Coached to Kill

Summary

---

48 Hours – “Coached to Kill” (January 5, 2026)

Podcast Summary

Episode Overview

This episode of 48 Hours investigates the murder of Shea Briar, a beloved young father in rural Indiana. What starts as a tragic mystery involving a seemingly senseless killing soon unravels into a chilling narrative: Athletic coach Esther Jane “EJ” Stephen conspired with her former protégé Shelby Heastend and friend Hannah Knapke to kill Shea, the father of her child. The episode guides listeners through the investigation, the evidence, and eventually the trials, revealing issues of manipulation, power dynamics, and failed intervention by those who might have seen the signs.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Discovery and Initial Investigation

• The scene and victim identification (00:00–02:05)
  • Shea Briar was found alive but incoherent on a bridge before succumbing to a single bullet wound to the heart.
  • Detective Wes Sheminauer recalls the confusion on arrival:
    “When I first got to the scene here that night...this is kind of how I approached it.” (00:55)
  • The initial lack of suspects shocks the community; Shea was well-liked, had no enemies, and the incident was totally unexpected.

Shea’s Background and Relationships

• Shea’s life & aspirations (06:17–08:28)
  • Raised both in Indiana and Hawaii, Shea is described as “polite, goofy, loving, and a good kid.”
  • His dream was for a traditional family, but after a brief relationship with EJ, their daughter was born.
  • The engagement was described as “forced” and ultimately ended:
    “They did not have a connection.” (08:09)
• Custody battle and its fallout (08:33–09:54)
  • Shea filed for custody, wanting a role in his daughter’s life. EJ, according to family, responded with hostility:
    “He told me she said to him, ‘If you go through with this, you'll be sorry.’” (09:09)

Suspicion and Key Witness

• EJ’s suspicious behavior after the murder (11:07–12:25)
  • Interviewed hours after Shea’s death, EJ is unemotional and dishonest about her last contact with Shea.
    • “I would have expected a little bit of emotion out of her, but that didn’t happen.” – Detective Schwartz (11:45)
• Christi Sibrae’s critical disclosures (12:57–18:21)
  • EJ’s ex-mentor, Christi, recalls EJ “venting” about wanting to get rid of Shea and thinking it was just talk.
  • In hindsight, conversations about methods and persistent discussions become deeply concerning:
    • “Some of the conversations at the table would be, ‘how can we get rid of him so we don’t have to go to court?’…I just really thought she was venting. I did not think this was for real.” (17:02–17:42)

The Plot Unfolds

• The night of the murder (19:01–24:26)
  • EJ, Shelby, and Hannah move furniture at the daycare (ostensibly), test fire Shelby’s rifle, then drive Shea to the bridge.
  • EJ calls Shea to lure him out; he is shot in the back by Shelby, allegedly without warning.
  • EJ discards Shea's phone so he could not call for help.
    • “His only lifeline was that cell phone...and you left him there to die in the cold.” – Prosecutor (32:18)
• Confessions and Arrests (24:30–25:45)
  • EJ and Shelby are both arrested and confess to varying degrees; Shelby claims she “blacked out”:
    • “I really wasn’t. Honestly, I feel like I just blacked out and it just happened.” – Shelby (24:43)
  • Hannah admits involvement but claims she was unaware of the plan initially.

Trials and Legal Outcomes

• EJ Stephen’s trial (27:14–35:12)
  • Prosecutors argue that EJ orchestrated the murder to keep Shea from accessing their daughter.
    • “This was all for her benefit. I think she saw this as a way to eliminate a problem in her life.” – Prosecutor (28:39)
  • Crucial testimony includes discussions about previously attempting to poison Shea and planning his death.
    • “They did talk about how they one time did put pills in his tea and tried to OD him.” – Christi (29:41)
  • EJ’s defense claims all plans were “jokes” and places blame on Shelby, but the jury is unconvinced—she’s found guilty (35:04) and sentenced to 55 years (35:12).
  • “Like a big relief that that much is over.” – Shea’s family member on the verdict (35:04)
• Shelby Heastend’s trial (35:34–39:25)
  • Defense attempts to argue it was unintentional, but a damning text undermines this:
    • “I’m killing that bastard with my own two hands.” – Shelby’s text to EJ (37:36)
  • Prosecutors highlight Shelby’s animosity and her devotion to EJ.
    • “If you look at that text message...EJ's name in Shelby's phone is ‘BAE.’” (38:03)
  • Shelby is also found guilty and sentenced to 55 years, but apologizes to Shea’s family at sentencing.
    • “Shelby was looking right at me, and she said she was sorry. And I believed her. I mean, didn’t change anything, but I believed her.” – Shea’s family (39:10)
• Hannah Knapke’s plea (39:46–40:44)
  • To spare the family another trial, Hannah pleads guilty to voluntary manslaughter, potentially to be released in 2026.
    • “You could have made a difference. You could have said no...But for not one person, but three people made the decision to murder him.” (40:13)
  • “Three opportunities for someone to do the right thing—and none of them took that opportunity.” – Narrator (40:40)

