W&C Reconsidered: Shayna Hubers

·45 min·4 clips

Shayna Hubers, whose odd antics and self-defense claim draw eerie parallels to Jodi Arias, shot her boyfriend six times after he planned a date with a beauty queen.

This episode of Women and Crime Reconsidered revisits case number 54, focusing on Shayna Hubers, who murdered her on-and-off boyfriend Ryan Poston in 2012. Hosts Dr. Meghan Sacks and Dr. Amy Shlosberg introduce Shayna by comparing her to Jodi Arias due to her odd antics and self-defense claim. They outline Shayna's background as a smart but dramatic University of Kentucky student who met Ryan, a 28-year-old attorney, when she was 19. The relationship was tumultuous, with Ryan repeatedly trying to break up and Shayna exhibiting jealous and stalking behaviors, including hacking his Facebook and sending tens of thousands of texts. On October 12, 2012, after Ryan planned a date with Miss Ohio runner-up Audrey Bolte, Shayna shot him six times at his home and called 911. The hosts describe Shayna's interrogation, where she made insensitive comments like joking about giving Ryan a nose job and shooting him additional times because she couldn't stand his dying noises. Forensic evidence contradicted her self-defense story, showing Ryan was shot while sitting and the crime scene lacked signs of a struggle. Shayna was convicted in her first trial in 2015 but granted an appeal due to juror misconduct. In her second trial in 2018, she took the stand, claiming abuse and sexual issues, but was again convicted and sentenced to life with parole eligibility in 2032. The episode updates on Shayna's life in prison, including a brief marriage to another inmate and her profile on Write a Prisoner seeking romantic connections. The hosts analyze the case using criminological theories like rational choice, strain theory, and borderline personality disorder, and discuss whether the criminal justice system got it right. They also answer listener questions on topics like the trial penalty and upcoming cases from Ireland.

As heard by us

A timeline-driven look at the Hubers case, anchored by the recorded interview and jailhouse testimony.

Women in Crime Reconsidered returns to Shana Hubers with a case shaped by behavior, a breakup, and the record that followed. The episode lingers on her message to a friend after Ryan Poston broke up with her again, then follows the case through the December 20, 2012 indictment,…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want a case that tracks the indictment, the not-guilty plea, and the long wait for trial.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Women and Crime