Softball coach orchestrated the murder of ex-fiancé with the help of former player, prosecutor says | Forensic Files

[music] J County 911. Where is your emergency? >> Um, we are on 125 West North. We came
upon an individual that is on the bridge like laying here injured. >> You said he's injured and needs an
ambulance. >> Yeah, he definitely needs an ambulance. >> Alert, but he's not like he's not coherent.
He's not responding. I don't know if it's drugs. I don't know if he's injured. >> I was working a 5:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.
shift. It was mid January in northeast Indiana. It's cold. It's windy. We've had some rains for several days, so we
had a lot of flooding in the area. The only thing that dispatch put out was that there was a man down in the
roadway. >> So, you had no idea what you were getting? >> I had no idea what I was coming on.
>> When I first got to the scene here that night, this is kind of how I approach
it. >> This almost sort of seems like a road to nowhere, really. >> Yeah, there's there's really nowhere
else to go. And so what can you see? >> So at 2:00 in the morning, you see absolutely nothing.
>> There was a vehicle that was pulled up off the side of the road, which was the
people that had found him. And then as I came up onto the bridge, he was laying right around here.
What are you doing out here in the cold? We were able to remove his wallet out of
his pocket. And then I see the name on the ID, which was Shay Brier. Brian, what happened to you?
>> The only thing I'm really getting out of him as far as a response is just moans
and groans. >> There was a little bit of blood underneath his head, but he' been, you
know, hitting his head on the concrete. >> It was probably another 10, 15 minutes
after I got on scene before medics even arrived. They took him straight to the ambulance.
>> What happens with Sheay after that? >> He's immediately transported by ambulance
to Adam's Memorial Hospital. It was at the hospital where they ended up finding the bullet wound in his back. There was
no exit wound. It was actually in his heart. He passed away. I got a phone call from our sheriff who
said, you know, we had a murderer. My name's Wes Shemanau. I'm the elected [music] prosecutor in Jay County. The
first thing you do is you start talking to family, those close [music] to him. Who is this person?
>> He was one of a kind. He was the best brother I could ever have. He was fun, very sweet, very caring,
>> funloving, and goofy. >> He was a good kid. He had a kind [music] heart. >> Everybody that we talked to, we asked if
they would have any idea of who would want Sheay dead. >> Sheay didn't have enemies.
We talked to his co-workers, probably six or seven of them, and not a single one of them could think of anyone that
would want to do him any harm at all. >> You start investigating and you end up arresting not one person, not two
people, but three people. Is that how you expected this to go? >> No, not at all. The three individuals
that were involved, >> that would [music] have been the last thing on our mind. Normally when you have a case like this,
[music] they've at least been on the radar. And these individuals were not on the radar at all.
>> Did you think when this goes public, this town's going to be shocked? >> Absolutely. [music]
>> [music] [music] >> On Sunday, January 12th, 2020, [music] when 31-year-old Shea Brier didn't show
up for church, Pastor Angela Smiley knew something was wrong. She had just seen him the night before. We served a a
noodle dinner. He's there walking the old ladies out. We were last ones in the church. He said, "I'll beat you here in
the morning." I'm like, "You always do." And when I came up over the hill and didn't see his truck, I'm like, "This
isn't good." For weeks and weeks and months and months, he was always the first one at the church. Always. She
Brier was not late. >> In J County, Indiana, word travels fast. It wasn't long before Shea's aunt,
[music] Tiffany McGlaughlin, and his grandmother, Sharon Taylor, heard Sheay was missing. I started calling the
hospitals, the sheriff's departments, everybody, and nobody would give me any information. Nobody.
>> But then Shea's roommate called Tiffany, letting her know police were there. When
Tiffany arrived at Sha's home, an officer told her the unthinkable. >> He said [music] that Sheay had been
shot. And I said, "Well, was he okay?" And he said, "No, he died on the operating table.
>> She's mother, Tracy Havl, was living all the way in Hawaii at the time. Her sister and mother called her to deliver
the news. >> I'm like, "No." I mean, I think I must have screamed so loud. We're in shock.
>> Sydney Havl, Sha's halfsister, was only 17. I remember my mom just fell over on
the couch basically like crying and screaming. I still can't believe it to this day. It doesn't even seem real
>> at that point. Did anyone have any idea what happened to Shay? >> No, we had no idea what happened to
Shay. >> Ben Schwarz was one of the lead detectives assigned to the case. >> Jay County is a very rural farming
community. It's certainly not like working in a big city where it's backtoback calls. And as soon as this
happened, it was a pretty big deal. It's isolated where he was found. We wondered
how he got there. And we just had to start from ground zero. Ground zero meant digging into who Sha
Brier was and what he had been up to. He was born in Indiana, but was raised in Hawaii by his mom and stepdad.
>> What sort of kid was Shay? >> A little rascal. He was very polite. He would open doors.
He was fun. He loved [music] his G.I. Joes. He always wanted to be in the military from a really small age.
>> So, it was no surprise when after high school, Sheay joined the Navy. And it was also no surprise when after he was
discharged, he returned to live in Jay County. >> Sheay was always an Indiana boy. He
loved the tractors. He loved all the land. And that's where he wanted to put down roots.
>> He really wanted to have a girlfriend, get married, and have a family. >> But things didn't quite happen in that
order. In 2018, Tracy got a phone call from her son. >> He's like, "Hey, mom. Guess what? You're
going to be a grandma." I was like, "What? I didn't even know you had a girlfriend."