Aftermath and Reflection

• Community and family impact (26:04, 35:51, 40:47)
  • The case shocks the small town and devastates Shea’s family.
  • Shea’s grave sits by his beloved church, symbolizing both his devotion and what was lost:
    • “My brother wanted to be there for his baby. He loves her so, so much. And he has the best view right now of her…he is laughing. He’s probably giving her wind tickles.” – Shea’s sister (41:09)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “He was one of a kind. He was the best brother I could ever have … he had a kind heart.” (02:38–02:53) — Shea’s family member
• “He told me she said to him, ‘If you go through with this, you’ll be sorry.’” (09:09) — Shea’s mother
• “She said that she butt dialed Shea.” (19:33) — Detective/Prosecutor
  “Did you believe her?”
  “No.” (19:39)
• “How can we get rid of him so we don’t have to go to court?” (17:02) — Christi Sibrae, recounting EJ’s ‘venting’
• “I just really thought she was venting. I did not think this was for real.” (17:42) — Christi Sibrae
• “I wasn’t going to do anything...I feel like I just blacked out and it just happened.” (24:43) — Shelby Heastend
• “This was all for her benefit. I think she saw this as a way to eliminate a problem in her life.” (28:39) — Prosecutor
• “We talked about it in a jovial manner, right?” (29:05) — E.J. (interrogation recording)
• “You don’t take out your gun and point it at anybody if you’re not intending to kill them.” (37:29) — Prosecutor
• “Three opportunities for someone to do the right thing — and none of them took that opportunity.” (40:40) — Narrator

---

Timeline of Major Events (with Timestamps)

• 00:00–02:05 — Discovery of Shea Briar on the bridge; initial police response
• 02:38–05:16 — Shea’s family learns of his death and grieves
• 06:17–09:54 — Background on Shea, his relationship with EJ, start of custody battle
• 11:07–12:25 — EJ’s first police interview raises suspicion
• 12:57–18:21 — Christi Sibrae’s crucial revelations
• 19:01–24:26 — EJ’s confession and the events of the murder night
• 27:14–35:12 — EJ’s trial and conviction
• 35:34–39:25 — Shelby’s trial and conviction
• 39:46–40:44 — Hannah’s plea and sentencing
• 41:09 — Shea’s sister’s emotional tribute at his grave

---

Tone and Delivery

The episode maintains a somber, empathetic, and at times incredulous tone. The reporting is direct and detailed, balancing emotional interviews with precise investigative narrative.

---

Conclusion

“Coached to Kill” is a heartbreaking narrative of a father’s fight for his child, a calculated plot that was years in the making, and the ripples of tragedy through a tight-knit community. The episode’s careful structure and compelling use of first-person accounts illuminate both the horror of the crime and the cost of missed warnings, ultimately chronicling the pursuit of justice for Shea Briar and his family.

Transcript

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Foreign. 911, where is your emergency?

[Narrator/Interviewer]

We are on 125 West North.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

We came upon an individual that is.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

On the bridge, like, laying here injured.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

You said he's injured and needs an ambulance.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Yeah, he definitely needs an ambulance alert.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

But he's not, like, he's not coherent. He's not responding.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

I don't know if it's drugs.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I don't know if he's in.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

I was working a 5pm to 5am shift. It was mid January in northeast Indiana. It's cold, it's windy. We've had some rains for several days, so we had a lot of flooding in the area. The only thing that dispatch put out was that there was a man down on the roadway. So.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

So you had no idea what you were getting into?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

I had no idea what I was coming on. When I first got to the scene here that night, this is kind of how I approached it.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

This almost sort of seems like a road to nowhere, really.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Yeah, there's really nowhere else to go.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

And so what can you see?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

So at 2:00 clock in the morning, you see absolutely nothing. There was a vehicle that was pulled up off the side of the road, which was the people that had found him. And then as I came up onto the bridge, he was laying right around here. What are you doing out here in the cold? We were able to remove his wallet out of his pocket. And then I see the name on the id, which was Shea Breyer. Briar, what happened to you? The only thing I'm really getting out of him as far as a response, is just moans and groans. There was a little bit of blood underneath his head, but he'd been, you know, hitting his head on the concrete. It was probably another 10, 15 minutes after I got on scene. Before medics even arrived, they took him straight to the ambulance.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

