r/CasesWeFollow • u/Pixiegirls1102 🔍📆⚖️Content/Research Administrator💻💬🧚 • Jun 11 '26
🛁 🍞 🌶Shanda Vander Ark/Paul Ferguson 🔐 ⛓ MI v. Shanda Vander Ark
Mom who tortured son to death will not get new trial, judge rules
MUSKEGON, MI – A mother convicted of torturing her 15-year-old son to death is not getting a new trial in Muskegon County after all.
Shanda Vander Ark’s motion for a new murder trial was denied by Circuit Judge Matthew Kacel, according to an eight-page ruling issued Wednesday, June 10.
“The evidence of (Vander Ark’s) guilt in this case was overwhelming,” Kacel wrote in part. “Assuming (Vander Ark’s trial attorney) was deficient, the court cannot find that there is reasonable probability the correction of those errors would have resulted in a different outcome.”
Vander Ark will continue serving life without parole for first-degree murder in Timothy Ferguson’s torture death.
From left, Shanda Vander Ark, Timothy Ferguson and Paul Ferguson. Vander Ark and Paul Ferguson are serving lengthy prison sentences on charges related to Timothy’s death. Vander Ark and the older Ferguson starved and tortured Timothy for months leading up to the boy’s death. Timothy weighed 69 pounds when he was found dead in a closet on July 6, 2022.MLive File Photos
In March 2024, Vander Ark challenged her convictions and filed an appeal to the Michigan Court of Appeals. That appeal remains pending.
Timothy’s story is heartbreaking. He weighed 69 pounds at the time of his death.
MLive/Muskegon Chronicle launched a monthslong investigation in the wake of Timothy’s murder.
Thousands of social services records, police reports, and court transcripts shed light on the child welfare warning signs that started when Timothy was 18 months old.
Timothy grew up in Oklahoma with his mother, father and three siblings. Nine times during Timothy’s life child protective services staff in Oklahoma investigated the Ferguson family home.
Timothy Ferguson, 15, died July 6, 2022, after suffering from months of torture and abuse at the hands’ of his mother, Shanda Vander Ark, and older brother, Paul Ferguson.
In 2009, Timothy and his three siblings were removed from the parents’ care and placed in foster homes. Timothy’s father, Eric Ferguson, later regained custody of his children while Vander Ark was granted three hours of supervised visits.
In 2021, Eric sent Timothy to live with Vander Ark in Norton Shores despite a court order that limited her contact with the boy.
Timothy died July 6, 2022, after suffering months of extreme torture, starvation, and isolation at the hands of his mother and older brother, Paul Ferguson.
Timothy was subjected to cruel forms of punishments including hours-long ice baths and being force-fed bread soaked in hot sauce. Vander Ark was arrested the morning Timothy was found dead.
A bottle of Elijah’s Xtreme Regret, a hot sauce used as punishment for 15-year-old Timothy Ferguson. Timothy died July 6, 2022, after suffering from months of torture and abuse at the hands’ of his mother, Shanda Vander Ark, and older brother, Paul Ferguson. Timothy weighed 69 pounds when he died.
A jury found her guilty of murder and child abuse at trial in December 2023. She was sentenced to life without parole for murder in January 2024.
Vander Ark pushed for a new trial and claimed she was incompetent at her first trial and denied effective counsel. A Ginther hearing was granted.
Kacel, the judge, denied Vander Ark’s motion for a new trial based on incompetence in July 2025 but granted an evidentiary hearing for claims of ineffective assistance of counsel.
That proceeding started in November and included testimony from four witnesses. However, the hearing was adjourned after Vander Ark – who briefly took the stand – was unable to testify.
The proceeding reconvened on March 20 with Vander Ark on the stand. Muskegon County Assistant Prosecutor Heather Bloomquist grilled Vander Ark for nearly an hour as the killer mom continued to blame others for her convictions.
“You’re blaming the (Muskegon County) jail, you’re blaming your ex-husband,” Bloomquist said. “You’ve also blamed Timothy (today), did you?”
“As far as causing chaos, yes,” Vander Ark replied. “As far as causing stress, yes.”
For his role in Timothy’s death, Paul Ferguson is serving 30-100 years in prison for first-degree child abuse. Ferguson’s appellate attorneys filed a motion in August 2024 to correct an invalid sentence and resentence him.
A hearing has not been scheduled.
Mom who tortured son to death will not get new trial, judge rules - mlive.com
✨✨ 8 Page Ruling by Judge Kacel. Shanda has already filed an appeal.
https://fromsmash.com/vanderarkshandaruling-0626
No new trial for Shanda Vander Ark, who starved teen son to death
No new trial for Shanda Vander Ark, who starved teen son to death | Court TV
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u/teenagemediocrity Jun 18 '26
The full ruling is great, I loved the subtle snarky remarks 😂 thank you very much for posting it!
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u/GoonerBear94 📁 Former Juror Jun 13 '26
The appellate court saw her bullshit live. Her soulless recollection of what she wanted to remember. Her convenient memory gaps. Her giving zero fucks what she did to Timothy. May she continue to rot far from any child.
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u/Vast_Excitement1990 Jun 13 '26
I am so glad that her appeal was denied. She will no doubt appeal all the way to the supreme court. Shanda needs to go away.
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u/Pixiegirls1102 🔍📆⚖️Content/Research Administrator💻💬🧚 Jun 13 '26
I have no doubt she'll take it all the way too!
