SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Students at a South Florida school received tips on safety as many get ready to move away for college. The initiative is in memory of a young woman from South Florida who was kidnapped and murdered while attending a university in Georgia.
Thirty years after Shannon Melendi’s kidnapping and murder, things have not changed for her family and her former coach.
On Tuesday, school leaders, Melendi’s father, sister, coach and even her former soccer teammates, came together at Southwest Miami Senior High School to warn students to be cautious when going out.
“I can’t bring Shannon back, but I can pass our experience to the kids and hopefully they will listen, and I think today’s presentation was really, really good by everyone,” said Luis Melendi, Shannon’s father.
Melendi was 19 years old and a sophomore at Emory University in Georgia when she disappeared in 1994. She grew up in Miami and went to Southwest Miami Senior High School.
Tragically, she was kidnapped, raped and murdered and her body was never found. It took several years for her assailant, Colvin C. Hinton, to be caught and tried for those crimes.
Hinton was convicted and is serving life behind bars. He also confessed to the crimes.
“I really want to convey the signature campaign and the importance it is for him to, he’s a third time sexual predator, he could not be rehabilitated, he needs to stay behind bars,” said Monique Benton, Shannon’s sister. That is our message, that is our fight.”
According to Georgia law, every five years, Hinton is up for parole. His date for possible parole is February 2025.
Melendi’s family started a petition to keep Hinton behind bars. If you’d like to sign the petition, click here.
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