What happens with Shea after that?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

He's immediately transported by ambulance to Adams Memorial Hospital. It was at the hospital where they ended up finding the bullet wound in his back. There was no exit wound. It was actually in his heart. He passed away. I got a phone call from our sheriff who said, you know, we had a murder. My name's Wes Sheminauer. I'm the elected prosecutor in Jay County. The first thing you do is you start talking to family, those close to him. Who is this person?

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

He was one of a kind. He was the best brother I could ever have. He was fun, very sweet, very caring, fun loving and goofy. He was a good kid. He had a kind heart.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Everybody that we talked to we asked if they would have any idea of who would want Shay dead.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Shea didn't have enemies.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

We talked to his co workers, probably six or seven of them, and not a single one of them could think of anyone that would want to do him any harm at all.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

You start investigating and you end up arresting not one person, not two people, but three people. Is that how you expected this to go?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

No, not at all. The three individuals that were involved, that would have been the last thing on our mind. Normally, when you have a case like this, they've at least been on the radar, and these individuals were not on the radar at all.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Did you think, when this goes public, this town's going to be shocked?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Absolutely.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

On Sunday, January 12, 2020, when 31 year old Shay Briar didn't show up for church, pastor Angela Smiley knew something was wrong. She had just seen him the night before.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

We served a noodle dinner. He's there walking the old ladies out.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

We were last ones in the church.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

He said, I'll beat you here in the morning. I'm like, you always do.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

And when I came up over the.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Hill and didn't see his truck, I'm like, this isn't good.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

For weeks and weeks and months and.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Months, he was always the first one at the church.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Always. Shea Briar was not late in Jay County, Indiana. Word travels fast. It wasn't long before Shea's aunt, Tiffany McLaughlin and his grandmother, Sharon Taylor, heard Shea was missing.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I started calling the hospitals, the sheriff's department, everybody, and nobody would give me any information. Nobody.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

But then Shea's roommate called Tiffany, letting her know police were there. When Tiffany arrived at Shea's home, an officer told her the unthinkable.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

He said that Shea had been shot. And I said, well, is he okay? And he said, no, he died on the operating table.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Shea's mother, Tracy Havel, was living all the way in Hawaii at the time. Her sister and mother called her to deliver the news.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I'm like, no, I mean, I think I must have screamed so loud. We're in shock.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Sydney Havel, Shea's half sister. William was only 17.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I remember my mom just fell over on the couch. Basically like crying and screaming. I still can't believe it. To this day, it doesn't even seem.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Real at that point. Did anyone have any idea what happened to Shay?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

No, we had no idea what happened to Shea.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Ben Schwartz was one of the lead detectives assigned to the case.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Jay county is a very rural farming community, certainly not like working in a big city where it's back to back calls. And as soon as this happened, it was a pretty big deal. It's isolated where he was found. We wondered how he got there, and we just had to start from ground zero.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Ground zero meant digging into who Shea Briar was and what he had been up to. He was born in Indiana, but was raised in Hawaii by his mom and stepdad. What sort of kid was she?

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

A little rascal. He was very polite. He would open doors. He was fun. He loved his GI Joes. He always wanted to be in the military from a really small age.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

So it was no surprise when after high school, Shea joined the Navy. And it was also no surprise when, after he was discharged, he returned to live in Jay County.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Shea was always an Indiana boy. He loved the tractors, he loved all.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

The land, and that's where he wanted to put down roots.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

He really wanted to have a girlfriend, get married, and have a family.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

But things didn't quite happen in that order. In 2018, Tracy got a phone call from her son.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

He's like, hey, mom, guess what? You're gonna be a grandma. I was like, what? I didn't even know you had a girlfriend.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

The future mother of his child was Esther Jane Steven, a local high school softball coach who also ran a daycare and went by the name ej.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I don't think they were boyfriend and girlfriend, you know, I think it was just one of those things.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

In January 2019, Shea and EJ's daughter was born. It was only after her birth that the two decided to start dating. They soon were engaged, but Shea's family felt it was forced. They weren't all lovey dovey, for, you.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Know, the lack of a better word. I tried to tell him, is this how you want to live your life with someone that's really not who you're meant to be with?

[Narrator/Interviewer]

You felt that?

