The Tourniquet Killer: Anthony Shore used signature weapon in string of murders

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — For over a decade, Anthony Shore preyed on girls and young women. To outsiders, nothing seemed amiss about Shore – he was a husband, a father, and a brother. No one suspected he had a dark secret: he was also a serial killer.

“He wasn’t evil looking or evil acting, but inside he was the example of evil,” said retired Houston Police Homicide detective DD Shirley.

“He always knew how to say it, the right thing,” said Gina Shore, sister of Anthony Shore. “How to act the right way. He presented very well. You’d never know that there was that demon hidden behind the facade.”

In 2003, Shore confessed to four separate murders and a sexual assault, after his DNA was matched to the 1992 killing of Maria Del Carmen Estrada. The 21-year-old had gone missing while walking to work early in the morning. Her body was later found dumped behind a Houston Dairy Queen. She had been sexually assaulted and strangled.

In addition to Estrada, Shore confessed to killing three others – 15-year-old Laurie Tremblay, whose body was found outside a Houston restaurant in 1986; 9-year-old Diana Rebollar, who was abducted as she walked to a grocery store in her neighborhood; and 16-year-old Dana Sanchez, who vanished in 1995 after accepting a ride from Shore. All of the victims had been strangled to death. In three of the cases, Shore had used a handmade tourniquet as a weapon.

“You have crimes of passion, some are drug or alcohol induced, and then you have someone like Anthony Shore where it’s not just one murder, it’s a way of life,” said former Harris County Prosecutor Terese Buess.

Shore also told police he broke into the home of a 14-year-old girl in 1993, bound her in duct tape and raped her. She fought back and survived.

In our latest episode of Texas True Crime, ABC13’s Jessica Willey sits down with those who saw this horrific case unfold and takes a look at Shore’s stunning taped confessions. Plus, Shore’s sister describes what it was like growing up with a brother who would eventually become a serial killer.

“Texas True Crime: Tourniquet Killer” is now available to stream on the ABC13 app.

Watch Texas True Crime on your favorite streaming devices, like Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and GoogleTV. Just search “ABC13 Houston.”