Beauty queen accused of plan to hire hitman to kill ex-husband returns to US
A former pageant queen accused of scheming to murder her ex-NFL player husband has been allowed to return to the US for Christmas, despite her husband's pleas to keep her away.
Lindsay Shiver, 36, was given an early Christmas present by a judge who has allowed her to leave the Bahamas to see her young children in the US as she waits for her murder-for-hire trial to kick off. While Shiver has been out on bail, she has had to stay on the island since July, wearing an electronic monitoring device and adhering to a curfew.
The former beauty queen is accused of planning to hire a hitman to kill her ex-NFL player husband Robert Shiver. But on Thursday, a Bahamian judge ruled Shiver would be allowed to travel back to the US to see her three children while she waits for her trial, due to start in March.
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Lindsay Shiver was ordered to stay in the Bahamas after being charged in the murder-for-hire plot (lshiver/Instagram)
Lindsay Shiver and Robert were in the middle of a messy divorce (@lshiver/Instagram)Shiver and her legal team told the court the former Miss Houston County feared for her "mental and physical safety", begging for the mother to be allowed to see her children, who she has been separated from since her arrest. Under the new ruling, Shiver will be allowed to return to her parent's home in Alabama.
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But she must continue to keep her ankle monitor on and will not be allowed to travel to Georgia, where she lived with her husband before allegedly asking her new lover to kill him. Shiver has pleaded not guilty to charges that she was involved in the murder-for-hire plot which involved her alleged lover and a third man.
After being charged with conspiracy to murder, Shiver was remanded to stay in the Bahamas, where she shared a home with her husband. The couple also has another property in Georgia, where Robert has been living with their three young children.
Shiver was Miss Houston County 2005 (lshiver/Instagram)During the hearing on Thursday, Robert appeared via Zoom, testifying that he did not want his wife to be allowed to travel to the US. He told the judge he is "thankful to be alive", adding: "After reviewing the indictment, this was a situation close to happening... I'm concerned for the safety of myself."
But Shiver's attorney argued she was a "single housewife with no source of income" who is living off money stashed away by her parents. She was arrested on July 21 in the Bahamas along with Terrance Adrien Bethel, 28, and Faron Newbold Jr, 29.
Authorities claim she was having an affair with Bethel and plotted to have Newbold Jr kill Robert. Bahamian authorities have said they learned of the alleged conspiracy while looking through the phone and WhatsApp account of a man suspected of being involved in a burglary at a restaurant in Great Guana Cay.
Lindsay Shiver was arrested in the Bahamas (WTXL)Shiver is said to have sent Newbold Jr a photo of Robert on WhatsApp, writing "kill him". She reportedly admitted to detectives during questioning that she sent the message, leading to her arrest.
Robert Shiver had filed for divorce in April on the grounds of "adulterous conduct". Shiver denied having an affair with Bethel, saying that "any extramarital relationship" happened while the pair were separated and was "legally condoned by the husband".
She filed a counterclaim for "physical and mental cruel treatment" and accused her husband of cutting her off financially, asking the court for a restraining order to shield her from "abuse" that allegedly happened in front of their children and led to her installing locks on their doors. Robert also asked for a restraining order against his wife to stop her from "molesting or harassing" him.
Robert and Lindsay Shiver met in 2007 at a fitness class (lshiver/Instagram)Robert also claimed his wife would not be entitled to alimony as she is "able-bodied and able to work". But Shiver counted that having been a stay-at-home mum, her employment options would be limited. They filed for divorce in Thomasville, Georgia, one day apart from each other.
The former Auburn football player, who briefly had a professional stint, and the 2005 Miss Houston County flung accusations at each other in divorce filings as their seemingly perfect 13-year marriage imploded. They are both seeking primary custody of their children and sole use of their $2.5 million Georgia home.
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In a statement to Court TV after the hearing to allow Shiver to return to the US, her attorney Owen CB Wells, said: "Lindsay is thankful the court has agreed to let her return to the US so she can see her children. Her attorneys will continue to prepare for trial and we look forward to vigorously defending Lindsay because she is innocent."
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