hamika Donise Scott

UNSOLVED: Shamika Scott Smothered in Amarillo Motel Room in 2000

Twenty-five years after 24-year-old Shamika Donise Scott was found dead inside an Amarillo motel room, police continue searching for the person responsible for her murder.

Scott had been living at the Wagon Wheel Motel, located at 3602 E. Amarillo Boulevard, for some time before her death. Her mother, Joyce Ivory, said Scott was preparing to move back home on Friday, June 9, 2000. Ivory planned to pick her up around noon after leaving work.

Investigators determined Scott was still alive at approximately 11 p.m. on June 8. The following morning, a motel maid attempted to clean Room 27 but received no response. Ivory also repeatedly called her daughter before contacting the motel office, where a manager told her that police were at the property.

Officers were dispatched to the motel shortly before noon and found Scott lying on the floor of her room. Police reported visible trauma, blood and evidence that a struggle had occurred.

Several unusual details were documented inside the room. A curling iron was lying on the floor and remained hot, two candles were still burning and a telephone book was found open on the bed. Authorities have not publicly explained whether those objects were connected to the murder or what significance they may have had.

An autopsy determined Scott died from asphyxia. Investigators have described the killing as a smothering and believe it occurred sometime between the night of June 8 and the following morning.^[1]

Detectives interviewed numerous people during the original investigation, and speculation circulated about who may have killed Scott. Police said, however, that information gathered during those interviews did not produce enough evidence to identify or charge a suspect. By 2013, investigators reported that no viable leads had developed.^[2]

The Amarillo Police Department continued issuing public appeals for information in 2017 and 2019. Authorities emphasized that although people had theories about the killer’s identity, investigators lacked the evidence necessary to prove who was responsible.^[3]

The case received renewed attention after APD established a dedicated Cold Case Unit. In February 2024, police said Scott’s case was among five unsolved homicides in which evidence had been submitted for additional testing. Investigators were reviewing statements, photographs, tips and physical evidence to determine whether newer DNA technology could reveal information unavailable during the original investigation. Police cautioned that backlogs at state and private laboratories could make the process take years.^[4]

In July 2025, APD again appealed to the public for new leads, releasing additional details about the motel room and circumstances surrounding Scott’s death. No arrest or DNA-testing result has been publicly announced, and her murder remains unsolved.^[5]

Anyone with information can contact the Amarillo Police Department Cold Case Unit at 806-378-6468 or email coldcaseunit@amarillo.gov. Anonymous tips may be submitted to Amarillo Crime Stoppers at 806-374-4400, through the Amarillo Police Department website or with the P3 Tips app.