Attorney General rules against change in Shue's death certificate

BOERNE, TEXAS      After a week long trial, one year ago Judge William Palmer ruled that Air Force Colonel Philip Shue’s death on April 16, 2003, was a homicide. Shortly thereafter the court issued an order directing the Texas Department of Vital Statistics to amend the death certificate from suicide to homicide. In compliance with the order, Vital Statistics forwarded the paperwork to Justice of the Peace Larry James requesting that he modify the death certificate. County Attorney Don Allee, uncertain of the appropriateness of Judge James changing the death certificate, requested an Attorney General’s opinion. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott stated in his June 1 ruling that “[i]t is unlikely that a court order that is not directed to a justice of the peace could be enforced against the justice of the peace.” Colonel Philip Shue’s manner of death as suicide will, therefore, remain on his death certificate.

     Col. Philip Shue died of massive head injuries in a car crash on April 16, 2003. Examination of his body revealed duct tape wrapped around his wrists and his pants where they met the top of his boots; his nipples had been excised; the first knuckle of his left pinkie finger was missing; and a deep gash was carved from his sternum to his navel. His wallet, dog tags, and medical records were also missing and have never been found.

     The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and Kendall County Justice of the Peace Nancy White all ruled that Shue’s death was a suicide. In Texas a suicide is defined as “a series of events put into motion by an individual, regardless of intent, that leads to that person’s death.” Even if Shue did not intend to kill himself, Texas law requires the classification of his death to be suicide.

     Prior to his death, Shue allegedly received threatening letters warning him that his ex-wife and her new husband were planning to murder him for life insurance. Despite the threats, the life insurance company asserted that they had no duty to cancel the policy.

     Colonel Shue’s former wife held one million dollars on his life. Shue’s widow collected almost two million dollars upon her husband’s death.

     On June 18, a Kendall County Judge, Bill Palmer, ruled that the manner of Air Force Colonel Philip Shue’s death was murder and that USAA, the insurance company that issued the $500,000.00 policy owned by Shue’s ex-wife, had no duty to cancel it in spite of the alleged threats.