Shayne Daniel York

Shayne Daniel York

March 21, 1971 - August 16, 1997 

On August 14, 1997, at approximately 9:00 p.m., two unarmed Off-Duty Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputies, Shayne York and his fiancée, were at the De’Cut Hair Salon in Buena Park.   The two deputies were engaged and had gone to the beauty salon in preparation for a weekend getaway they had planned.  Two armed suspects entered the hair salon, and proceeded to rob the salon and its patrons.

Along with the others, Deputy York was ordered to lie facedown on the floor. The suspects went through Deputy York’s wallet and discovered his Sheriff’s badge. Once they found out York was a Deputy Sheriff, one of the gunmen shot him in the back of the head, and the two suspects then fled the scene.

Once dispatch had received the "911" call regarding the crime, Buena Park Police Officers and Orange County Fire Authority personnel were quickly on the scene and began administering first aid to Shayne. As soon as was physically possible, he was transported to Western Medical Center - Trauma Unit - in Santa Ana. Shayne was accompanied by his fiancée who was not injured during the crime.

Later that same evening, a Fullerton Police officer made a traffic stop on a vehicle. Subsequent investigation revealed that the two occupants of the vehicle were possibly involved in the crime. Both suspects were arrested without incident and taken to the Buena Park Police Department for booking.

Buena Park Police Officers had accompanied Shayne and his fiancée to the hospital.  At least one uniformed police officer remained with Shayne at all times. Doctors at the hospital were professional, efficient and extremely skilled while they treated Shayne.

All efforts were made to do whatever possible for him. After about 4 hours of neurosurgery, Shayne was taken into the Intensive Care Unit where he was listed in extremely critical condition. Over the next day and a half, Shayne's family members, his fiancée, friends, and fellow law enforcement officers were given the chance to say their goodbyes. There was a tremendous amount of grief, goodwill, and sympathy given and received by the hundreds of people who came to the hospital.

On August 16, 1997 at approximately 4:30 p.m., Shayne D. York was taken off of life support and he passed away at approximately 8:30 p.m. that same night.

The funeral service for Shayne was held on August 21, 1997 at 10:00 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the city of Torrance.  Immediately following the service there was a procession to the interment site at "Green Hills Memorial Park" in the city of Rancho Palos Verdes.

Both suspects were subsequently arrested and brought to trial for the murder of Deputy York. One of the suspects was sentenced to life in prison; the second suspect was sentenced to death row.