In the early '90s, this alluring beauty was the princess of the indie circuit, serving as muse to the Long Island Godard Hal Hartley, who cast Shelly in her first two films: The Unbelievable Truth and Trust. Simultaneously girlish and wise, sexy and rebellious, this native New Yorker excelled in Hartley's offbeat movies but stumbled when working with other directors. By the mid-'90s, she was an acting also-ran, which perhaps prompted her to turn to writing and directing. Beginning with the 1994 short Urban Legend, Shelly turned out a string of films, including the quirky 1997 black comedy Sudden Manhattan, in which she also starred. Although she kept a low profile, living in New York with her family and tackling the occasional acting role while making a handful of films, Shelly seemed satisfied with her place in the industry, which is why her 2006 death — originally thought to be suicide — was particularly shocking to her friends and fans. Ultimately though, her death was ruled a homicide.