The future mother of his child was Esther Jane Steven, a local high school softball coach who also ran a daycare
and went by the name EJ. [music] I don't think they were boyfriend and girlfriend, you know, I think it was
just one of those [music] things. >> In January 2019, Sheay and EJ's daughter was born. It was only after her birth
that the two decided to start dating. They soon were engaged, [music] but Shea's family felt it was forced.
They weren't all loveydovey for, you know, the lack of a better word. >> I tried to tell him, [music] "Is this
how you want to live your life with someone that's really not who you're meant to be with?"
>> You felt that? >> Oh, definitely. Because they did not have a connection. They must have sensed something because
in September 2019, just weeks before the wedding, EJ called it off. >> Was he disappointed?
>> Yes, because he wanted a family. >> It was around that time that Angela says Sheay began coming to church.
>> He needed God and he needed a friend. He started hanging out with men in our church that were active fathers and he
wanted that for his daughter. But Angela and Shea's family say for reasons unbeknownst to them, EJ made it
difficult. After the engagement is broken up, what sort of access does Sheay have to his daughter?
>> He doesn't. >> None. >> He went quite a long time without seeing her >> and he was trying to see her and
>> that's why he finally got a lawyer. Sheay told his mother that when EJ found out, she wasn't happy. [music]
>> He told me, she said to him, "If you go through with this, you'll be sorry." >> But that didn't stop Sheay. In November
2019, he filed this court document seeking to establish paternity and to provide custody, support, and parenting
time. >> He wanted to provide for her, and he just really wanted to have some visitation. He also wanted his daughter
to have his last name, something [music] EJ had decided against. Why was it important for Sheay to be in his
daughter's life? Sheay really did not know his dad. He just did not want to be his biological dad. He wanted to have a
good relationship with his kids and be a good role model. But two months later, before the case
made its way to court, Sheay was murdered. And Tracy and Tiffany suspected EJ [music] may have had
something to do with it >> cuz there wasn't anyone else. But as it turns out, there would be other
suspects. [music] Less than 24 hours after Shea Brier died, Detective Ben Schwarz and his partner
called EJ Steven, Shea's ex fiance and the mother of his child into the sheriff's office.
>> We talked to her and told her about what happened to Sheay. Unfortunately, this
morning we were called out because Shay had sustained some injuries were life-threatening injuries and he did not
make it. >> She really didn't have a whole lot to say. >> Did you find her reaction curious?
>> Yeah, I would have expected a little bit of emotion out of her. Uh but that didn't happen and I would have expected
a lot more questions, but she really didn't ask too many questions at all. And Detective Schwarz says that wasn't
the only thing that stuck out. >> She said that the last time she talked to Shay would have been the week prior.
>> But he knew she was lying. Sha's phone records revealed she was the last person
to call him at around midnight, within hours of him being found on that bridge. >> That was a huge red flag.
a red flag, but not proof she committed murder. Detectives chose not to confront
her about the phone records that day. >> I'll give you my card and uh if there's
something you hear that you might think spark our interest, give us a call. >> There was still a lot of work to be
done, a lot of questions to be answered. And the next day, a call from this woman
would help investigators out. >> She unloaded and told us a lot of interesting stuff.
>> Christy Cybre has known EJ Steven for years. She used to umpire softball games
that EJ played in and took her kids to the daycare that EJ ran out of this church. How would you describe her?
>> Very quiet, great with kids. She's very involved in the community activities.
>> Over the years, Christy says she became a mentor of sorts to EJ. >> She always would just stop by here and
there, say hi, or just stop in if something was bothering her. >> Christy had never met Sheay Brier, but
she knew he was the father of EJ's daughter. And when she learned he was murdered, she started to panic.
>> I just dropped everything and I just started scream. I was like, "Oh my god, oh my god." And then I contacted a
friend that was still in the city police department and I said, "I need to talk.
Pick me up now at work." >> Christy, a former police officer, soon found herself inside a J County
Sheriff's Office interview room. >> Start at the beginning and share with us what you uh want to get off your chest.
>> She began by telling Detective Schwarz and his partner that she received a call
from EJ a few days prior to Sha's death. She said EJ asked her to babysit that weekend, something she had never asked
her to do before. >> And I'm like, "Yeah, not a problem." So, all day Saturday, I'm like, "Okay, what
time am I getting her?" I had not heard anything. We were like getting down for the night. About 10:00, 10:30. Here she
comes with a child. [music] It was Saturday, January 11th, 2020, just hours before Sheay was found
shot. She goes, "Okay, I'll be back in a little bit." And I'm like, "Okay, what are you doing?" And she goes, "Oh, we're
just just going out." She came in by herself. >> Christy says EJ didn't return until
around 1:00 a.m. >> I had heard her open the back door, so I got up and I met her there and I said,
"EJ, what were you doing?" She was nothing. And she was real standoffish. I said,
"Come on, EJ. What were you doing?" And she goes, "I can't tell you, but I'm sure you'll hear about it in the paper
in the next couple days. and she left. >> You must have been thinking about that
all night. >> Yes. >> But that was just the beginning of what Christy told police. She said that in
the months leading up to Sha's murder, EJ came over a lot. And she wasn't alone.
>> Shelby was always in the car with EJ. >> Shelby is Shelby Heston. She was 18 years old. EJ was 29 and used to be her
high school softball coach. After Shelby graduated, she became EJ's assistant coach at another nearby high school.
[screaming] >> Just over the border in Fort Recovery, Ohio, Shelby also worked at the daycare
with EJ. >> Did you think it was odd that Here's EJ hanging out with Shelby? >> Mhm.
