Third murder trial set

A jury trial has been set for the third woman charged with the murder of a Portland man.

During a pretrial hearing Friday, Jay Circuit Court Judge Brian Hutchison scheduled a four-day jury trial for Hannah L. Knapke for July 20 through 23. She is one of three women charged with the Jan. 12 murder of 31-year-old Shea Briar of Portland.

A final pre-trial conference for the Fort Recovery 19-year-old is set for July 2.

Knapke’s attorneys had previously petitioned to have her Friday hearing continued at a later date. The request was denied.

On April 1, jury trials were scheduled for Esther Stephen and Shelby Hiestand, who along with Knapke are charged with Briar’s murder. Those trials are set for June 22 through 25 for Stephen, 29, Portland, and July 6 through 9 for Hiestand, 18, rural Portland. Final pretrial hearings are slated for May 29 and June 15, respectively.

Stephen and Hiestand were arrested Jan. 14, two days after Briar was found in the early morning hours on the county road 125 West bridge over Loblolly Creek, just south of county road 850 North. Knapke was arrested Jan. 22.

Probable cause affidavits filed in connection to the case say Stephen and Hiestand admitted to plotting to kill Briar because of a custody dispute. Stephen and Briar shared a child.

The affidavits say the three women admitted to the following:

•Stephen and Hiestand went to Hiestand’s home to pick up a .22-caliber rifle on the night of Jan. 11.

•They traveled to Fairview United Methodist Church, rural Portland, where they met Knapke. Stephen and Hiestand then asked Knapke if they could use her vehicle in order to avoid suspicion. Knapke had no previous connection with Briar.

•Just after midnight, Stephen called Briar and asked him to “hang out.” The three women then picked Briar up at his home in Portland and drove to the bridge.

•Everyone exited the vehicle. Stephen then distracted Briar to allow Hiestand time to retrieve the rifle. As Stephen and Briar were walking away from the vehicle, Hiestand shot Briar once in the back. Knapke was standing near Hiestand when the shot was fired.

Briar was found on the bridge about 2 a.m. Jan. 12 and was transported to Adams Memorial Hospital in Decatur. He was then transferred to Fort Wayne’s Lutheran Hospital, where he died later the same day.

Stephen had served for two seasons as Fort Recovery High School’s softball coach, and Hiestand was an assistant coach. Knapke, 19, played under Stephen during her junior and senior seasons with the Indians.

All three women are being held without bond at Jay County Jail. In Indiana, murder carries a sentence of 45 to 65 years, with an advisory sentence of 55 years.