Coaching contracts terminated

FORT RECOVERY — Two women who are facing murder charges have been officially relieved of their duties as softball coaches.

In a meeting that lasted less than seven minutes Thursday, Fort Recovery School Board terminated the contracts of softball coach Esther Jane “EJ” Stephen and her assistant coach Shelby Hiestand, who were charged last week with the murder of Shea Briar of Portland.

Stephen had led the FRHS softball program since 2018.

Both Stephen and Hiestand, who are being held without bond in Jay County Jail, were placed on administrative leave within hours of their arrests Jan. 14. Fort Recovery Local Schools sought advice from legal counsel before officially terminating the contracts Thursday.

The action came without comment from the school board beyond president Nick Wehrkamp reading the motion, which in part stated each coach was being fired for admitted “criminal conduct resulting in the death of another person.”

Board members Greg LeFevre, Don Wendel, Anne Guggenbiller, Jake Knapke and Wehrkamp also named Ryan Thien as Fort Recovery’s new softball coach.

According to court documents, investigators say Stephen, 29, Portland, and Hiestand, 18, rural Portland, admitted to plotting to kill Briar over a custody dispute. Stephen and Briar shared a child.

A third woman, Hannah Knapke, 18, Fort Recovery, who played softball during her junior and senior seasons under Stephen, was arrested Wednesday and also charged with murder.

Probable cause affidavits filed in connection to the charges against the three women say they 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.

•Stephen and Hiestand met Knapke at Fairview United Methodist Church on county road 200 South near its intersection with county road 300 East.

There, Stephen and Hiestand asked if they could use Knapke’s vehicle in order to avoid suspicion. Knapke had no previous connection with Briar.

•At 12:02 a.m. Jan. 12, Stephen called Briar and asked him to “hang out.” Stephen, Hiestand and Knapke then picked Briar up at his Portland home and drove to the county road 125 East bridge over Loblolly Creek.

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

Briar, 31, was found on the bridge just before 2 a.m. Jan. 12 and transported to Adams Memorial Hospital in Decatur. He was then taken to Fort Wayne’s Lutheran Hospital, where he died later Jan. 12.

Pretrial hearings for all three women charged with murder are scheduled for the afternoon of March 30.

The board also approved the school calendar for 2020-21. Classes will begin Aug. 23. Winter break will be Dec. 23 through Jan. 3, with spring break April 1 through 5. The last day of school will be May 27.