>> There's a good 10 years between the two. >> I think everybody thought it was odd.
>> From what I have been told, they were pretty well inseparable. Detectives had
heard Shelby's name before. Shay's family had mentioned her. >> Shelby was always around in the picture.
I think there was some major jealousy between Shelby and Shay. You know, he never come out and said it, but he kind
of insinuated things. >> What did he insinuate? >> He thought maybe there was something
more going on, >> more than a friendship, >> possibly. >> And Sheay wasn't the only one who
suspected something. I just assumed that maybe they were a couple. >> EJ and Shelby would later deny being
anything more than friends. Christy told investigators that the two began stopping by shortly after she filed that
court document to establish paternity. >> Shelby pretty much stayed with the child
and EJ would sit with me at the kitchen table >> and she said EJ wanted advice. >> She just asked me what do I do cuz I
have been divorced. She didn't want to share the baby. That was her baby. that was her child. Some of the conversations
at the table would be, "How can we get rid of him so we don't have to go to court?" And I'm like, "How do you get
rid of him? You're not going to get rid of him." >> Christy insists she didn't think
anything at the time. >> Anybody who goes through a breakup, don't think they didn't say, "Oh, I wish
he was gone." Oh, I wish he was dead. But do we act on it? And that's what I'm thinking. I've been divorced twice. I'll
tell you, I probably said it. And Christy says she had that same mindset when over [snorts] time the
conversations grew more detailed and various methods were discussed. >> I just really thought she was venting. I
did not think this was for real. >> But when Christy heard Sha was murdered, she says she immediately viewed all
those conversations in a different light. >> At that point, do you think EJ is involved in this somehow?
>> Yes. and she knew she had to go to police. >> I didn't even think about it as a police
officer standpoint. I felt like I failed because how did I miss this? How did I miss these signs? I could have
prevented this and I didn't cuz I didn't think she could. And this was your opportunity to do something.
>> Yeah. >> Sorry. It was just kind of unbelievable. >> After Christy was done talking,
Detective Schwarz says there was one thing on his mind. >> We've got to get EJ back in here.
>> So, you say, "Come on in, EJ." >> Yep. We just want to know the truth and what happened to Shay.
On January 14th, 2020, just 2 days after Sha Brier was murdered, EJ Steven was back inside the Jay County Sheriff's
Office. Detective Ben Schwarz and his partner first confronted her about those phone records, which revealed she called
Shay shortly before he died. Something she had previously been dishonest about. >> Midnight you called his phone. We just
kind of wonder how that conversation went. >> I did not talk to him. I didn't recall.
I but him. >> She said that she butt dialed Shay. >> Did you believe her? >> No. We kind of pressed her on that a
little bit and then finally she said, "Okay, yeah, we talked, but it wasn't for very long."
>> EJ insisted she didn't see Shay that night, but detectives didn't believe her.
>> You know, a hell of a lot more than you're telling us and we will find out. >> And soon they told her her friend Shelby
Heend was also being questioned. >> This is not a game. >> Her demeanor kind of changed a little
bit and it was a turning point. my friend. >> In a cool and calm tone, EJ cracked and
began to tell detectives what happened that night. Starting with how she dropped her daughter off at Christiey's
Cybers. She told them Shelby was in the car waiting. From there, we retraced their steps based on EJ's account.
>> How does she tell you the night unfolds? >> From there, they came to the church. At
the time it was a daycare also. >> It was the daycare where EJ and Shelby worked. EJ said they had to move
furniture before church the next day and that another friend, 18-year-old Hannah
Kapki, met them there. Hannah also sometimes worked at the daycare and EJ used to coach [music] her in softball,
too. >> So, this is the daycare. >> What do they do here after they move that furniture? After they moved the
furniture, they were planning on how to get rid of Shay basically. Joking about like it wasn't a full
serious conversation. >> She said earlier that day she had picked Shelby's rifle up from Shelby's house
and that while in the daycare parking lot, Shelby got the gun out and fired a round.
how bad it was. >> According to EJ, after Shelby fired that shot, all three of them got into
Hannah's parents' van with a rifle in the back. >> So, where did they go from the daycare?
>> From the daycare, they drove around still discussing whether or not they should follow through with killing Shay.
And somewhere along the line, the EJ called Shay. We asked him, "You want to come for a ride with us?" And he came.
>> After they picked Shay up with Shelby driving, EJ said they headed to that bridge.
>> So, about what time do they get out here? >> I think it's right around 1:00 in the
morning. They stop the van right over here. EJ and Shay get out of the van. The next thing I know
>> what happened. EJ, we're right there. We are right here. >> Finish it. >> I'm trying to remember.
>> You shot him. Did Shelby shoot him? >> There was [music] no tears or any remorse that I saw.
>> She's talking about the father of her child being shot in the back next to her,
>> right? Yeah. It was shocking. EJ told detectives she didn't know Shelby was going to shoot Sheay despite
conversations they had had earlier. >> You or her >> a hammer like we talked about beating
her I mean talked about it and then >> it was just like >> okay let's just do it.
>> Yeah jokingly obviously and then >> the joke end. >> But detectives believe EJ [music]
knew exactly what was going to happen that night. They believe she coldheartedly planned it [music] and
that the cruelty continued after Sheay was shot because when police located Sheay, his cell phone was nowhere to be
found. >> Where's his cell phone at? >> Okay. Is Shelby going to tell us the same thing that she doesn't know where
the phone is because the phone is somewhere. >> Did you throw in the river? >> Who threw it? Who threw it in the river?
