The Lindsay Shiver case is a Bahamian criminal prosecution in which Shiver, a former Alabama beauty queen and Georgia mother of three, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder for allegedly plotting to kill her estranged husband, Robert Shiver, a former Auburn University football player and insurance executive. She was arrested in Nassau on July 21, 2023, alongside two co-defendants, has pleaded not guilty, and is scheduled to stand trial on March 2, 2026.1MyPanhandle. Dothan Beauty Queen Charged in Overseas Murder-for-Hire Plot Won’t Go to Trial Until 2026
The Charge and How Police Found Out
Prosecutors did not learn of the alleged plot through Robert Shiver or through anyone hired to protect him. Bahamian police discovered it while investigating an unrelated break-in at a bar on Guana Cay in the Abaco Islands. Officers obtained a search warrant for the phone of a burglary suspect who worked at the bar, Terrance Adrien Bethel.2ABC7 New York. Lindsay Shiver Murder-for-Hire Plot, Bahamas
On the phone, investigators found WhatsApp messages exchanged among Bethel, Lindsay Shiver, and a third man, Faron Newbold Jr. According to prosecutors, the messages included photographs of Robert Shiver with the text “Kill him.”3WDHN. Dothan Beauty Queen Charged in Overseas Murder-for-Hire Plot Won’t Go to Trial Until 2026 Prosecutors allege the conspiracy targeted July 16, 2023, while the Shivers were on the Abacos. That same day, Lindsay called 911 after Robert refused to let her use their private jet.4Fox 5 Atlanta. Bodycam: Lindsay Shiver’s Mom, Custody Bout, Murder-for-Hire Plot Five days later, the Royal Bahamas Police Force arrested all three, each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit murder.5People. Lindsay Shiver Accused of Plotting to Kill Ex-NFL Player Husband Robert Shiver
The Three Defendants
Lindsay Shiver, Bethel, and Newbold are all represented by the same attorney, Owen Wells, and have presented a united defense. At a formal arraignment on December 8, 2023, each pleaded not guilty individually.6Court TV. Lindsay Shiver, Co-Defendants Plead Not Guilty in Murder-for-Hire Plot Wells has said “Lindsay is innocent and the evidence will clearly demonstrate her innocence.”7Fox 5 Atlanta. Lindsay Shiver Not Guilty Plea, Murder Plot Bahamas Trial Date
Bethel, a Bahamian bartender who was 28 at the time of arrest, was Lindsay Shiver’s boyfriend and has described her as his “best friend.” In interviews, he insisted the “Kill him” message was sent out of frustration and taken out of context, claiming Lindsay was reacting to learning that Robert had left their children unsupervised. “Nobody ever wanted him dead,” Bethel told reporters.8New York Post. Georgia Beauty Queen Lindsay Shiver’s Ex-Lover Terrance Adrien Bethel Claims Nobody Wanted Robert Shiver Dead
Newbold, 29, is a Bahamian national whom prosecutors have described as the alleged would-be hitman. He was released on $20,000 bail with electronic monitoring.9ABC News. Georgia Mom Accused of Plotting to Kill Husband in Bahamas
The Divorce Behind the Case
By the spring of 2023, the Shivers’ marriage had collapsed. Robert filed for divorce on April 5, 2023, citing “adulterous conduct” and stating the marriage was “irrevocably broken.” Lindsay filed her own petition the following day.10ABC7. Lindsay Shiver Murder Conspiracy in the Bahamas Robert sought primary physical custody and possession of the marital home in Thomasville, Georgia, valued at roughly $2.5 million; Lindsay accused Robert of “physical and mental cruel treatment” amounting to domestic violence and alleged he used the children to punish her.11Times-Enterprise. The Unraveling: Shivers Were in the Midst of Tumultuous Divorce
In the months leading up to Lindsay’s arrest, the couple was involved in at least half a dozen 911 calls involving threats, erratic behavior, and weapons.12Court TV. 911 Calls Spotlight Disintegration of Lindsay and Robert Shiver Marriage Suspicious of Lindsay’s fidelity, Robert had hired a private investigator to conduct surveillance on her trips to the Abaco Islands. The investigator eventually captured photos of Lindsay with Bethel.13New York Post. Robert Shiver Hired PI to Track Cheating Wife During Divorce
Bail, Fox Hill Prison, and Media Interviews
After her July 2023 arrest, Lindsay Shiver was held at Fox Hill Prison in Nassau. Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson set bail at $100,000 with an electronic ankle monitor, an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew, three police check-ins per week, surrender of her passport to the U.S. Embassy, and a restraining order requiring her to stay at least 100 feet from Robert and any witnesses.14Jamaica Gleaner. American Woman Granted Bail on Charge of Plotting Murder of Husband in Bahamas Bethel and Newbold each posted $20,000 bond.13New York Post. Robert Shiver Hired PI to Track Cheating Wife During Divorce
In December 2023, the court modified Shiver’s conditions to allow travel to the United States, though she was barred from entering Georgia except for custody and divorce proceedings.15Caribbean National Weekly. Bahamas Judge Revokes Bail of US Woman Charged With Conspiracy to Commit Murder
In October 2024, Shiver and Bethel appeared on Good Morning America and Inside Edition to proclaim their innocence. On October 25, 2024, Justice Grant-Thompson revoked both defendants’ bail, calling the appearances a “blatant disregard for the court’s leniency and indulgence” and warning they could influence potential jurors. She also cited breaches: Shiver had been living at unauthorized addresses in Dothan and Ashford, Alabama, and traveling to Florida without permission, while Bethel had missed police sign-ins on at least 12 occasions. The Bahamian Court of Appeal upheld the revocation in December 2024.16Court of Appeal of the Bahamas. Shiver and Bethel v. The King, Appeal Judgment
In February 2025, Justice Grant-Thompson reinstated bail under the original conditions and added a gag order requiring both defendants to “maintain their silence.” The judge noted that the original bail had also served a protective purpose, taking Shiver “out of harm’s way” following a separate domestic violence incident in Alabama in which her new boyfriend, Dorsey Ryan Love, was charged with strangulation.17Fox 5 Atlanta. Lindsay Shiver Murder Plot: Release From Bahamas Prison, Robert, Bail18WSB Radio. New Boyfriend of Georgia Beauty Queen Accused of Trying to Kill Ex-Husband Strangled Her, Records Allege Shiver was released from Fox Hill on February 13, 2025.19WDHN. Dothan Beauty Queen Charged in Murder-for-Hire Plot to Be Released From Jail
Trial Date and What’s at Stake
The trial has been postponed at least four times. Originally set for March 2024, it was rescheduled to August 2025 and then pushed again to March 2, 2026, in Nassau, where all three defendants are set to stand trial together.1MyPanhandle. Dothan Beauty Queen Charged in Overseas Murder-for-Hire Plot Won’t Go to Trial Until 2026 In December 2025, Shiver asked the court to remove her GPS ankle monitor, telling the judge she found it “embarrassing” and that it interfered with her desire to pursue a career as a social media influencer.20Court TV. Lindsay Shiver Wants GPS Ankle Monitor Removed to Become Influencer
Shiver remains in Alabama under her bail conditions, including the ankle monitor, regular police check-ins, and limited travel to Georgia to visit her children. If convicted, the three defendants face up to 60 years in prison.5People. Lindsay Shiver Accused of Plotting to Kill Ex-NFL Player Husband Robert Shiver