Man sentenced to life in prison for 'random' 2023 murder, stabbing

MOUNT CLEMENS — On July 24, in a courtroom where the heartbroken and shattered family members of one of his victims gathered, Shane Burns was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Cheryl Ryan-Parsley and the stabbing of Robert Baecke.

On May 17, 2023, 60-year-old Ryan-Parsley was filling up her tires at a Belle Tire in Roseville when Burns stabbed her and slit her throat, changing the lives of her family members forever.

Baecke, who was 43 at the time, stood at a bus stop in St. Clair Shores that day where Burns later stabbed him several times.

Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Jennifer Faunce presided over Burns’ sentencing and jury trial. Steve Fox, an assistant Macomb County prosecuting attorney and the chief of the Major Crimes Unit, prosecuted the case.

Ryan-Parsley’s daughter, Jennifer Ryan, had a prepared statement read by Heather Morman, Macomb County’s chief victim rights advocate. In her letter, Ryan said her mother was her best friend, confidant and many other things.

“Her death didn’t just end her life, it destroyed the life we had and the version of me that existed when she was still alive,” Ryan said in the statement.

Ryan said in the statement she has lost many family members but that losing her mother this way “shattered” what was left of her.

“She was strong, smart and loving,” Ryan said in the statement. “She had survived so much already. She deserved peace and safety. Not fear, not pain, not the violence he inflicted on her, and I live with the weight of that every single day, something I never asked for.”

In the end, Ryan asked the judge to hold Burns fully accountable.

Fox said Ryan-Parsley’s husband, Larry Parsley, passed away before the end of the trial. He said Parsley was a machine shop worker with little use left in his hands and that Ryan-Parsley was his whole life.

“This blue collar, machine shop working guy broke down in tears,” Fox said. “And that speaks volumes to the type of woman she was.”

Burns’ attorney, Elisha Oakes, said he expressed remorse for what he had done that afternoon in 2023. She said that while the jury didn’t find any evidence of insanity, he does have mental health diagnoses.

“Even a presentence investigation report does say that he is a diagnosed schizophrenic,” Oakes said.

Burns did not say anything during the sentencing.

He was convicted of eight charges related to the attacks. The list includes first-degree murder, assault with the intent to murder, multiple weapons charges, disarming a peace officer and a habitual offender charge.

Faunce called what Burns did a “horror movie in real life.”

“The random violence is rarely heard of in real life,” Faunce said. “It’s horrific. You left horror in the hearts of the family of Baecke and the Parsley family and all their friends that will never go away.”

Baecke was not available to come to court the day of sentencing.

Oakes, Fox and the Parsley family had no comment at the end of the case.