You did? EJ said that after they began driving away from the bridge that night, they
turned around. >> They drive right past them through here and they stop right there where my car
is sitting and that EJ and [music] and Shelby get out. >> You scared that he could call 911?
>> Yeah. >> Okay. >> EJ said she knew Sheay was still alive. He would >> [music]
>> lay on that bridge helpless for about an hour before he was found [music] clinging to life.
>> You are under arrest for the murder of of Sha Brier. >> EJ Steven was arrested and charged with
murder. Down the hall, only after being confronted with what EJ told police, Shelby Hasted admitted pulling the
trigger. >> I wasn't going to do anything. I really wasn't. Honestly, I feel like I just
blacked out and it just happened. >> Shelby was arrested and charged with murder. Later that day, detectives flew
to Iowa where Hannah Kapki had returned to college. She too eventually admitted involvement.
>> I didn't want to be there at all. I don't even know him. [gasps] I I couldn't even tell you his first name.
Hannah told detectives [music] she didn't know what she was getting into when she met up with EJ and Shelby
that night, but that the conversation took [music] a turn. >> Okay. >> They talked about shooting him.
>> At what point was a decision made to take your >> um basically they didn't want to take
UJ's because it was too suspicious. I was scared to tell them no. I >> I was just nervous.
>> Hannah was also later booked on a murder [music] charge. The case soon hit the
news. >> A third person [music] has been arrested in the fatal shooting of a 31-year-old
Jake County man. >> And even though Sha's family had suspected EJ's involvement, they were
horrified to learn the details. to find out that there were two [music] other people that were involved. It was
like what? >> It was shocking. I think it really did shock the community. >> But despite those three taped
interrogations, the case was far from over because EJ, [music] Shelby, and Hannah would all
plead not guilty. And it would be up to prosecutors to secure convictions. Starting with EJ, I felt like going into
it that it was, okay, she, you know, she's guilty. She's going to be found guilty. And then I'm like, wait a
second. What's happening here? I was scared. >> [music] >> In March 2021, EJ Steven was first to go
on trial for Sha Brier's murder. [music] Wes Shemanau and Zack Landers prosecuted
the case. >> It was intense. It was standing room only most days. We had lots of
interested folks just wanting to come and see what was going on. Sha's mom, Tracy, traveled from Hawaii
to attend. >> That was my first time really ever being in a courthouse. >> It was also her first time hearing and
seeing much of the evidence, including that dash cam video. >> It was horrible. It was just this long
car ride. I think I had bruises on my legs cuz I just was squeezing my legs so bad. And then when he pulls up there to
the bridge, I could hear him. >> Ryan, what happened to you? >> I would love to been there and hold his
hand, you know? I I wish. >> Even though EJ didn't pull the trigger, prosecutors sought to convince a jury
that she orchestrated Shea's murder. >> This was all for her benefit. I think she saw this as a way to eliminate a
problem in her life. >> They told the jury about that court petition she filed and they argued it
infuriated EJ so much so that she and her friend Shelby Hston devised a plan to kill him. They pointed to EJ's own
words. The jury heard her interrogation in full. >> Why did Shelby shoot him? We talk about
it in a joking manner like this. She was gone. >> She didn't want Shay involved in her
life or in her daughter's life. >> The prosecution's star witness was Christy Cybre. She testified about those
visits she said EJ and Shelby made to her house. One discussion she said was particularly alarming in hindsight.
>> I go, "You couldn't shoot somebody." I think that's what I said to EJ. And Shelby goes, "I could." And Christy
testified about another conversation that she had also shared with police. >> They did talk about how they one time
did put pills in his tea and tried to OD him. I crushed up ibuprofen, I believe.
And he did drink the whole glass, but nothing happened to him. >> Did you say to her, "What are you
doing?" >> I'm like, "Are you serious?" I didn't even believe her because I just could
not see her doing that. Prosecutors argued Christiey's testimony was proof of planning.
>> They've discussed it. They've even maybe tried to kill him before. This wasn't
just a thing that happened on a whim without, you know, EJ's knowledge. >> But the defense countered that
prosecutors had it all wrong and put EJ on the stand. She declined our request for an interview and her trial attorney
has since died. What did she tell the jury that >> she was essentially shocked and
surprised that Shelby did this, that all of this talking and planning had been done as a joke.
>> As for those pills in Sha's drink, EJ testified that it was Shelby's idea and
that she only went along with it because she thought it was an innocent chemistry
experiment. The defense placed all the blame on Shelby and alleged that unbeknownst to
EJ, Shelby wanted the baby and EJ all to herself and that Sheay was in the way. Shelby had told detectives how much she
disliked him. >> I didn't want her to be with him at all. I was like, that little girl will be
just fine without him. The defense claimed EJ had no reason to want Sheay dead and said that EJ and Sheay were
talking about getting back together that night on the bridge. Prosecutors rejected that. She's the one who went
and got the gun from Shelby's house. They took the gun with them to the church. They test fired the gun at the
church. To me, you can say you thought it was a joke all you want. In my view of it, the minute you take that gun out
and you fire it to see how loud it's going to be, that's like, okay, now this is real, right?
>> But EJ offered an explanation. She said Shelby would often go hunting, so she
didn't think anything of it when Shelby fired that round in the church parking lot. But what about what EJ did after
the murder? EJ retrieved this guy's cell phone and threw it in the creek for the
sole purpose of him not being able to call for help. >> Remember, she admitted that to police.