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Oh, definitely, because they did not have a connection.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

They must have sensed something, because in September 2019, just weeks before the wedding, EJ called it off. Was he disappointed?

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Yes, because he wanted a family.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

It was around that time that Angela says Shea began coming to church.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

He needed God and he needed a friend. He started hanging out with men in our church that were active fathers, and he wanted that for his daughter.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

But Angela and Shay's family, so say, for reasons unbeknownst to them, EJ made it difficult. After the engagement is broken up, what sort of access does Shea have to his daughter?

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

He doesn't. None. He went quite a long time without.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Seeing her, and he was trying to see her.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Yeah. That's why he finally got a lawyer.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Shea told his mother that when EJ found out, she wasn't happy.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

He told me she said to him, if you go through with this, you'll be sorry.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

But that didn't stop Shea. In November 2019, he filed this court document seeking to establish paternity and to provide custody support and parenting time.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

He wanted to provide for her, and he just really wanted to have some visitation.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

He also wanted his daughter to have his last name, something EJ had decided against. Why was it important for Shay to be in his daughter's life?

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Shea really did not know his dad. He just did not want to be his biological dad. He wanted to have a good relationship with his kids and be a good role model.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

But two months later, before the case made its way to court, Shea was murdered. And Traci and Tiffany suspected EJ may have had something to do with it.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Because there wasn't anyone else.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

But as it turns out, there would be other suspects.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Do you have $10,000 or more in credit card debt? Maybe you're even barely getting by by making minimum payments. With credit card debt hitting record highs, National Debt Relief offers real debt relief solutions for people struggling to keep up. These options may reduce a large portion of credit card debt for those who qualify. You don't need to declare bankruptcy, and you may be able to pay back less than you owe regardless of your.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

National Debt relief has already reduced the.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Credit card debt for more than 550,000 consumers. So don't wait. If you owe 10, 20, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in credit card debt, you can now take advantage of this financial debt relief as the cost of living increases. To find out how much you could save, Visit National Debt Relief.com that's National Debt Relief.com.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Less than 24 hours after Shea Breyer d, Detective Ben Schwartz and his partner called E.J. stephen, Shea's ex fiance and the mother of his child, into the sheriff's office.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

We talked to her and told her about what happened to Shea. Unfortunately, this morning we were called out.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Because Shea had sustained some injuries, were life threatening injuries, and he did not make it.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

She really didn't have a whole lot to say.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Did you find her reaction curious?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Yeah, I would have expected a little bit of emotion out of her, but that didn't happen. And I would have expected a lot more questions, but she really didn't ask too many questions at all.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

And Detective Schwartz says that wasn't the only thing that stuck out.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

She said that the Last time she talked to Shay would have been the week prior.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

But he knew she was lying. Shea's phone records revealed she was the last person to call him at around midnight, within hours of him being found on that bridge.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

That was a huge red flag.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

A red flag, but not proof she committed murder. Detectives chose not to confront her about the phone records that day.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

I'll give you my card, and if there's something you hear that you might think spark our interest, give us a call.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

There was still a lot of work to be done, a lot of questions to be answered. And the next day, a call from this woman would help investigators out.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

She unloaded and told us a lot of interesting stuff.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Kristi sybre has known E.J. stephen for years. She used to umpire softball games that EJ played in and took her kids to the daycare that EJ ran out of this church. How would you describe her?

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Very quiet, great with kids. She's very involved in the community activities.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Over the years, Christy says she became a mentor of sorts to ejaculate.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

She always would just stop by here and there, say hi, or just stop in if something was bothering her.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Kristi had never met Shea Breyer, but she knew he was the father of EJ's daughter. And when she learned he was murdered, she started to panic.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I just dropped everything, and I just started screaming. I was like, oh, my God. Oh, my God. And then I contacted a friend that was still in the city police department, and I said, I need to talk. Pick me up now.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

At work, Christy, a former police officer, soon found herself inside a Jay County Sheriff's office interview room.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Start at the beginning and share with us what you want to get off your chest.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

She began by telling Detective Schwartz and his partner that she received a call from EJ a few days prior to Shea's death. She said EJ asked her to babysit that weekend, something she had never asked her to do before.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

And I'm like, yeah, not a problem. So all day Saturday, I'm like, okay, what time am I getting her? I had not heard anything. We were, like, getting down for the night, about 10, 10:30. Here she comes with a child.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

It was Saturday, January 11, 2020, just hours before Shea was found shot.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

