Prince William Police Make Arrest in 2010 Cold Case

Prince William County Police made an arrest Tuesday in the 14-year-old cold case of Shane Ryan Donahue, who was 23 at the time of his disappearance. The suspect was identified as 43-year-old Timothy Sean Hickerson, who lives in Palm Coast, Fla. Hickerson was arrested by the Flagler County Sheriff's Office and will be extradited to Virginia. More from Prince William Police on the case:

Murder Investigation *COLD CASE | ARREST – On March 24, 2010, officers responded to a residence located in the 14000 block of Aden Rd in Nokesville (20181) to investigate a missing person. The investigation revealed family members had not heard from the victim, identified as Shane Ryan DONAHUE, age 23, after he was last seen leaving his parent’s residence on March 22, 2010. Over the course of the more than 14-year-long investigation, several investigative leads were developed and explored based on information brought to the attention of police.

In spring 2024, detectives reactivated the investigation, reexamining every detail of the case from scratch, including revisiting interviewed parties and digital evidence in greater detail due to advances in analytical technology and modern police investigative practices. The victim and an acquaintance, identified as the accused, were last seen leaving the victim’s parent’s home together reportedly returning to the victim’s nearby residence in the 12000 block of Aden Road. The victim was not seen or heard from again. Although the victim’s remains have not been located, he is presumed deceased. During the investigation, the accused was connected to a burglary that occurred at the victim’s residence just days prior to his disappearance.

In September 2024, following the investigation, Prince William County detectives obtained arrest warrants for the accused, identified as Timothy Sean HICKERSON, who would have been 28 years old at the time of the victim’s disappearance. With the assistance of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, the accused was arrested in Palm Coast, Florida where he will remain incarcerated until extradited to Virginia.

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