>> You scared that he could call 911? >> Yeah. >> His only lifeline was that cell phone
possibly. Who knows whether he could have had the wherewithal to call for help at that point. And you left him
there to die in the cold. But on the stand, EJ said she only threw Shea's phone in a moment of frustration after
being unable to unlock it to call 911. She told the jury her own phone was dead.
It's just nonsense. There were two other girls with her. You're not going to convince me that their phones were dead.
You're not really going to be able to convince me that Esther's phone was dead either. And on top of that, they passed
so many different places that were open that they could have stopped in and called for help.
>> As the defense wound down, EJ's attorney maintained EJ had no idea Shelby planned
to shoot Sheay and drew the jury's attention to where EJ told police she was standing at the time.
>> You were standing there face to face with him. The defense argued if EJ knew Shelby was
going to shoot Sheay, why would she put herself in the line of fire. Sheay's family worried jurors would be swayed by
EJ's testimony. >> I thought we were going into this and it's a no-brainer. I mean, she did it.
She's going to be found guilty. And yeah, I mean, it was scary. >> The trial spanned three days and then
the case went to the jury. Nerve-wracking is a understatement. We were in the office Monday morning
quarterbacking ourselves, you know, like you always do. >> One hour of deliberations passed, then
two. >> The longer the jury is out, the more of that second guessing comes into play.
>> Then they received a call. A verdict was in. >> The heart rate goes up to about a
million. The palms start sweating. You're just on pins and needles. We were all three holding hands and just holding
our breath to see what was going to happen. As a prosecutor, you grow close to these
people. You [music] see just the unbelievable amount of suffering that they're going through as a family. and
you want to do your best for them. [music] You want to get them justice for Sheay.
>> After nearly 2 and 1/2 hours of deliberations, Sha's [music] family finally heard the word they were waiting
for. Guilty. >> What is that feeling like? [music] Like a big relief. >> That that much is over.
EJ Steven was later sentenced to 55 years in [music] prison, the recommended sentence for murder in Indiana. Sha's
pastor, Angela Smiley, was there when the sentence was handed down. >> You would think that you would see some
kind of repentance. I don't see it at all. [music] Nothing. 3 months after that, in August 2021,
Shelby Hston went on trial. She's mom, Tracy, was in court again, sitting through all the evidence for a second
time, including that dash cam video. >> Tracy sat right there and watched it again
>> and didn't [clears throat] cry. She said she didn't want them to have the satisfaction
that they had hurt her so badly. >> You were really thinking that? >> Yeah. I was No, they're not going to I'm
not let my head hang. I'm [music] holding it up as high as I can. This is for Shay. It was hard. But
>> this is the boy you gave birth to. >> Yeah. [snorts] It just makes me [laughter]
[gasps] So, may I [laughter] didn't do anything wrong. At Shelby's trial, the defense called no
witnesses, but argued Shea's death was unintentional. Shelby, her parents, and her attorney chose not to speak with us.
>> Her defense was more of a it was a mistake. it was an accident that her intent to kill wasn't there.
>> How did they go about trying to prove that? >> Well, if if you look at what she said in
her interview, they they tried to keep pointing to this I blacked out type of language.
>> Honestly, I feel like it just blacked out and it just happened. They tried to
just essentially characterize what she said as not not technically admitting to murder, not technically admitting to
shooting at Shay, but simply just pulling the trigger. >> Is there any way that this could have
been an accident? >> No. Uh, you don't take out your gun and point it at anybody if you're not
intending to kill them. And to prove this was no accident, prosecutors pointed to this text message that Shelby
sent EJ about a month before Sha's murder. It reads, "I'm killing that bastard with my own two hands."
>> They've talked about this together for a long time. >> And one of the things that was odd to
me, if you look at that text message, is EJ's name in Shelby's phone is ba. Bay as in a term of endearment,
>> right? >> Why do you think Shelby was willing to do this? >> You know, it's speculation. She had a
lot of animosity towards Sheay as evidenced by what she said in her interview about him.
>> I didn't want her to abuse him at all. >> And she was very angry at Sheay over his
attempts to interfere with or or insert himself into the daughter's life. And so, um, you
know, I think that that that sort of fed into that maybe power dynamic with EJ. >> What do you mean by that?
>> Well, there's a huge age difference, you know, between EJ and Shelby. I think
it's clear that Shelby looked up to EJ and, you know, wanted her approval. I think she had her own feelings. I think
she had maybe some manipulation there as well. At the end of her three-day trial,
Shelby Heston was also convicted of murder. At her sentencing hearing, unlike EJ, she apologized to Sha's
family. >> Shelby was looking right at me [music] and she said she was sorry, and I
believed her. I mean, it didn't change anything, but I [music] believed her. No, she had
the chance. She had the chance. Shelby Heston [music] received the same sentence as EJ Steven, 55 years in
prison. For Sha's family, the thought of a third trial was too much to bear. >> I didn't want to go to another trial.
Well, we I don't think my mom could have handled another one. >> I don't think any of us could have. I
mean, it was awful. >> They approached prosecutors and ultimately [music] a plea deal was
reached. Hannah Kavki and her attorneys also declined our request for an interview. In September 2021, she
pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in exchange for a sentence that could see her released as early [music] as
July 2026. At her sentencing, she also apologized to Sha's family. I remember [music]
telling her in my impact statement that, you know, you weren't the mastermind, you weren't the shooter, but you were
still involved in it. You were still involved in Sha's murder. >> I said, you could have made a
difference. You could have said no. You could have said, "Let's get out of here."