She goes, okay, I'll be back in a little bit. And I'm like, okay, what are you doing? And she goes, oh, we're just going out. She came in by herself.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Christie says EJ didn't return until around.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

1Am I had heard her open the back door, so I got up And I met her there, and I said, ej, what were you doing? She was nothing, and she was real standoffish. I said, come on, ej, what were you doing? And she goes, I can't tell you, but I'm sure you'll hear about it in the paper in the next couple days. And she left.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

You must have been thinking about that all night. Yes, but that was just the beginning of what Kristi told police. She said that in the months leading up to Shea's murder, EJ came over a lot, and she wasn't alone.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Shelby was always in the car with EJ.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Shelby is Shelby Heastend. She was 18 years old. EJ was 29 and used to be her high school softball coach. After Shelby graduated, she became EJ's assistant coach at another nearby high school. Just over the border in Fort Recovery, Ohio. Shelby also worked at the daycare with EJ. Did you think it was odd that here's EJ hanging out with Shelby? There's a good 10 years between the two.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I think everybody thought it was odd.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

From what I have been told, they were pretty well inseparable.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Detectives had heard Shelby's name before Jay's family had mentioned her.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Shelby was always around in the picture. I think there was some major jealousy between Shelby and Shea. You know, he never come out and said it, but he kind of insinuated things.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

What did he insinuate?

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

He thought maybe there was something more going on, more than a friendship, possibly.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

And Shea wasn't the only one who suspected something.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I just assumed that maybe they were a couple.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

E.J. and Shelby would later deny being anything more than friends. Christy told investigators that the two began stopping by shortly after Shea filed that court document to establish paternity.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Shelby pretty much stayed with the child, and EJ would sit with me at.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

The kitchen table, and she said EJ wanted advice.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

She just asked me, what do I do? Because I have been divorced. She didn't want to share the baby. That was her baby. That was her child. Some of the conversations at the table would be, how can we get rid of him so we don't have to go to court? And I'm like, how do you get rid of him? You're not going to get rid of him.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Christy insists she didn't think anything at the time.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Anybody who goes through a breakup don't think they didn't say, oh, I wish she was gone. All right, well, she was dead. But do we act on it? And that's what I'm thinking. I've been divorced Twice. I'll tell you, I probably said it.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

And Kristi says she had that same mindset when, over time, the conversations grew more detailed and various methods were discussed.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I just really thought she was venting. I did not think this was for real.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

But when Christy heard Shea was murdered, she says she immediately viewed all those conversations in a different light. At that point. Do you think EJ is involved in this somehow?

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Yes.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

And she knew she had to go to police.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I didn't even think about it. But as a police officer standpoint, I felt like I failed, because how did I miss this? How did I miss these signs? I could have prevented this, and I didn't because I didn't think she could.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

And this was your opportunity to do something.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Yeah. Yeah. Sorry.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

It was just kind of unbelievable.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

After Christy was done talking, Detective Schwartz says there was one thing on his mind.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

We've got to get EJ back in here.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

So you say, come on in, ej.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Yep. We just want to know the truth and what happened to Shay.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

On January 14, 2020, just two days after Shea Breyer was murdered, E.J. stephen was back inside the Jay County Sheriff's Office. Detective Ben Schwartz and his partner first confronted her about those phone records, which revealed she called Hsieh shortly before he died, something she had previously been dishonest.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

About midnight, you called his phone. We were just kind of wondering how that conversation went.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I did not talk to him. I knew who to call. I'd let him know him.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

She said that she butt dialed Shea.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Did you believe her?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

No. We kind of pressed her on that a little bit, and then finally she said, okay, yeah, we talked, but it wasn't for very long.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

E.J. insisted she didn't see Shay that night, but detectives didn't believe her.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

You know, I help a lot more. You tell them we will find out, and soon.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

They told her her friend Shelby Heaston was also being questioned.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

This is not a game. Her demeanor kind of changed a little bit, and it was a turning point, my friend.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

In a cool and calm tone, EJ cracked and began to tell detectives what happened that night, starting with how she dropped her daughter off at Christy's Cybraise. She told them Shelby was in the car waiting. From there, we retraced their steps based on EJ's account. How does she tell you the night unfolds from there?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

They came to the church. At the time, it was a daycare.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Also, it was the daycare where E.J. and Shelby worked. E.J. said they had to move furniture before church. The next day. And that another friend, 18 year old Hannah Knapke, met them there. Hannah also sometimes worked at the daycare and EJ used to coach her in softball too.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

So this is the daycare.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

What do they do here after they move that furniture?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

