The person at the center of this case
Joel Wesley Shrum
Cold Case · Open
14 years waiting · since 2012
JOEL WESLEY SHRUM
Justice for Joel Wesley Shrum — the trail went cold in 2012, but the truth hasn't.
Start here
Key leads to think about
🎯
suspect
Lead #1Who were the two gunmen on the motorcycle, and are they still at large or have they been identified?
🔍
evidence
Lead #2What specific intelligence or forensic evidence could link perpetrators to this attack?
👁️
witness
Lead #3Were there any eyewitnesses to the shooting who could provide descriptions or additional details?
On March 18, 2012, U.S. citizen Joel Wesley Shrum was shot and killed by two gunmen on a motorcycle while driving to work in Ta'izz, Yemen. Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) claimed responsibility for the murder. The FBI and State Department are seeking information leading to the arrest or conviction of those responsible, with a reward of up to $5,000,000 offered.
Case
#482
FBI (Washington D.C. Field Office) / U.S. State Department Rewards for Justice Program
Try asking
Claim this imported case
A one-time $10 claim transfers this imported case workspace to your account. You get 10 uploads for this case, 25 daily AI questions for this case, and public tips with files route to you.
10 uploads25 AI questions/day
This does not start a subscription. When the included limits are reached, the Personal plan unlocks more workspace capacity.
More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
📞
contact
Lead #4Who in Yemen or internationally may have information about the planning or execution of this attack?
👤
person
Lead #5What was Shrum's relationship with AQAP or local groups, and why was he specifically targeted?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
Murder Victim Ta'izz, Yemen March 18, 2012 On March 18, 2012, United States citizen Joel Wesley Shrum was driving to his place of employment in Ta’izz, Yemen, when two gunmen armed with AK-47s approached Shrum’s vehicle on a motorcycle and fired on the vehicle. Shrum was pronounced dead at the scene.
Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) claimed responsibility for the murder. At the time of his death, Shrum worked at the International Training and Development Center as an administrator and English teacher.
He was living in Yemen with his wife and two young children.
Timeline of Events
👤
2012-03-18
Murder of Joel Wesley Shrum
Joel Wesley Shrum was driving to his place of employment in Ta'izz, Yemen when two gunmen armed with AK-47s on a motorcycle approached his vehicle and opened fire. Shrum was pronounced dead at the scene.
🕵️
2012-03-18
AQAP Claims Responsibility
Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) claimed responsibility for the murder of Joel Wesley Shrum.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:March 18, 2012
Last Updated:October 21, 2026
Up to $5,000,000 Reward
For information leading to the resolution of this case
Leave a comment
Comments
Case Information
Incident:March 18, 2012
Last Updated:October 21, 2026
Up to $5,000,000 Reward
For information leading to the resolution of this case