It was within the early morning hours of Jan. 12, 2020, when 31-year-old Shea Briar was discovered clinging to life on a rural highway in Jay County, Indiana.
Briar was unable to speak, and first responders had been initially not sure of what had occurred to him, however when he arrived on the hospital, medical workers found a bullet wound in his again.
“There was no exit wound … It was really in his coronary heart,” Jay County Sheriff’s Detective Ben Schwartz informed “48 Hours” correspondent Anne-Marie Inexperienced. “He … handed away.”
Inexperienced reviews on the case in “Coached to Kill,” an all-new “48 Hours” airing Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 at 10/9c on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.
An investigation was launched, and police quickly obtained a name from a girl named Kristi Sibray.
Sibray was an acquaintance of Briar’s former fiancée, 29-year-old Esther Jane Stephen. Stephen, who glided by the title E.J., was an area highschool softball coach. She and Briar shared a younger daughter collectively.
Sibray, a former police officer, informed detectives that within the months main as much as Briar’s homicide, Stephen came to visit usually and that she was accompanied by her assistant coach, 19-year-old Shelby Hiestand.
Jay County Excessive College yearbook 
Throughout these visits, Sibray mentioned Stephen would open up to her about issues she was having with Briar. Stephen and Briar had lately damaged off their engagement, and Briar had filed a court docket petition to ascertain parenting time for the daughter they shared.
“He needed to offer for her … and he simply actually needed to have some visitation,” Tracy Hoevel, Briar’s mom, informed “48 Hours.”
However in response to Sibray, Stephen wasn’t completely satisfied about it.
“She did not need to share the newborn. That was her child. That was her youngster,” Sibray informed “48 Hours.”
Sibray informed investigators that Stephen would focus on methods to eliminate Briar, however that she did not assume something of it on the time.
“I simply actually thought she was venting. I didn’t assume that was for actual,” Sibray informed “48 Hours.”
And Sibray mentioned she had that very same mindset when, over time, the conversations grew extra detailed — and varied strategies had been mentioned. At one level, Sibray mentioned Stephen and Hiestand informed her they put tablets in Briar’s tea.
“They crushed up ibuprofen, I consider … And he did drink the entire glass, however nothing occurred to him,” Sibray informed “48 Hours.” “I am like, ‘are you severe?’ … I did not even … consider her. … As a result of I simply couldn’t see her doing that.”
However when Sibray realized of Briar’s homicide, she mentioned she instantly seen all these conversations in a special mild.
“I felt like I failed as a result of how did I miss this? How did I miss these indicators?” Sibray mentioned.
A day after talking to Sibray, detectives introduced Stephen and Hiestand in for questioning.
After initially denying involvement in Briar’s homicide, they each admitted they took him to that rural highway and that Hiestand shot him within the again.
Hiestand informed detectives she blacked out then fired the gun at Briar.
Jay County Sheriff’s Workplace 
E.J. Stephen and Shelby Hiestand had been arrested and charged with homicide, however they’d each later plead not responsible and when Stephen went on trial, she positioned all of the blame on Hiestand.
Stephen took the stand and insisted she had no motive to need Briar useless. And as for these tablets in Briar’s drink, Stephen mentioned that it was Hiestand’s concept and that she solely went together with it as a result of she thought it was an harmless chemistry experiment.
What would a jury assume?