After they move the furniture, they were planning on how to get rid of Shay. Basically.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

She said earlier that day she had picked Shelby's rifle up from Shelby's house. And that while in the daycare parking lot, Shelby got the gun out and fired a round.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

We didn't understand how bad it was.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

According to E.J. after Shelby fired that shot, all three of them got into Hannah's parents van with a rifle in the back. So where did they go from the daycare?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

From the daycare, they drove around, still discussing whether or not they should follow through with killing Shea. And somewhere along the line, EJ called Shea.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

We asked him if he wanted to come for Ryder bus, anything.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

After they pick Shea up, with Shelby driving, EJ said they headed to that bridge. So about what time do they get out here?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

I think it's right around 1 o' clock in the morning. They stop the van right over here. E.J. and Shay get out of the van.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

What happened? Ej?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

We're right there. We are. We're right here. Finish it.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I'm trying to remember. You shot him.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Did Shelby shoot him? There was no tears or any remorse that I saw.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

She's talking about the father of her child being shot in the back next to her, right?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Yeah. It was shocking.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

E.J. told detectives she didn't know Shelby was going to shoot Shea, who, despite conversations they had had earlier, you or her.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Hammer, like, he talked about leaving me and talked about it. And then it was just like, okay, let's just do it.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Yeah.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Jokingly, obviously. And then the joke turned.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

But detectives believe E.J. knew exactly what was going to happen that night. They believe she called cold heartedly planned it, and that the cruelty continued after Shea was shot. Because when police located Shea, his cell phone was nowhere to be found.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Where's his cell phone at?

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Okay.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Is Shelby going to tell us the same thing? That she doesn't know where the phone is because the phone is somewhere. Did you throw in a river? Who threw in my river? You did.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

EJ said that after they began driving away from the bridge that night, they.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Turned around, they drive right past them through here, and they stop right there where my car's sitting. And EJ and Shelby get out, Scared that he could call 91 1. Okay.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

E.J. said she knew Shea was still alive. He would lay on that bridge helpless for about an hour before he was found clinging to life.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

You are under arrest for the murder of Shea Breyer.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

EJ Stephen was arrested and charged with murder down the hall. Only after being confronted with what EJ told police, Shelby heasted admitted pulling the trigger.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I wasn't going to do anything. I really wasn't. Honestly, I feel like I just blacked out and it just happened.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Shelby was arrested and charged with murder. Later that day, detectives flew to Iowa, where Hannah Knapke had returned to college. She too eventually admitted involvement.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I did not be there at all. I don't even know him.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

I knew I couldn't even tell you his first name. Hannah told detectives she didn't know what she was getting into when she met up with EJ and Shelby that night, but that the conversation took a turn.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

They talked about shooting him.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

At what point was a decision made to take your van?

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Basically, they didn't want to take DJs because it was too suspicious. I was scared to tell them no.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

I.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I was just nervous.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Hannah was also later booked on a murder charge. The case soon hit the news.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

A third person has been arrested in the fatal shooting of a 31 year old Jake county man.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

And even though Shea's family had suspected EJ's involvement, they were horrified to learn the details.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

To find out that there were two other people that were involved. It was like, what? It was shocking. I think it really did shock the community.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

But despite those three taped interrogations, the case was far from over. Because ej, Shelby and Hannah would all plead not guilty, and it would be up to prosecutors to secure convictions, starting with ej.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I felt like going into it that it was okay, she, you know, she's guilty, she's going to be found guilty. And then I'm like, wait a second, what's happening here? I was scared. Do you have a dark curiosity? Heart starts pounding Horrors, Hauntings and Mysteries is a weekly podcast hosted by me, Kaylin Moore. Each week, I'll take you on a dark journey through terrifying true urban legends.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Bizarre true crime cases, chilling tales of.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Backwoods horror, and more. So if you're looking to join a passionate community of the darkly curious, check out Heart Starts Pounding on the Free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

And remember, stay curious. In March 2021, EJ Stephen was first to go on trial for Shay Briar's murder. Wes Sheminauer and Zach Landers prosecuted the case.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

It was intense. It was standing room only most days. We had lots of interested folks just wanting to come and see what was going on.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Shea's mom, Tracy, traveled from Hawaii to attend.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

That was my first time really ever being in a courthouse.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

It was also her first time hearing and seeing much of the evidence, including that dash cam video.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

It was horrible. It was just this long car ride. I think I had bruises on my legs because I just was squirting, squeezing my leg so bad. And then when he pulls up there to the bridge, I could hear him.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Ryan, what happened to you?

