A Loyola University Chicago employee living in Indiana was allegedly strangled to death by her 19-year-old son after serving him an eviction notice. Shanelle Burns, 43, filed the eviction notice against her son, Conner Kobold, now 20, on February 5, according to online court records. That same day, police in Valparaiso, Indiana, responded to a report of an assault after Kobold called 911 multiple times.
Upon arrival, officers found an unconscious woman with “serious injuries.” The woman, identified as Burns, died two days later. Authorities determined she had been strangled, as reported by WGN.
The eviction notice required Kobold to get a job, clean his room, and help with the common areas of the home within 30 days to avoid being evicted, the Post-Tribune reported, citing charging documents.
Kobold is charged with murder and aggravated battery in connection with his mother’s death. He has pleaded not guilty. According to Loyola University’s website, Burns was an assistant vice president in advancement at the university.
“Shanelle was very witty, kind, and poised,” said colleague Karen Paciero in a statement. “She had an exceptional ability to both strategically design and execute; she was a trusted advisor to many within Advancement and so many across the University. We all miss her and profoundly mourn the loss to our division and the University.”
Burns was an Indiana native who enjoyed traveling and possessed several creative abilities, according to her online obituary. “Shanelle taught herself to play piano, classical of course, a hobby that carried on throughout adulthood,” the obituary reads. “She also would journal voraciously, writing poetry and stories that showed her creative and organizational prowess.”
According to Kobold’s LinkedIn page, he began studying at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in 2022. Kobold’s trial is scheduled to begin in August. He is currently being held in the Porter County Jail. The Post-Tribune reported that Kobold had initially filed a waiver to represent himself in February, but an online court docket indicates he was appointed a public defender in April.