>> But for not [music] one person, but three people made the decision to murder him,
>> right? Three opportunities for someone to do [music] the right thing. >> Yes.
>> And none of them took that opportunity. >> Very well put. >> Very well put. >> She Briar's grave sits next to the
little white church that he loved. His gravestone says [music] daddy. A role his sister says he was so looking
forward to fulfill. My brother wanted to be there for his baby. He loves her so, so much. And he
has the best view right now of her. Even though he's in heaven, he is laughing. He's probably giving her wind
tickles. And he's keeping an eye out on her. >> [music] >> Welcome back to Postmortem. I'm CBS News
correspondent Natalie Morales stepping in today as your host to speak with 48 Hours correspondent Ann Marie Green
about her report on the murder of 31-year-old Shea Brier. It was on January 12th, 2020 when Sheay Brier was
found incoherent on a remote bridge in J County, Indiana. Now, it turned out he had been shot in the back with a bullet
lodged in his heart and he later died from his injuries. Now, when a homicide investigation was launched, detectives
uncovered a shocking plot involving not one, not two, but three individuals. An Marie is joining me now to chat with me.
Hey, Amry. Hello. Hello. Hello. And thank you. I love it when we do it like this. I like to It's fun being on the
other side. It's fun for me, too, being on this end of it. Now, I just want to remind our listeners, if you have not
listened to the 48 hours episode yet, you can find the full audio just below this episode in your podcast feed. So,
just go take a listen, then come right back for our conversation. So, Amarie, it's rare that we see a
woman as a killer, but in this case, we have three women who are charged with killing Sheay or being involved in his
death. Yeah. Um, we start things off with EJ. Um, she's 29 years old. She's pretty much the first person that comes
under suspicion for detectives because she's the only person who's had a conflict with Sheay. People love this
guy. Um, she is Shea's ex fiance and the mother of his child, but their relationship wasn't that kind of
relationship. you know, they kind of didn't really date until after they had become parents, if you will, and and
then became um, you know, engaged. But then later, we learn about these two other young women who are involved. And
I say young women cuz they're teenagers, right? We have 18-year-old Hannah whose
parents van was used. She was driving her parents' van that night. And then there's 18-year-old Shelby who is the
one who shot Sheay. Let's talk about that age difference and and who the mastermind of this was. I mean, who was
the one who was sort of seen as the the person who was pulling the strings on this operation?
>> Yeah, I guess you know that's a bit of the the question. You know, you have to
understand that EJ has known these two other women for quite a long time. She's 10 years older than them. She's a
softball coach. She's coached them. Um, and they basically have known her since they were children. You have to wonder
about the nature of her influence over them. >> Mhm. >> And you see it in the hour. A lot of
people, you know, speculated as to whether or not there was more to the relationship between Shelby and EJ. No
one saw EJ without Shelby being around. We also learned that EJ's name was in Shelby's phone as bae. I know you've
probably heard that nickname, bae. And it's normally spelled B A E. It was spelled B A Y. They could have just
spelled it wrong. I don't know. But we all know what that means. My bae. That's my sweetheart, right? Um, of course, you
know, both ladies say that there was nothing romantic between them. They were just very close friends. But the other
thing is it really was Shelby who seemed to really dislike Shay and she's the one
who shot the gun. So Ambry, let's talk about the apparent motive in this case which is just so sad because all it is
it seems is that is that Sheay just wanted to be involved in his daughter's life. Now that was something that EJ did
not want according to prosecutors. So when Sheay hired an attorney and then filed those court documents to establish
paternity, a friend of EJ said that EJ started talking about getting rid of him. I'm curious though, why didn't
Sheay already have certain rights in place? I mean, that's his daughter. Yeah. So his name was not on the birth
certificate and so then he sort of realized that he had to go a more formal legal route. And like I said, the nature
of their relationship before they became engaged is kind of murky. You know, his
family had never even heard of her really before. Um, and and so the impression that we get is, you know,
there wasn't much of a relationship. She becomes pregnant though she has the child and so they try to establish
something. Sheay really wanted to be a dad. He did not have a great relationship with his own father and he
wanted to kind of like correct that family story if you will. You know, he wanted to be a father and be a good one.
So, what's interesting is given that whole, you know, what was going on in their relationship on the night that
Sheay was killed, he had received a late night call from EJ to meet with him. And
at this point, as you said, Emry, they had been broken up for a while. They didn't seem to have a relationship at
all. So, it seemed to be somewhat contentious, if anything. So, why did he even agree to meeting up with EJ and
getting in that van? That's like the million-dollar question. It's late at night. The weather was terrible. They
hadn't really been talking. But I asked the same question to detectives as well,
and I want to play a little sound from the interview that actually didn't make it into the hour. Why do you think Sheay
got into that van? I think Sheay got into the van thinking that they could possibly rekindle their relationship. He
wanted to raise his daughter. He wanted parental rights. I think he would have probably done anything to do that.
