Shea Briar, 31, was found gravely injured on Jan. 12, 2020, in Jay County, Indiana, and later died from a gunshot wound. An acquaintance, Kristi Sibray, told investigators that Briar’s former fiancée, Esther "E.J." Stephen, and assistant coach Shelby Hiestand once admitted putting crushed pills in Briar’s tea. Police say Hiestand later shot Briar; both women were arrested and pleaded not guilty. At trial, Stephen claimed she believed the pill episode was an innocent "chemistry experiment" and blamed Hiestand for the killing.
‘Chemistry Experiment’ Defense After Fatal Shooting: Pills Allegedly Put in Ex’s Tea
Shea Briar, left, and E.J. Stephen
In the early hours of Jan. 12, 2020, 31-year-old Shea Briar was found critically injured on a rural road in Jay County, Indiana. He was transported to a hospital where medical staff discovered a gunshot wound to his back; the bullet reportedly reached his heart and he later died.
Investigation and a Troubling Tip
Police opened an investigation and soon received a call from Kristi Sibray, an acquaintance of Briar’s former fiancée, 29-year-old Esther Jane “E.J.” Stephen. Stephen was a local high school softball coach and shared a young daughter with Briar. Sibray, a former police officer, told detectives that Stephen frequently visited her home with her 19-year-old assistant coach, Shelby Hiestand.
Shelby Hiestand / Credit: Jay County High School yearbook
According to Sibray, Stephen often complained about Briar after the couple broke off their engagement and after Briar filed to establish parenting time. Sibray said the conversations escalated over time and that Stephen and Hiestand once claimed they had put crushed pills into Briar’s tea. "They crushed up ibuprofen, I believe… And he did drink the whole glass, but nothing happened to him," Sibray recalled.
Arrest, Charges and Trial
One day after Sibray spoke with investigators, police brought Stephen and Hiestand in for questioning. Authorities say the women initially denied involvement but later admitted they had driven Briar to that remote road and that Hiestand shot him in the back. Hiestand told detectives she "blacked out" and then fired the weapon, according to police accounts.
E.J. Stephen, left, and Shelby Hiestand after their arrests for the murder of Shea Briar. Both women pleaded not guilty. / Credit: Jay County Sheriff's Office
Both E.J. Stephen and Shelby Hiestand were arrested and charged with murder. They pleaded not guilty. At Stephen’s trial she placed responsibility on Hiestand and testified she had no motive to want Briar dead. Regarding the earlier pill incident, Stephen said the idea came from Hiestand and that she went along because she believed it was an innocent "chemistry experiment."
"I felt like I failed because how did I miss this? How did I miss these signs?" — Kristi Sibray, describing her reaction after Briar’s death.
The case presented jurors with contrasting accounts: a witness who reported a failed poisoning attempt, admissions that the men were driven to a secluded road, and an alleged shooting by an assistant coach. The facts and witness credibility were central to the trial.
Note: The case is examined in the "Coached to Kill" episode of the television series "48 Hours." All names, ages and dates are drawn from published reports and court records cited in that coverage.
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