A Memphis family torn apart by two unsolved killings is turning to an unlikely crew of investigators: college students. Brothers Beau and Shea Grauer were killed less than seven months apart, and the overlap has left relatives scrambling for answers. Now, a Christian Brothers University class is poring over police records, surveillance clips and neighborhood tips that have yet to lead to a single arrest.
Dr. Karen B. Golightly, an associate professor and chair in CBU’s Department of Literature and Languages, is guiding the project, according to the Christian Brothers University directory. The department’s creative writing program leans heavily on hands-on research and community-centered projects, and this assignment may be its most real-world yet.
Students Take On Cold Files
Six students in English 402, a creative nonfiction true crime course, have each taken on one of the two deaths and are digging into online records, interviews and on-the-ground reporting to surface new leads, as reported by Action News 5. Golightly has urged them to hunt for details "that aren’t publicly available."
One group is focused on the killing of 55-year-old Shea Grauer, who was shot on Feb. 18, 2023, on Lockett Place across from Zinnie’s on Madison Avenue at Belvedere Boulevard. Police say the shooter took his wallet and released surveillance video that shows a man walking away from the scene.
Beau's Case And The Aftermath
The other case reaches back to July 24, 2022, when Beau Grauer was killed in a home invasion. Public tip listings indicate the incident happened at 674 Hawthorne Street in the Vollintine-Evergreen neighborhood, according to CrimeStoppers. Detectives have appealed to the public for help, and local tributes and memorials have documented how the two killings shook Memphis bar and hospitality circles, coverage that included the Memphis Flyer.
“When a person is murdered,” Gail Grauer said, “it’s not only that person that’s not here, it shatters the whole family.” That sense of loss deepened when Beau’s girlfriend, 42-year-old Allison Joulwan Mironovich, died on Aug. 1, 2022, the night before she was set to meet with detectives. Officials and family members say her death was an apparent drug overdose, as reported by Action News 5.
Why Now: New Eyes On Old Leads
The timing of the class project overlaps with a broader federal push on violent crime in the city. The Memphis Safe Task Force, launched in 2025, has pooled multiple agencies to crack down on violent offenses and connected investigations, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. Officials have touted major arrests and weapons recoveries, but families and advocates argue that solving cold cases still comes down to the small, forgotten details that only witnesses and local reporting can bring out.
Golightly is asking anyone who might have information, even a quick memory, a short video, or an old text message, to come forward so students can chase down potential leads. Tips about Beau or Shea can be emailed to Dr. Golightly at [email protected] or shared with CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH.
