He Killed His Roommate After Watching Her Engage in a Threesome

A California man be-at, ra--ped, and stran--gled his friend/roommate after watching her engage in a threesome with another couple. He stuffed her body in a suitcase and tossed it into a trash bin outside his apartment.

Joshua Michael Palmer met Shauna Hayes, 22, at The Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant where they both worked. In April 2016, she moved in with Palmer at the apartment he rented at the Chadwick Hotel.

Unrequited Love

Palmer had romantic feelings for Hayes and told her as much. He told her he wanted to be with her. She rejected his offer, telling Palmer she wanted to be friends. He asked Hayes if they could have sex, although was rejected a second time. The reflection caused something to snap in his brain.

He sent Hayes a text message saying:

“If I cant have you the way that I want you, I’m afraid I’ll do something I will regret.”

This frightened Hayes, although she never imagined how far Palmer would go for revenge.

Sexual Frustration Into the Night

Hayes had lived with Palmer for about two weeks when on April 5, 2016, the pair met at a downtown BBQ restaurant. After eating and conversing, Shauna left the restaurant to meet a male acquaintance. The pair returned to the Chadwick Hotel.

Palmer stayed at the restaurant drinking and chatting with a female acquaintance.

Palmer and the young woman went back to his room at the hotel where they attempted to have sex, although he could not maintain an erection.

Hayes and her male acquaintance began to have sex in front of Palmer and his date.

Around 2:00 a.m. the girl Palmer had brought home joined the encounter with Hayes and her date. After performing oral sex on Hayes, the young woman had sex with the male.

Palmer stood back watching the three have sex.

He texted Shauna ,“No, that’s not cool I’m sorry I can’t do this.” A second text read “I’m going to go and kill myself enjoy thank you for destroying any hope I had.”

He told everyone except Shauna to get out of the room after sending the text.

At 2:49 a.m. Palmer began texting Shauna again.

“I’m sorry I love you I accepted my place as a friend but I can’t watch you make love to someone else, I know it's selfish but I can’t take it, I’m not good enough but two total strangers are? It just destroyed me.”

At 2:50 a.m. Palmer texted,

“I choose you I always will.” A third text said, “I’m sorry.”

At 2:51 a.m. he texted:

“God please understand I’m sorry.” Minutes later, he texted, “I’ve never wanted anything more in my life then (sic) the way I want you. You dont want me. I get it, it hurts because I’m so much better than the other people in your life. It’s total rejection.”

He recorded a video at 3:44 a.m.

“I just slit my wrist. I’m using this moment or two that I have to say goodbye. To say, “I’m sorry. I let a lot of people down. I tried to be good, but I wasn’t good enough. I’m sorry.”

At 4:31 a.m. he texted Shauna again.

“I'm sorry please be safe on your way home, hate me fine but at least be safe ok. Let me know when you get home.” Another text minutes later thanked Shaunna for sleeping with him and offered an apology because she was uncomfortable. He ended the text with “I love you.”

At 6:02 a.m. a text from Shauna’s phone to Palmer came in. It read,

“I had fun I'm not uncomfortable around you any more (sic). I’m almost home. I don’t want to talk to you any more(sic) over text. Bye.” Palmer replied that he did not like the two people touching her and hoped things would change between them.

Palmer texted the girl he brought home with him and apologized. He told her he had sex with Shauna and that she left because she was afraid of falling in love with him. Content written by Criminal Matters. He texted another friend claiming he had a foursome with Shauna and three other people. He told the person he and Shauna had anal sex.

Shauna’s Body Found Stuffed in a Suitcase

On Wednesday, April 6, residents at the Chadwick Hotel who maintained the grounds noticed a suitcase in the trash bins and noted the cans were unusually heavy.

Later the same day, one of the residents noticed the trash bin had been moved, and now, the suitcase now on the ground beside it. Inspecting the insect-covered suitcase, he noticed human flesh and hair coming from its seams. He called the police.

Meanwhile, Palmer continued to text Shauna’s phone.

The body in the suitcase was that of a woman. They determined she had been stuffed inside the suitcase for several days.

Shortly after the discovery, Palmer called the police to report Shauna missing. He claimed he last saw her at 4:30 a.m. the previous Tuesday.

Police soon identified the body as Shauna Hayes.

Palmer agreed to talk to the police. They questioned him three times. He provided three different versions of events during each interview.

In the first interview, he told authorities that Shaunna was his girlfriend.

In the second interview, Palmer admitted he became enraged after watching her engage in a threesome after he could not perform.

Shauna’s autopsy results had come back by the time police interviewed Palmer the second time. The autopsy revealed Shauna died of strangulation. It takes three to five minutes of continuous force to strangle someone to death.

The autopsy revealed that she had suffered blunt force trauma to her skull, mouth, and rectum. She sustained bruising to her legs, shoulders, and hands.

Joshua Michael Palmer Charged With Murder

On April 8, 2016, police charged Palmer with Hayes' murder.

Upon his arrest, and in his third version of events, Palmer claimed Shauna brandished a knife and the two got into an altercation. He went to the bathroom to avoid the confrontation and returned to find Shaunna hanging from the ceiling fan. he was angry because she killed herself, so he punched her in the jaw. He said that he then laid on top of her, kissed her, and choked her.

DNA evidence linked Palmer to Hayes' murder.

Police also recovered five deleted videos on Palmer’s phone recorded on April 5. Three of the videos showed Palmer penetrating Shaunna’s vagina and anus after she was deceased.

A jury convicted Joshua M. Palmer of first-degree murder while engaged in the commission or attempted commission of r--e, sod--my, and se--xual penetration by force, fear, or threat.

The court sentenced Palmer to prison for life without the possibility of parole.

Sources:

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ca-court-of-appeal/2067008.html

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/sd-me-palmer-sentence-20180622-story.html

https://timesofsandiego.com/crime/2020/05/22/appeals-court-upholds-murder-conviction-in-case-of-san-diego-victim-stuffed-in-suitcase/