January 15, 2020 at 8:18 p.m.
Documents detail alleged murder plot
Investigators say women planned Sunday murder over custody dispute
Documents detail alleged murder plot
Investigators believe a dispute over child custody sparked a murder plot that led to the death of a Portland man.
Probable cause affidavits filed in Jay Circuit Court Wednesday in connection with formal charges being filed against two Jay County women lay out the basic details of the alleged plot to kill Shea Briar, who died Sunday of a single gunshot wound to the back.
Shelby N. Hiestand, 18, 1391 W. 200 North, rural Portland, and Esther J. “EJ” Stephen, 29, 621 W. Second St., Portland, were both formally charged with murder Wednesday morning following their arrest early Tuesday afternoon. They are being held without bond at Jay County Jail.
Initial court hearings for Stephen and Hiestand were held this morning. Pretrial hearings are scheduled for 2 p.m. March 30.
The affidavits indicate that Stephen and Hiestand admitted during interviews with law enforcement that they conspired to murder Briar, with whom Stephen shared a child. The document says Stephen was angry with Briar because he recently initiated court proceedings to establish parenting rights and change the child’s last name.
Court records show that Stephen and Briar had been involved in a custody dispute over the child since mid-November.
The most recent action in that proceeding came Dec. 11, when a hearing was set for Feb. 5 with Judge Kimberly S. Dowling in Delaware County Circuit Court.
Late Saturday, Stephen went to Hiestand’s home to pick up a .22-caliber rifle and ammunition, the affidavits state. They add that the two women then dropped off Stephens’ child at the home of a friend, traveled to Fairview United Methodist Church on county road 200 South near its intersection with county road 300 East and placed the gun in the back of a vehicle.
The affidavits say Stephen called Briar at 12:02 a.m. Sunday to ask him to “hang out.” The women then picked up Briar from his home at 315 W. Seventh St., Portland, and drove to the bridge over Loblolly Creek on county road 125 West in Jackson Township, they continue.
According to the document, everyone then exited the vehicle. Investigators say Stephen told them her role was to distract Briar to allow Hiestand to get the gun and shoot him. Both Stephen and Hiestand said that while Stephen and Briar walked away from the vehicle, Hiestand shot Briar once in the back, investigators added.
Briar was found wounded on the bridge shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday after a call led to Bryant Volunteer Fire Department and other emergency responders to be dispatched. He was transported initially to Adams Memorial Hospital in Decatur for treatment and later transferred to Fort Wayne’s Lutheran Hospital, where he died later Sunday.
An autopsy performed Monday by the Allen County Coroner’s Office and observed by Jay County Sheriff’s Office investigators showed that Briar died of a single gunshot wound. A small-caliber bullet entered his back and penetrated his heart.
During an interview early Wednesday, Jay County Prosecutor Wes Schemenaur confirmed that a weapon had been recovered, though he would not give any specifics about it. He said it was not found at the scene of the crime.
A murder conviction carries a sentence of 45 to 65 years in Indiana, with an advisory sentence of 55 years.
Stephen had been Fort Recovery High School’s softball coach since 2018, and Hiestand served as her assistant. Fort Recovery Local Schools announced Tuesday afternoon that both had been placed on administrative leave following the arrests and were not allowed any contact with students. Superintendent Larry Brown said this morning that further action would be taken, pending advice from legal counsel.
The investigation into his death was conducted by Jay County Sheriff’s Department with assistance from Indiana State Police, Portland Police Department, Dunkirk Police Department and Jay County Prosecutor’s Office.
Briar’s death marks the second incident of murder in Jay County in less than six months. The decomposed bodies of Wayne and Zayne Burroughs, twin brothers, were found in a rental home on county road 700 East in October. Their deaths were confirmed as murders in November.
Probable cause affidavits filed in Jay Circuit Court Wednesday in connection with formal charges being filed against two Jay County women lay out the basic details of the alleged plot to kill Shea Briar, who died Sunday of a single gunshot wound to the back.
Shelby N. Hiestand, 18, 1391 W. 200 North, rural Portland, and Esther J. “EJ” Stephen, 29, 621 W. Second St., Portland, were both formally charged with murder Wednesday morning following their arrest early Tuesday afternoon. They are being held without bond at Jay County Jail.
Initial court hearings for Stephen and Hiestand were held this morning. Pretrial hearings are scheduled for 2 p.m. March 30.
The affidavits indicate that Stephen and Hiestand admitted during interviews with law enforcement that they conspired to murder Briar, with whom Stephen shared a child. The document says Stephen was angry with Briar because he recently initiated court proceedings to establish parenting rights and change the child’s last name.
Court records show that Stephen and Briar had been involved in a custody dispute over the child since mid-November.
The most recent action in that proceeding came Dec. 11, when a hearing was set for Feb. 5 with Judge Kimberly S. Dowling in Delaware County Circuit Court.
Late Saturday, Stephen went to Hiestand’s home to pick up a .22-caliber rifle and ammunition, the affidavits state. They add that the two women then dropped off Stephens’ child at the home of a friend, traveled to Fairview United Methodist Church on county road 200 South near its intersection with county road 300 East and placed the gun in the back of a vehicle.
The affidavits say Stephen called Briar at 12:02 a.m. Sunday to ask him to “hang out.” The women then picked up Briar from his home at 315 W. Seventh St., Portland, and drove to the bridge over Loblolly Creek on county road 125 West in Jackson Township, they continue.
According to the document, everyone then exited the vehicle. Investigators say Stephen told them her role was to distract Briar to allow Hiestand to get the gun and shoot him. Both Stephen and Hiestand said that while Stephen and Briar walked away from the vehicle, Hiestand shot Briar once in the back, investigators added.
Briar was found wounded on the bridge shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday after a call led to Bryant Volunteer Fire Department and other emergency responders to be dispatched. He was transported initially to Adams Memorial Hospital in Decatur for treatment and later transferred to Fort Wayne’s Lutheran Hospital, where he died later Sunday.
An autopsy performed Monday by the Allen County Coroner’s Office and observed by Jay County Sheriff’s Office investigators showed that Briar died of a single gunshot wound. A small-caliber bullet entered his back and penetrated his heart.
During an interview early Wednesday, Jay County Prosecutor Wes Schemenaur confirmed that a weapon had been recovered, though he would not give any specifics about it. He said it was not found at the scene of the crime.
A murder conviction carries a sentence of 45 to 65 years in Indiana, with an advisory sentence of 55 years.
Stephen had been Fort Recovery High School’s softball coach since 2018, and Hiestand served as her assistant. Fort Recovery Local Schools announced Tuesday afternoon that both had been placed on administrative leave following the arrests and were not allowed any contact with students. Superintendent Larry Brown said this morning that further action would be taken, pending advice from legal counsel.
The investigation into his death was conducted by Jay County Sheriff’s Department with assistance from Indiana State Police, Portland Police Department, Dunkirk Police Department and Jay County Prosecutor’s Office.
Briar’s death marks the second incident of murder in Jay County in less than six months. The decomposed bodies of Wayne and Zayne Burroughs, twin brothers, were found in a rental home on county road 700 East in October. Their deaths were confirmed as murders in November.
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