>> Even get into that van. >> Even get into the van. >> Just It's just so sad that, you know, he
goes there with a sliver of hope and then what happens to him happens. Yeah. Um, now I know you visited Jay County
and you walked along that bridge where he was found practically dead. Um, he then succumbed to his injuries in the
hospital. But what was it like to be out there? Beautiful and and eerie. This is,
you know, a rural town, but this area is even sort of out in the country for for
them. Um, I would say it was about a 20inut drive outside of the center of town. Um, there's nothing around. Uh, I
think there's an abandoned barn way off in the distance, but other than that, it's just fields with this creek. Um,
there's really no reason to go there and stop really. >> Um, other than maybe to take in the
scenic view, but it's a road to get to somewhere else. The fact that anyone found Shay is a miracle in and of
itself. You know, it is heartbreaking that no one came by sooner, but I'm not surprised. You just wouldn't go there by
mistake, really. >> And Emory, as we saw, you interviewed Christy Cyber. She was the one,
remember, who called the detectives the very minute she heard about Shea's murder, but she told detectives that EJ
had come to her and seemed to be venting about Sheay. Even talked about getting rid of him. And it's interesting because
watching Christiey's interview, she seems to really carry a lot of guilt about, you know, not realizing what EJ
was saying and and, you know, not understanding. Is she just venting? Like a lot of people I think a lot of us do
that. Like, if only I was, you know, rid of him. If only there was a way to get him out of my life, right? I think we
all do that. So, it raises the question, how do you tell the difference between somebody who's just venting or somebody
who is actually admitting to wanting to do something? >> Yeah. Yeah. Because Christy, as you
know, is a former police officer, right? So, she really feels guilty. But to your
point, Natalie, I mean, I I have friends who are going through like some challenging divorces and they say like,
"I wish he would just get out of the house. I wish he would just disappear." Like, you get it. Um, and I think for
Christy, >> I got the feeling that she recognized that for whatever reason, these girls
needed a place to go to or another adult where they could sit and unload, you know, like everyone needs like that that
auntie or whatever. It's not your mom, so they're not going to lecture you. Um, it's that other adult that's still going
to kind of guide you. And so I think she like allowed them to feel comfortable, allowed them the space to just kind of
be themselves, I think, in the hopes of nudging them in the right direction. And
she would give EJ advice. She would say like, "You're never going to get rid of him, right? So like now just think about
how are you going to manage co-parenting?" Like she would do that. Um, and she just never believed.
I mean, even after that experiment where they threw stuff in his drink, she just
never believed that they would take it this far. >> Yeah. I mean, that right in itself right
there, chopping up pills and putting it into his drink, that's a big, you know, if if you're saying you did something
like that, that's one step away. And it, as it turns out, it was one step away. >> Yeah. And I mean, when EJ asked if, you
know, she could babysit, that was one thing. But then she shows up really late. Um, and then she says, "Trust me,
you're gonna read about it in the papers tomorrow." That's that's a problem. >> But it was Christy who was the first
person the minute she heard about Shay's murder who went right to the police and
told them everything that she knew and had heard. She did. She did. Welcome back. All right, Ann Marie,
let's talk a little bit more about who Shelby was and who Hannah is. How did these women get wrapped up in this plot?
I tell you um so often uh Natalie I think about how in a in a very small moment if people make a different
decision their life is completely different right like that's the thing about 48 hours you're like oh if you had
just delayed that one thing that you did 30 seconds maybe none of this would have
happened these ladies had you know plans in place for their life I'm just going to like read a little bit Shelby she was
studying to become uh an EMT before she was arrested she wanted to become a nurse. Hannah was already in college
because after this incident, she goes back to college. She's on a scholarship. She also thought in the future she would
be perhaps opening a nursing home. And then during the interrogation, Shelby says something which gives you a sense
of maybe her understanding or lack of understanding about how much trouble that they're all in. Um, but so this
didn't make it into the show, but I want to play it. >> Can I just ask one thing? Absolutely.
>> Can it stay on Facebook? Does it have to be put [laughter] out there? >> The seriousness of this is going to go
far. Uh it's going to be on Facebook. It's going to be on >> everyone's going to know.
>> Oh yeah. I mean, do you understand the the the level of this? It's been on the
news that he his body was found. You know what I'm saying? >> To stay off of Facebook. I mean, oh my
goodness. That's crazy. >> Yeah. So, that gives you a sense of the disconnect, >> like not realizing just how just the
amount of trouble that they're in and also not feeling remorse or guilt in that moment because she was the one who
was practicing in the parking lot and was the one who admittedly who pulled the trigger. Right.
>> Yeah. Um, you're right. no concept of the damage that has been done, the life
the lives that have been devastated, including her own. Including her own. >> Yeah. And she's worried about if it's
going to end up on Facebook. Well, guess what? It's on 48 hours now. Shelby, um,
so EJ, Shelby, and Hannah, they're going to be tried separately in court. EJ goes
to trial first, and she's the one who then turns on Shelby when she takes the stand. And what did she say? Yeah, you
know, she basically says, "I was totally surprised. I had no idea Shelby was planning this sort of thing." Even
though even though she was there when Shelby was sort of test firing the gun, right? I had no idea. Um, you know, even
though they put the pill in the drink, her defense, as we heard in the hour, is I just wanted to talk to Shay. We were
talking about our relationship. If if if I had known Shelby was going to shoot him in the back, why would I be standing
right next to Shay? I mean, that's a lot of confidence in Shelby, you know, firearms ability, if she's a good shot
or not. Um, and so that was her defense. Obviously, it didn't work. So, EJ is found guilty. She's sentenced to 55
years in prison, but then Shea's family has to go through it all over again, uh,
another trial with Shelby, and to see and hear all that evidence again, which has to be so painful. Yeah. And I mean,
we're talking about that video, the police body cam of Sheay, you know, he's on that bridge. You can hear him and
they have to watch that again. Sheay was really surrounded by strong women. His mom, his aunt, and his grandmother.
