Two teenage girls at the trailer witnessed the shooting but escaped injury. Police say the suspects sped off in the direction of Garrard County.
Fliers, Web sites, a billboard, a $25,000 reward and the tug of heartstrings still have not helped convict anyone of the double homicide.
In July 2006, the reward money was increased from $12,000 to $25,000 with a donation from a local businessman. In October of that year, Kentucky State Police Lt. Mark Merriman said a significant break came in the case but obviously could not be disclosed.
KSP Detective Monte Owens presides over the case and said it remains active so he has to remain tight-lipped. Leads come in sporadically, he said.
"We may get half a dozen one week then none the next," he added.
Upton's mother said more than 1,000 leads have come in but none substantial enough to ensure a conviction.
Owens said the case is actively investigated. So does Lincoln County Sheriff's Department.
Sheriff Curt Folger said he knew if he was elected last year his department would be expected to look into this case. Folger said he and his chief deputies, Dannie and Don Gilliam, introduced themselves to Richmond Post 7 and offered assistance on the case.
"We were assured that this case was being aggressively investigated and close to completion," they said in a prepared statement.
Moore, although discouraged by the length of time with no arrests, has confidence in the detectives and faith in God that she will see her son's murderer behind bars. She said she understands there are few detectives spread thin with large caseloads.
"When it's solved I can go to his grave with flowers and pictures," Moore said. "For right now, I'm going there and still just praying that whoever did it has a burden in their heart so heavy."
Frustration is one of many emotions the parents and friends of the two victims feel knowing the murderers are free.
Lincoln Countians have not forgotten
KSP, Lincoln County Sheriff's Department, the victims' parents and people in the community all feel it's time to bring forth justice. Even though six years have passed, Lincoln Countians have not forgotten. The sheriff's department called the case a "cloud ... cast over our county."
"You mention it to anybody, you'll get a raised hair quick," said Lincoln Countian Richard Naylor. "I don't know who's holding their lip, but they need to come up off it."
Naylor said he knew Shangraw through a job he was training him for at Timberland. Even though rumors swirl that the two victims "may have been into some stuff they shouldn't have, nobody deserves to die like that," Naylor said.
On top of frustration and sympathy is pity.
"I'm sad," said Mary Middleton, Stanford's Main Street director. "All the investigators have all this specialized training, this case should be no different than any other."
Downtown businessman Alfred Pence hopes time hasn't hindered the chances of catching the killers.
"There has to be someone who knows," he said. "After this amount of time it has to be hard to get people to say anything. It would be very frustrating."
Time has not hindered the emotion this case still evokes in Lincoln County, though.
"People care," Pence said. "People want them to come to justice. ... I think everybody feels terrible about it."
All it would take, Pence said, is someone coming forward with new information.
"We already know there's not enough old evidence," he said.
Owens said he "would give anything if we could solve it." Moore, too, begs for someone to come forward with the information. Remaining anonymous is guaranteed.
She said Owens told her to pass on this message:
"If you know who did it and the murderers know you know who did it, you will live in fear for the rest of your life. Let's get them behind bars with your help so they can never hurt you."
Anyone with information is asked to call Owens at (859) 623-2404, Moore at (606) 305-4795, or log onto www.boryan.cjb.net. Whoever provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of Upton and Shangraw's killers will anonymously be rewarded $25,000.
