The former husband of Shelly Mook, the Bedford County teacher who has been missing since February of 2011, has again failed to gain custody of his daughter through the courts.
In 2011, the car that belonged to Shelly Mook was found abandoned and burned just south of Murfreesboro on the Rutherford / Bedford County line. Directly after Mook’s disappearance, Tyler Mook gained custody of his daughter. A week later, the mother of Shelly Mook, Debra Sikora, gained custody of the child.
Prior to the mysterious disappearance of Mook, she and her husband divorced in 2009. During their brief marriage, Tyler allegedly submitted Shelly to domestic violence, according to court documents. After the divorce, Shelly received primary custody rights of their daughter. Approximately two years later, Shelly Mook and her daughter moved to Murfreesboro. Shortly after that move, she disappeared.
Ever since the disappearance of Shelly Mook, Tyler Mook and his parents have been fighting the mother of Shelly (Debra Sikora) and the courts to regain custody of his daughter. Despite his attempted efforts, he has not gained full custody of the child and documents suggest that he has had a past drug problem that might endanger the child. During an evidentiary hearing that occurred in July of 2011, “numerous witnesses testified to Father’s history of illegal drug use, drug trafficking, violent behavior, and verbal and physical abuse towards Mother.”
On Monday (2/25/13), The Supreme Court of Tennessee denied Tyler Mook and his parents from appealing the custody case in order to seek parenting rights of the child. The little girl is currently living with her maternal grandmother in Pennsylvania.
As far as the disappearance of Shelly Mook goes, there are no new leads in the case. The TN Bureau of Investigation is still investigating. Although her body has not been found, law enforcement beleive that Mook is likely dead.
Source:
TN State Courts and the Court of Appeals
August 2012 Appeals Court Documents
February 25, 2013 Denial of Appeal Document