I love these women. Um, they have such an incredible tight bond. They adored him. Um they believed in his ability to
do great things and they really supported him. Um and they wanted the defendants in this case to know that he
was loved. >> Yeah. >> Shelby, as we heard, found guilty as well, sentenced to the same as EJ, 55
years, >> and and she apologized to the family. So in the end, I guess maybe she felt a
little bit bad about her participation. I I think so. And I think, you know, in terms of the people who spoke on her
behalf, um they really felt like she had been manipulated by EJ. And this is actually what a family friend said at
sentencing. I'm going to read it. She had the misfortune of finding comfort in a wannabe cult leader who literally
destroyed several families for her own self-interest. So, those are some really strong words.
a wannabe cult leader. Um, that suggests even more than, you know, a strangely close relationship, right? That is about
manipulation and control. >> Yeah. You know, and again, it goes back to that odd dynamic and the age
difference. >> So, Hannah was the only one who got a plea deal. She pleaded guilty to
voluntary manslaughter. And in the episode, we learned that Sha's family, I mean, the reason she got the plea deal
is they felt that another trial would just be too much for them to bear. But there were also other factors at play in
Hannah's case. Right, Amory? Yeah, certainly Sha's family felt like Hannah out of all three of them um was the
least culpable. Of course, they say, "Hey, you could have done something. You could have called 91. You could have
done anything." Now, the thing about Hannah is she is actually from one town over, Fort Recovery. Um, and when we
talk to some of the other people, they kind of characterize Fort Recovery as a little wealthier, a little nicer, like
the right side of the tracks. But they also said that the entire community rallied around Hannah. They
were raising money for her defense. Somebody described kind of like one of those containers that you see on like a
counter in a store, you know, throw throw a couple bucks in for a cause or whatever. So, there was she really had a
lot of support from the entire town, not just her family. Um, and that may have had a an impact on the deal that she
got. Of course, you know, she's she's also spending time behind bars as well. Um and she was basically right about to
kind of launch, you know, she finally she gets a scholarship to college, she's gonna launch. And so her her life is
certainly being derailed significantly. Well, as you said in your reporting and you put it so well, each one of them had
the opportunity at one point in time to do the right thing and all three did not. And so, you know, the final act, I
think, is, you know, just taking the phone away from him and throwing it into the river. I mean, that tells you right
there. They were basically leaving him to die, to bleed out on that cold pavement. So, it doesn't get much colder
than that. That is spoton. I mean, they had left and they turned back around. It
is callous. And what sort of adds to the mystery um is the nature of the gun. This is a small
caliber gun. This is the kind of gun, Natalie, that maybe if you live in an area where people hunt, they might give
this gun to a child, kind of like their first gun to to learn how to hunt. This is the type of bullet that if it hits
you, you're probably going to survive. Sheay was hit directly in the heart and it it was it is because of that that he
was not able to survive something that probably would have been survivable. But you just never know. You know, you don't
know if if somebody had intervened a minute earlier if that would have made a difference and they had the ability to
make that difference and they didn't. >> That's right. And and then at the end we
see that is EJ's family. They're the ones who end up with primary custody of his daughter. What kind of relationship
though are his family able to have with the daughter? So, um it was really important for obviously for Sha's family
to maintain a connection with her. And so, they have an arrangement and I believe it's through the courts that
they get to see her once a month. You know, she's still very, very young. So, I don't know how both families will
tackle this um situation as she gets older. But right now, those three women, his grandmother, his mother, and his
aunt, they want to do nothing more than just sort of pour into that little girl and and make sure that she feels love in
the middle of this great loss. >> Well, once again, Ann Marie, a a wonderful episode. Thank you so much for
bringing it to us and for talking with me today. Thank you, Natalie. And if you like this series Postmortem,
please rate and review 48 hours on our Apple podcasts and follow 48 hours wherever you get your podcast. And you
can also listen adree with a 48 hours plus subscription on Apple Podcasts. Thanks for listening.

Watch "Coached to Kill" and then catch up with Natalie Morales and Anne-Marie Green on the Post Mortem podcast as they discuss the case against three women involved in Shea Briar's murder.

00:00 Coached to Kill 42:02 Watch the Post Mortem podcast

Crime. Social justice. Impact. "48 Hours" investigates the most intriguing crime and justice cases that touch on all areas of the human experience including greed and passion. "48 Hours," which premiered in 1988, has developed a rich history of original reporting and impact journalism that has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, caused cold cases to be reopened and solved, and along the way changed lives.

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Brief Summary

Shea Brier was murdered by three women over custody disputes; the episode details the investigation and trials that followed.

Key points

Shay's Family Reacts to Tragedy. Shay's loved ones are devastated by the news of his death, revealing his caring nature.
EJ's Alarming Reaction. EJ Steven's calm demeanor raises suspicions after Shay's murder, leading detectives to question her.
Unraveling the Mystery. Detectives uncover shocking details about Shay's last moments and EJ's possible involvement.
The Plan to Kill Shay. EJ reveals chilling details about the night Shay was murdered, suggesting premeditation.
Murder Charges Filed. EJ Steven and Shelby Hasted are arrested and charged with murder after a shocking plot.
Trial Begins. EJ Steven's trial for Sha Brier's murder begins, drawing significant public interest.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

He was one of a kind. He was the best brother I could ever have.

Describing Shay Brier's character and impact on his family.

2:46WatchFeb 1, 2026

Tension

75/ 100High tension

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