[Narrator/Interviewer]

I would love to bend there and hold his hand. You know, I wish. Even though EJ didn't pull the trigger, prosecutors sought to convince a jury that she orchestrated Hsieh's murder.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

This was all for her benefit. I think she saw this as a way to eliminate a problem in her life.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

They told the jury about that court petition Hsieh filed, and they argued it infuriated EJ so much so that she and her friend Shelby Heaston devised a plan to kill him. They pointed to EJ's own words. The jury heard her interrogation in full.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Why did Shelby shoot him?

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

We talked about it in a jovial manner, right?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

She didn't want Shay involved in her life or in her daughter's life.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

The prosecution's star witness was Kristi Sibrae. She testified about those visits she said EJ and Shelby made to her house. One discussion she said was particularly alarming in hindsight.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I go, you couldn't shoot somebody. I think that's what I said to ej. And Shelby goes, no, I could.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

And Christy testified about another conversation that she had also shared with police.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

They did talk about how they one time did put pills in his tea and tried to OD him. They crushed up ibuprofen, I believe, and he did drink the whole glass, but nothing happened to him. Did you say to her, what are you doing? I'm like, are you serious? I didn't even believe her because I just could not see her doing that.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Prosecutors argued Christie's testimony was proof of planning.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

They've discussed it. They've even maybe tried to kill him before. This wasn't just a thing that happened on a whim without, you know, EJ's knowledge.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

But the defense countered that prosecutors had it all wrong and put EJ on the stand. She declined our request for an interview and. And her trial attorney has since died. What did she tell the jury?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

That she was essentially shocked and surprised that Shelby did this, that all of this talking and planning had been done as a joke.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

As for Those pills in Shea's drink. EJ testified that it was Shelby's idea and that she only went along with it because she thought it was an innocent chemistry experiment. The defense placed all the blame on Shelby and alleged that unbeknownst to ej, Shelby wanted the baby and EJ all to herself and that Shea was in the way. Shelby had told detectives how much she disliked him.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I didn't want her to abuse him at all. I was like, that little girl will be just fine without him.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

The defense claimed EJ had no reason to want Shea dead and said that EJ and Shea were talking about getting back together that night on the bridge. Prosecutors rejected that.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

She's the one who went and got the gun from Shelby's house. They took the gun with them to the church. They test fired the gun at the church. To me, you can say you thought it was a joke all you want. In my view of it. The minute you take that gun out and you fire it to see how loud it's going to be, that's like, okay, now this is real, right?

[Narrator/Interviewer]

But EJ offered an explanation. She said Shelby would often go hunting, so she didn't think anything of it when Shelby fired that round in the church parking lot. But what about what EJ did after the murder?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

EJ retrieved this guy's cell phone and threw it in the creek for the sole purpose of him not being able to call for help.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Remember, she admitted that to police.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

You scared that he could call 911. His only lifeline was that cell phone. Possibly. Who knows whether he could have had the wherewithal to call for help at that point, and you left him there to die in the cold.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

But on the stand, EJ said she only threw Hsieh's phone in a moment of frustration after being unable to unlock it to call 911, she told the jury her own phone was dead.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

It's just nonsense. There were two other girls with her. You're not going to convince me that their phones were dead. You're not really going to be able to convince me that Esther's phone was dead either. And on top of that, they passed so many different places that were open that they could have stopped in and called for help.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

As the defense wound down, EJ's attorney maintained EJ had no idea Shelby planned to shoot. Shoot Shea, and drew the jury's attention to where E.J. told police she was standing at the.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Time you were standing there face to face with them.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

The Defense argued if E.J. knew Shelby was going to shoot Shea. Why would she put herself in the line of fire? Shea's family worried jurors would be swayed by EJ's testimony.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I thought we were going into this and it's a no brainer. I mean, she did it. She's going to be found guilty. And, yeah, I mean, it was scary.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

The trial spanned three days, and then the case went to the jury.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Nerve wracking is an understatement. We were in the office Monday morning quarterbacking ourselves, you know, like you always do.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

One hour of deliberations passed, then two.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

The longer the jury is out, the more of that second guessing comes into play.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Then they received a call. A verdict was in.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

The heart rate goes up to about a million. The palms start sweating. You're just on pins and needles.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

We were all three holding hands and just holding our breath to see what was going to happen.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

As a prosecutor, you grow close to these people, you see just the unbelievable amount of suffering that they're going through as a family. And you want to do your best for them. You want to get them justice for Shea.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

After nearly two and a half hours of deliberation, Shea's family finally heard the word they were waiting for. Guilty. What is that feeling like?