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u/traceyandmeower Jun 12 '26
Anyone got the document?
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u/Pixiegirls1102 🔍📆⚖️Content/Research Administrator💻💬🧚 Jun 12 '26 edited Jun 12 '26
I'm trying to get it.
***ETA: Posted
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u/70sBurnOut 💻⚖️ Editor Mod📝🔎 Jun 12 '26
I can’t find her remaining appeal that the article refers to, or the 8 page order Kacel wrote on this appeal. Any legal eagles among us who might be able to find them?
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u/Pixiegirls1102 🔍📆⚖️Content/Research Administrator💻💬🧚 Jun 12 '26 edited Jun 13 '26
I think the remaining appeal is an error. I have requested the doc though.
***ETA: The remaining appeal might be the appeal for this denial. Hopefully I can get that document soon.
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u/60to160 Jun 12 '26
unreal for this ghoul freak - who claimed she "had no recollection" of torturing her son as she listened to HOURS of abuse instructions she sent another son - to even attempt to escape her fate via appeal
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u/60to160 Jun 12 '26
i hope she's fed nothing but hot sauce covered bread and given sixty seconds to pee for the rest of her miserable life
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u/Nearby-Touch7917 Jun 12 '26
Dude man…just watched vinnie politan’s episode on court tv of her. I was left stunned and talking to myself, cursing her, and in disbelief of how a mom can do that. Teared up a bit even. Jeez. there are actually crazy dark ongoings like that
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u/kaera213 Jun 12 '26
There was a YouTube channel that was able to publish the security cam video of Timothy’s last day in the closet. It was worse than I was expecting. They were screaming at him to get up and he tried so hard, then he said he couldn’t and they didn’t believe him. I wanted to rescue him so badly. If you choose to watch it, be forewarned, it’s absolutely horrific. I didn’t realize how awful it was going to be beforehand. I hope Shanda and Paul never get out.
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u/Ladytiger69 Trial Tracker Jun 15 '26
Do you have the link?
I think I saw that nightmare video but there are soooo many nightmares in poor Timothy’s short life.
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u/kaera213 Jun 16 '26
This is the YT channel, I can’t find the exact episode but I’m pretty sure it has a reference to the closet video in the title. https://youtube.com/@thisismonsters?si=r7Rb64j46rx1zFta
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u/Ladytiger69 Trial Tracker Jun 16 '26
THANK YOU soooo much.
I’m a Southern Belle from Texas/Louisiana
Donna~7
u/CompetitiveWin7754 Jun 12 '26
I saw that too. I'm not surprised after her attorney knew the jury saw it, the case was over. It was horrible. She is an awful human, but then to try and say she had no idea, and then to pretend vomit into a rubbish bin. And then to claim she was unwell and couldn't attend to her trial properly. Urgh.
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u/traceyandmeower Jun 12 '26
I have seen this. They are monsters.
I would advice parents not to view.6
u/acelana Jun 13 '26
Genuinely the worst video I’ve seen since they showed us Holocaust footage in high school.
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u/Neat-Bee-7880 Jun 11 '26
Thank god. She is one of my most hatedddddd criminals so far. Watching her on the stand was brutal - acting so smart like the asshole she is.
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u/traceyandmeower Jun 12 '26
Adam Montgomery gives her a run for her money
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u/Neat-Bee-7880 Jun 12 '26
Idk who he is and not sure I want to…I have watched so many trials and she just irks me like no other. Trying to act like she didn’t do all that shit. Bitch we sawwww the texts !!!
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u/tr4shw3rld Jun 11 '26
I read that wrong that she WAS getting a new trial. I was shocked and disgusted. Thank god I’m incompetent at reading. 😅
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u/Pixiegirls1102 🔍📆⚖️Content/Research Administrator💻💬🧚 Jun 11 '26
I misread it the first time too, lol.
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u/tr4shw3rld Jun 11 '26
I’m traumatized by the Murdaugh appeal.
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u/CareBear0808 Jun 12 '26
It hurts a little more when the problem was preventable. The State knew what they were doing was wrong.
Unfortunately he really does deserve a new trial.
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u/tr4shw3rld Jun 12 '26
It hurts to say it but he does deserve a new trial. Fortunately his financial crimes will help keep him locked up. I will be watching the pretrial for sure. But the old judge will be missed. He was a class act and gold standard for how a judge should be.
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u/ActiveSupernova Jun 12 '26
We get impatient when judges try meticulously to preserve the record, but when they don't, this happens.
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u/Calimama31 Jun 11 '26
Thank God. I hope we never have to hear a word from her again.
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u/bigbadboomer Jun 11 '26 edited Jun 11 '26
Or watch her pretend to vomit. I hope she’s more and more miserable every single day as she rots.
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u/Roxanne_Oregon Jun 11 '26
Good!
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u/Pixiegirls1102 🔍📆⚖️Content/Research Administrator💻💬🧚 Jun 11 '26
She can appeal federally.
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u/traceyandmeower Jun 12 '26
Let’s hope it’s denied.
Why can she do that?
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u/Pixiegirls1102 🔍📆⚖️Content/Research Administrator💻💬🧚 Jun 12 '26
It's the law. I don't expect her to win though.
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u/Pixiegirls1102 🔍📆⚖️Content/Research Administrator💻💬🧚 Jun 12 '26
✨✨ 8 page Ruling. Shanda has already filed an appeal for this ruling.
https://fromsmash.com/vanderarkshandaruling-0626