Where is Colvin 'Butch' Hinton now? 'Dateline NBC' revisits Shannon Melendi's murder by country club umpire
CHATTOOGA COUNTY, GEORGIA: High school umpire Colvin 'Butch' Hinton made headlines in March 1994 after Shannon Melendi disappeared from a softball game in Atlanta. He was charged with the murder of Shannon and received life imprisonment. Melendi's body was not found to date.
Hilton is currently incarcerated at the Hays State Prison in Underwood Drive, Trion, Chattooga County. However, The former umpire is notably eligible for parole every seven years, according to Georgian law. He was denied release during his previous parole.
Hinton was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Melendi in 2005 becoming the first defendant in Georgia's history to be convicted of murder without a body or a crime scene. He confessed his crime in court stating he had raped Melendi twice and claimed that she never lost control of her emotions.
The investigators took a decade to charge Hilton with murder despite finding notable connections and evidence. However, the latest episode of 'Dateline NBC' will delve into the details of the heinous crime committed by Hilton. Melendi was a bright student and she had an inspiring career ahead.
Who is Colvin 'Butch' Hinton?
Colvin Cornelious 'Butch' Hinton III was a full-time employee of Delta Airlines in 1994. He also worked as an umpire at the now-defunct Softball Country Club on North Decatur Road, Atlanta. He has a past criminal record of sexual assault, which was later revealed at his trial. During the 1980s, Hilton was imprisoned for a 14-year-old girl's abduction and molestation.
The murderer was also convicted arsonist who was found guilty of arson and insurance fraud in 1995. He also spent seven years in prison for the fraud. Hilton often flirted with Shannon Melendi during games. He also received an official warning from the softball club's management for his behavior. Hilton was the primary suspect in Melendi's case.
He notably set fire to his Clayton County home in September 1994, months after officers started searching it for evidence. Soon after he was released from federal prison for arson and insurance fraud, the authorities charged him with Melendi's abduction and murder. He allegedly confessed his crime to inmates.
What happened to Colvin 'Butch' Hinton after Shannon Melendi's death?
Colvin 'Butch' Hinton was charged and found guilty after Shannon Melendi's death. The investigators discovered a ring belonging to Melendi in a bag that contained particles that can only be found in, on, or around jet engines, linking Hilton to the offense as he was an employee at Delta Airlines.
After a decade-long investigation, Hinton was finally convicted of murder without the victim's body or even evidence of a crime scene. The prosecutors did not pursue the death penalty and Hilton was awarded life in prison. Hilton initially claimed that he was innocent in the matter but her confessed his crime in July 2006. He also admitted that he was the man who tipped the authorities about the ring.
Shannon Melendi's father claims 'to carry' fight against Colvin 'Butch' Hinton until his death
Shannon Melendi's father Luis has been concerned that his daughter might not get justice as Colvin 'Butch' Hinton's third parole is approaching. In 2025, Hilton will again be up for parole. Luis has recently shared in 'NBC Dateline' that he would continue the fight for his daughter for the rest of his life.
He said, "I'm carrying this to the very end. Until this guy is no longer in existence, I will carry this fight." In March 2024, Melendi's family held a commemorative ceremony at her high school in Miami. They shared Melendi's story and emphasized how they needed help keeping Hinton behind bars so their daughter's death wouldn't be in vain. Luis has also started an online petition to keep Hilton in prison.
What happened to Shannon Melendi?
Shannon Melendi was a 19-year-old college sophomore at Emory University. She went missing on March 26, 1994. Melendi was last seen going to lunch from her part-time job at the Softball Country Club, where she was taking score at a softball game.
Melendi's roommate, Athena Perez, reported her disappearance and claimed that the victim had not arrived at her dorm room that night. It was later revealed that Hinton started a conversation with the victim and asked her to go for lunch with him. He later attacked and abducted Melendi.
Hilton reportedly murdered Melendi at his residence, burned her body, and disposed of the ashes. He was arrested in 2004, but Melendi’s remains have never been recovered. The murderer shared in his confession that he raped Melendi twice before killing her. He shared that the victim "didn't ever try to scratch, no hitting."
He claimed, "I kept telling her, 'As soon as I get your car sold or rid of, I will let you go,' and she said 'All right.'" Hilton added that Melendi was cooperative throughout the whole process, but that he used a tie to strangle her at about two in the morning on March 27, 1994.
Melendi further explained, "I came over on top of her real quick. I took the tie and put it around her neck... I think I crossed it... It happened a lot quicker than I ever thought." He believed that Melendi was asleep at the time.
'Dateline NBC' Season 32 airs new episodes every Friday at 8 pm ET on NBC and is available for streaming on Peacock the following day