
Secure Our Seniors’ Safety (SOSS) is dedicated to raising awareness and educating our community about the vulnerabilities within senior living environments.
In 2024, we made significant strides toward this mission by sharing the SOSS story through various platforms, including media coverage, presentations to organizations all across Texas, and our successful fundraising golf tournament.
We invite you to join us as we reflect on the impactful accomplishments of this year!

Media
SOSS Board Member Mary Jo Jennings worked tirelessly to bring our story to the mainstream media. Her efforts paid off in May when The Pillowcase Murders began streaming on Paramount+ on May 14. Watch the trailer and view episodes on Paramount+. We hope it will also be added to Netflix—if you have time, please suggest it through the Netflix Help Center.
Thanks to Mary Jo’s connections, Dr. Phil McGraw invited us to appear on his show to discuss The Pillowcase Murders. The episode aired on June 4 and featured Shannon Dion, Loren Smith, Josh Aleman, Loni Coombs, ADA Glen Fitzmartin, and DA John Creuzot. The discussion highlighted the victim stories, failures in senior living management, lack of media coverage, and the challenges faced during the trials. The episode is now available on Merit Street Media. Watch the trailer.

Left to right: Hollyn Williams, Dan and Chris Probst, Mary Jo Jennings, David and Loren Smith, Dr. Phil, Loni Coombs, Shannon Dion, DA John Creuzot, Josh Aleman
Charlie Scudder, one of the first journalists to report on this tragedy for The Dallas Morning News in 2019, played a critical role in telling this story. His dedication resulted in The Unforgotten: Unnatural Causes, a nine-part podcast released in October. This podcast goes beyond the crime itself, exploring systemic failures in the senior living industry. It features interviews with investigators, prosecutors, industry experts, and family members, providing the most comprehensive account of the crime and its aftermath. The podcast has been heard by hundreds of thousands of listeners and peaked at No. 7 on Apple’s top podcast series chart. Listen to The Unforgotten: Unnatural Causes on Spotify.
People Magazine Investigates released The Serial Killer’s Playbook on November 25. This production masterfully condenses the complex story into a one-hour program. Det. Paul Martinez of the Plano Police Department, one of the detectives on the case, provides insights into the investigation that led to the murderer’s arrest.
“Banfield” on NewsNation followed up on The Serial Killer’s Playbook with a live interview featuring Shannon Dion. She highlighted how ageism led to the murders of 22 seniors being dismissed as natural causes. Shannon emphasized the need for reform and greater accountability to protect the elderly and prevent such tragedies.

Presentations
SOSS had the privilege of presenting at various conferences, including Every Victim, Every Time; Texas Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association; and the Dallas Area Gerontology Society. We also engaged with local rotary clubs (Addison, Wylie, and Farmersville), law enforcement organizations (Wylie Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association and Kennedale Police Department), women’s groups (Fellowship of Professional Women and Conner Harrington Republican Women), church communities (St. Anthony’s Catholic Church and Resurrection Lutheran Church), and a home care provider business (Right at Home).
A particularly impactful moment was addressing Texas state legislators and staff at The Senior Source Legislative Forum on December 16. Speaking to over 100 attendees about the pressing issues facing our communities was empowering, and we are hopeful these concerns will be addressed in the 89th legislative session.

Left to right: Stacey Malcomson, The Senior Source; State Rep Cassandra Hernandez; State Rep Rhetta Andrews Bowers; State Rep Toni Rose; Rebecca Lopez WFAA; Katherine Krause, Visiting Nurses Assoc; Clarissa Clarke, North Texas Food Bank; Shannon Dion, Secure Our Seniors’ Safety; Renae Perry, The Senior Source

Events
Our second annual golf tournament, held on April 22 at Brookhaven Country Club, was a tremendous success! We are deeply grateful for the generous support of our golfers and donors. A special thank you to Mary Jo Jennings and Loren Smith for their exceptional dedication and hard work in planning and hosting such a wonderful event. The overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants affirmed that your efforts created a truly outstanding event. All funds raised from the event directly support SOSS’s ongoing education and awareness initiatives.

Left to right: Mary Jo Jennings, Shannon Dion, Karen Harris, Ellen House, Loren Smith, Cheryl Pangburn
SOSS proudly participated in the Dallas Alzheimer’s Association Walk this past November. We are deeply grateful to Jandy’s Clan, North Texas’s top friends-and-family fundraising team, for providing us with the opportunity to share our story and raise awareness about the vulnerabilities within senior living communities.

Shannon Dion and Jan Haberer

In conclusion, we are so thankful for your support and proud of our accomplishments in 2024. We could not be successful without our partners, donors and supporters and look forward to continuing this work together in 2025.
We continue to be shocked by how many North Texans have never heard the SOSS story. Think about that – people have never heard about 22+ seniors murdered in their homes over a two-year period, which happened in our own North Texas communities. This lack of awareness extends far beyond our region, underscoring a broader statewide challenge we will take head-on in the 89th legislative session.
We encourage your continued support in spreading our message by sharing our information, website link, and inviting us to speak at your organization or community events. As one attendee thoughtfully shared:
“Shannon Dion captivated the Addison Rotary Club today with a powerful, professional, expertly delivered presentation. Her personal story is compelling and inspiring, brought to life with outstanding supporting graphics. The information she shared was invaluable, highlighting the critical reforms she champions to protect our cherished senior citizens. Our members were deeply engaged and left with a renewed sense of purpose, grateful for Shannon’s dedication and leadership in this important cause.”
—David Heimer | President, Addison Rotary Club
We cannot change the past, but we can work to learn and improve to make a better future for our seniors.
It’s time we take care of those who took care of us.

Your Support is Needed
We thank you for your continued support while we’re working hard to ensure that what happened to our loved ones doesn’t happen to yours.
Any support goes a long way, so please consider donating today.