Hi, my name is Shannon and I am the daughter of the victim. My father was murdered senselessly by this man, Joseph John Plass on November 12th of 2008. He is now up for parole in October. He was given a 30 year sentence and has only done a total of 18 years (15 years since being sentenced). This man worked for the Maryland police department and was also a homeland security officer. He was supposed to protect his community but instead has a extremely violent record that is lengthy and somehow he was still able to continue to be free and make bad decisions with no repercussions. My father Shelton Stephens was the best person I have ever known. I lost him at 22 years old with a 6 month old and 3 year old in tow (one with autism). My dad owned his own boat trailer company and was delivering some of them up to New York from Florida, stopped in Maryland where he knew nobody and had never visited before to grab a bite to eat, just to have his life be taken by this man with no rhyme or reason given. No words were spoken between them inside the restaurant where they were both dining so why he followed my dad outside and stabbed him out of nowhere, I guess I'lI never know. My dad then ran to the local super 8 motel and died in the lobby with no chance of surviving. Plass went back inside the establishment, washed off the knife and sat down to continue eating untill he was later arrested with my fathers blood found on his clothes. I got the call in the middle of the night where I had to be driven to a family members house before I was told what happened, I completely lost it. I lost it for months and my kids had a mom who couldn't handle life or cope with what had happened and how. My whole family lost so much that day and everyday since. My dad was the baby of five boys, had a bussiness that he worked very hard for, kids and grandkids that needed him and still do and so much more to live for. I live with missing him everyday. Joseph Plass entered a Alford Plea which means he doesn't accept or deny guilt and said he blacked out during the incident but it was all on caught on camara so he really had no choice. He has never shown any remorse or given a reason why he did this and with his extensive violent past, it is extremely unsafe to let him out of prison. He is a very dangerous man that is set in his ways and should not be let back out to the public. His past and ego of power only shows us that if he is given the chance, he will do it agian. My dad was my everything and he was taken from me, there should be no way that my family and I should have to suffer through life without my dad let alone this again all because he has a legal chance at freedom. Just because the law allows it, doesn't make it right. So please help me keep him where he belongs not only so I can feel safer but so that everyone else can also and my dad can rest a little easier.

Thanks- a heartbroken daughter.