55-year term

A Portland woman convicted of murder has been sentenced to more than half a century in prison.

Shelby N. Hiestand, 20, was sentenced by Jay Circuit Court Judge Brian Hutchison Friday to 55 years in prison for the Jan. 12, 2020, murder of 31-year-old Shea Briar.

She was convicted of the murder Aug. 11 at the conclusion of a three-day trial.

“Until today, I have seen almost zero remorse from you,” Hutchison spoke to Hiestand, who cried several times in court Friday, before giving her sentence. “The state is right, this is a cold-blooded kill … you had this planned, and I’m not sure, even though today I’ve seen your remorse, I’m not sure you have any real comprehension on how deep your (action is).”

A crowd of more than 30 attended Hiestand’s sentencing hearing. The prosecution called three witnesses, each a family member of Briar’s, to argue for the maximum sentence.

“He’s my first thought when I wake up and my last when I go to sleep, sometimes throughout the day,” said Briar’s aunt, Tiffany McLaughlin.

She then began speaking directly to Hiestand.

“You knew what you were doing, but you still pulled the trigger,” she said.

Briar’s grandmother, Sharon Taylor, quoted Bible verse Psalm 23:4 and also spoke to Hiestand.

“Shea is dead. You murdered him, Shelby,” Taylor said as she began crying. “You watched Shea struggle to live … you murdered him.”

Tears started streaming down Hiestand’s face as well.

“Our family has gone through hell since Shea was shot in the back and left to die in the road,” said Briar’s mother, Tracy Hoevel.

Jackie Bryan, an acquaintance of Hiestand’s, gave testimony in favor of a lesser sentence, arguing that Hiestand had been groomed for five years by Stephen.

“Shelby’s always been shy and socially awkward,” Bryan said. “When she had a friend, she always went out of her way to make them happy … please remember when all this began she was a child … she was a child that was manipulated and groomed. It’s not an excuse, but it’s a mitigating factor.”

Hiestand’s attorney, John Quirk, restated Bryan’s words in his last statement and said there were mitigating factors involved.

“She’d been groomed for years,” he said, also noting that Hiestand had no other cases against her in the past.

Jay County prosecutor Wes Schemenaur referred to Briar’s murder as “cold-blooded” and noted the plan took place over weeks.

“This wasn’t some spur of the moment, fly-by-night (circumstance),” he said. “The harm it caused is significant … This wasn’t a quick shot where no one suffered. He suffered for hours.”

Hiestand read from a prepared statement prior to her sentencing.

“Shea’s family deserves an apology,” Hiestand said in between sobs. “They deserve more than that … To this day, I’m not sure how I was so blind … I’ve done something I can’t take back.”

She said she wasn’t sure if she could forgive herself but hoped Briar or his family could someday forgive her.

Hutchison said he agreed there were both mitigating and aggravating factors involved.

“You were young when you committed this crime,” he said to Hiestand, who was 18 at the time of the murder. “You’re still young.”

He added that although it had been insinuated Hiestand was groomed, there was no evidence presented to support that claim.

Hutchison then announced Hiestand’s sentence of 55 years. (Murder in Indiana carries a sentence of 45 to 65 years with an advisory sentence of 55 years.) She was given credit for time served since Jan. 14, 2020, and assessed $185 in court costs.

“All things considered, I mean, I think the judge ultimately was probably correct,” Schemenaur said following court dismissal. “But in deference to Shea’s family and the loss that they’re feeling, I felt like the aggravating circumstances did outweigh the mitigating circumstances in this case. It’s just a pretty brutal and heinous situation.”

Hiestand is the second of three women convicted of Briar’s murder. Esther J. Stephen, who turned 31 Friday, was found guilty in March and sentenced in May, also to 55 years. (Stephen and Briar shared a child.)

Hannah Knapke, Fort Recovery, 20, is also charged with murder in relation to Briar’s death. She is set to stand trial beginning Nov. 15.

According to court documents, Hiestand, Stephen and Knapke picked Briar up at his Portland home with plans to “hang out” and proceeded to drive in Knapke’s vehicle to the county road 125 West bridge over Loblolly Creek, just south of county road 850 North. There, Stephen distracted Briar to allow Hiestand to retrieve a gun from the vehicle. Hiestand then shot Briar once in the back. Knapke was standing next to Hiestand at the time of the shooting. Briar was found on the bridge about 2 a.m. Jan. 12 and died later the same day at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne.