When authorities found Shea Briar fighting for his life in the early morning hours of January 12, 2020, they had no idea he’d been shot. Because Briar was unable to communicate, they didn’t know the cause of death until a bullet wound was found in his back during an examination.
According to authorities of the Jay County, Indiana Sheriff’s Department there were no signs of a bullet actually exiting his body a first. “There was no exit wound … It was actually in his heart,” Jay County Sheriff’s Detective Ben Schwartz told “48 Hours” correspondent Anne-Marie Green. “He … passed away.”
48 Hours Runs With Story
In the aftermath of Briar’s death an investigation began, and the findings are pretty grim. In an episode of the hit show “48 Hours” titled “Coached To Kill” and per reports, Briar was drugged and shot by his ex-fiancé, 29-year-old high school softball coach Esther Jane Stephen aka E.J. One of her assistant coaches, Shelby Hiestand, was an accomplice in the crime.
Kristi Sibray is a former police officer that Stephen confided in for months about her relationship troubles and co-parenting issues with Briar leading up his death. Sibray told police that Stephen and Hiestand would come together, and she’d vent about everything.
Per Sibray, Stephen would come up with multiple ways to rid Briar from her life. The problems stemmed from a failed engagement and co-parenting of the child the former couple share together.
Per Briar’s mom Tracy Hoevel…
“He wanted to provide for her … and he just really wanted to have some visitation.”
Sibray had this to say.
“She didn’t want to share the baby. That was her baby. That was her child,” Sibray told “48 Hours.”
Science Experiment
“I just really thought she was venting. I did not think that was for real,” Sibray told “48 Hours.”
That is until the conversations became more detailed and aimed at taking Briar out, even put pills in his tea.
“They crushed up ibuprofen, I believe … And he did drink the whole glass, but nothing happened to him,” Sibray told “48 Hours.” “I’m like, ‘are you serious?’ … I didn’t even … believe her. … Because I just could not see her doing that.”
Sibray says she felt like she didn’t do enough to prevent Briar’s death upon hearing all the things that Stephen and Hiestand were contemplating doing.
Stephen Turns On Hiestand
Both were arrested and charged in Briar’s death. During the trial, Stephen turned on Hiestand even after she admitted to pulling the trigger and shooting Briar after blacking out. Stephen even had the audacity to say the pills were all Hiestand’s decision and she viewed it as an innocent chemistry experiment.
Oddly both plead not guilty to the killing.