their mother could kill again. Shelly is now 65 years old and will be released in June 2022 from the Washington Corrections Center for Women.

Living with a Murderer

Aside from the warning, the three women also recounted the unbearable punishment that they went through in the hands of their mother, as well as the torture of the three victims of Shelly. The whole account was written in detail in the book by Gregg Olsen, “If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood.” The sisters were the ones who reached out to Olsen so that they could stop their mother from killing again.

Kathy Loreno - First Victim

The three sisters, Nikki, 44, Sami, 41, and Tori, 30, all with different fathers, recalled how they were forced to a code of silence after their mother tortured and murdered Kathy Loreno, her friend who lived with her after she fell out with her family and who lived with Shelly. Kathy would babysit in exchange for free board and lodging.

Kathy, according to Nikki, experienced all kinds of torture, to the point of her hands and legs being duct-taped while the bleach was poured all over her open sores. Nikki admitted that if their mother was focusing her evil ways on Kathy, she would forget about her and her siblings, sparing them from abuse. Kathy was able to put up with all kinds of abuse, including waterboarding, for 5 years before she eventually died in 1994.

Shane - Second Victim

The next victim was Shane, Shelly’s own nephew. He moved in with them because his father, Shelly’s brother, was imprisoned in jail. He was shot by Dave after the latter was forced by Shelly to shoot him. Shelly was convinced that Shane would rat on them because Nikki told her mom that Shane had photos that documented Kathy’s abuse. Shane’s body was burned, his ashes thrown into the ocean, just like Kathy’s.

Ron Woodworth - Third Victim

The last victim was 57-year-old Ron Woodworth, a logger, and contractor. Ron was likewise dehumanized, stripped of his clothing, and his sores were treated with boiling water and bleach. Ron died from his wounds in 2003. At the time, Nikki and Sami had already moved out of the house, leaving only Tori.

The terror finally ended when Tori, then 14, was reunited with her sisters in Seattle, where she asked that her mom must be stopped. They called the police, and the latter found the remains of Ron in the backyard. Tori was immediately removed by Child Protection Services.

Shelly was charged with two counts of first-degree murder for Kathy and Ron’s death. Dave was charged with first-degree murder for Shane’s death. Both pleaded to the charges in 2004 but did not admit guilt.

Now, the three sisters have moved on with their lives. They came out in the open and revealed the “monster” that their mother was prior to her near release in 2022 to put a stop to her reign of terror.