Suvechha Sarkar
In May 2018, 47-year-old David Nathaniel Scott and his wife, Shawna Scott, were at their home in Mount Sterling, Kentucky, when they were brutally shot. Although Shawna survived the attack, David unfortunately passed away. Soon, witnesses led authorities to the killer, who was none other than their neighbor and former friend, Frances Ann Zaayer. Netflix’s ‘Worst Neighbor Ever: She Finally Snapped’ focuses on the circumstances leading up to the shooting and its aftermath. It also features interviews with David’s loved ones and the officials who were closely involved with the case.
Frances Zaayer Once Shared a Good Relationship With Shawna Scott’s Family
Frances Ann Zaayer was born sometime in 1967 and grew up in Mount Sterling, Kentucky. According to reports, she claimed to have a troubled family. It led Frances to live briefly with Shawna Scott’s grandmother in the same area when the former was around 15 or 16 years old. In her adulthood, she eventually relocated after getting married. However, Frances’ marriage didn’t work out, and consequently, she and her then-partner divorced. By November 2016, she returned to Mount Sterling and reportedly bought a property there. Reports state that since her house needed repairing, she moved in with Shawna and her husband, David Nathaniel Scott, for the time being.
In her statements, Shawna claimed that things took a turn when Frances became bossy and short-tempered. According to court records, as her relationship with Frances deteriorated, the former asked the latter to move out. In March 2017, Frances finally moved into her own home across the street. Police records indicate that problems arose between her and Shawna’s father because she built part of her driveway over his property line, creating a point of contention. In April 2017, things reportedly escalated when Frances and Shawna got into a physical fight, following which the former called 911 to report the assault.
CCTV Footage Captured Frances Zaayer Walking Into David Scott’s Property
On May 11, 2017, Shawna was arrested and charged with fourth-degree assault. She was released the following day, and a no-contact order was issued against her, preventing her from contacting Frances, per reports. Investigative records suggest that Frances continued calling the authorities, claiming that Shawna and David would harm her. According to Shawna, Frances alleged that since he was a Deputy Jailor, she would never receive justice. As the months passed, Frances continued to call 911, prompting law enforcement to make multiple visits to David’s residence.
Ultimately, in May 2018, Shawna pleaded guilty to her charge. The court then reportedly ordered her to take anger management classes and was given one year of probation. In the meantime, David began installing CCTV cameras around his residence. On May 26, 2018, he was setting up the last surveillance camera on the back porch while Shawna was inside the home. On that fateful day, they were shot in their home. According to reports, when authorities rushed to the scene after receiving the 911 call, David was found dead from a fatal gunshot wound to the chest.
Fortunately, Shawna survived the attack after she was rushed to the hospital. According to official records, CCTV footage from outside David’s residence captured Frances walking across her yard toward the 47-year-old’s home. Reports specify that it further showed her entering his property and pulling out a gun moments before the neighbors and Shawna’s family heard the gunshots. Further investigative records suggest that witnesses at the scene promptly identified the shooter as Frances. She was arrested on May 27, 2018, and charged with murder, attempted murder, and burglary.
Frances is Serving Her Sentence at a Kentucky Prison Facility Today
After Frances was taken into custody, she was held at the Powell County Detention Center in Stanton, Kentucky. Following that, the prosecution added a second count of attempted murder during her arraignment, claiming that she had shot at someone else before she broke into David and Shawna’s house. Court records indicate that Frances pleaded not guilty to the second count of the attempted murder charge. The prosecution reportedly built a case highlighting the yearlong animosity among David, Shawna, and Frances.
In January 2022, Frances agreed to enter into a plea agreement with the prosecution. On January 12, 2022, she pleaded guilty to murder, second-degree assault, and first-degree wanton endangerment. She was finally sentenced to 35 years in prison on February 15, 2022. Frances will be eligible for parole on May 4, 2038, and her maximum sentence expiration date is scheduled for May 4, 2053. As of writing, she is incarcerated at the Correctional Institution for Women in Pewee Valley, Kentucky.
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