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Like a big relief that that much is over.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

E.J. stephen was later sentenced to 55 years in prison, the recommended sentence for murder in Indiana. Shea's pastor, Angela Smiley, was there when the sentence was handed down. You would think that you would see.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Some kind of repentance. I don't see it at all. Nothing.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Three months after that, in August 2021, Shelby Houston went on trial. Shea's mom, Tracey, was in court again, sitting through all. All the evidence for a second time, including that dash cam video.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Tracy sat right there and watched it again and didn't cry. She said she didn't want them to have the satisfaction that they had hurt her so badly. You were really thinking that? Yeah, I was. No, they're not gonna. I'm not letting my head hang. I'm holding it up as high as I can. This for Shay. It was hard, but this is the boy you gave birth to? Yeah. It just makes me. So mad. You didn't do anything wrong.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

At Shelby's trial, the defense called no witnesses, but argued Shea's death was unintentional. Shelby, her parents, and her attorney chose not to speak with us.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Her defense was more of a. It was a mistake. It was an accident, that her intent to kill wasn't there.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

How did they go about trying to prove that?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Well, if you look at what she said in her interview, they tried to keep pointing to this I blacked out type of language.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Honestly, I feel like I just blacked out, and it just happened.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

They tried to just essentially characterize what she said as not technically admitting to murder, not technically admitting to shooting at Shea, but simply just pulling the trigger.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Is there any way that this could.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Have been an accident?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

No. You don't take out your gun and point it at anybody if you're not intending to kill them.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

And to prove this was no accident, prosecutors pointed to this text message that Shelby sent EJ about a month before Shea's murder. It reads, I'm killing that bastard with my own two hands.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

They've talked about this together for a long time. And one of the things that was odd to me, if you look at that text message is EJ's name in Shelby's phone is BAE.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

BAE, as in a term of endearment.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Right.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Why do you think Shelby was willing to do this?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

You know, it's speculation. She had a lot of animosity towards Shea, as evidenced by what she said in her interview about him.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I didn't want her to abuse him at all.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

And she was very angry at Shea over his attempts to interfere with or insert himself into the daughter's life. And so, you know, I think that, that, that sort of fed into that maybe power dynamic with ej.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

What do you mean by that?

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Well, there's a huge age difference, you know, between EJ and Shelby. I think it's clear that Shelby looked up to EJ and, you know, wanted her approval. I think she had her own feelings. I think she had maybe some manipulation there as well.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

At the end of her three day trial, Shelby Heastend was also convicted of murder. At her sentencing hearing, unlike ej, she apologized to Shea's family.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Shelby was looking right at me, and she said she was sorry. And I believed her. I mean, didn't change anything, but I believed her. No, she had the chance. She had the chance.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Shelby Houston received the same sentence as E.J. stephen, 55 years in prison. For Shea's family, the thought of a third trial was too much to bear.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I didn't want to go to another trial. Well, I don't think my mom could have handled another one. I don't think any of us could have. I mean, it was awful.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

They approached prosecutors, and ultimately a plea deal was reached. Hannah Kanafke and her attorneys also declined our request for an interview. In September 2021, she pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. In exchange for a sentence that could see her released as early as July 2026. At her sentencing, she also apologized to Shea's family.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I remember telling her in my impact statement that, you know, you weren't the mastermind, you weren't the shooter, but you were still involved in it. You were still involved in Shea's murder. I said, you could have made a difference. You could have said no. You could have said, let's get out of here. But for not one person, but three people made the decision to murder him.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Right. Three opportunities for someone to do the right thing.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Yeah.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

And none of them took that opportunity.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Very well put.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Very well put. Shea Breyer's grave sits next to the little white church that he loved. His gravestone says, daddy, a role his sister says he he was so looking forward to fulfill.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

My brother wanted to be there for his baby. He loves her so, so much. And he has the best view right now of her. Even though he's in heaven, he is laughing. He's probably giving her wind tickles. And he's keeping an eye out on her. Everything you've done has come to this.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

The biggest and wildest mission yet is now streaming.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

I need you to trust me one last time.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Tom Cruise, Mission Impossible the final reckoning.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

Rated BT13.

[Detective/Prosecutor]

Now streaming on Paramount.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Plus, Pluto TV has thousands of free movies and TV shows.

[Family Member of Shea Briar]

This is the mindset. Like Joe Dirt, pixels, Survivor, and SpongeBob SquarePants. Free. You're welcome. Pluto TV stream now pay Never.