In the summer of 2015, a promising young woman's life was cut tragically short in what authorities describe as a brutal act of domestic violence. Shayley Estes, a 22-year-old female, was found shot to death in her Phoenix, Arizona, home on Friday, July 24, 2015. A recent graduate of Arizona State University with a degree in chemistry, Estes was discovered by her roommate.
The investigation quickly focused on her ex-boyfriend, Igor Zubko, a 26-year-old Russian national.
Police apprehended Zubko at Sky Harbor International Airport on the evening of the murder. He was reportedly in possession of a one-way ticket to San Francisco. Authorities stated that Zubko and Estes had been in a relationship, and he had lived with her for a time. After seeing a different side of him, Estes ended the relationship and had taken out a restraining order against him just ten days before her death. In the days leading up to the murder, Zubko allegedly sent Estes threatening text messages.
According to police reports, Zubko used a key he had not returned to enter Estes' apartment and was waiting for her when she came home from work. It is believed that he shot her multiple times as she attempted to flee out the back door of her home. A handgun and shell casings were recovered at the scene. During a police interview, Zubko reportedly claimed the shooting was an accident.
Friends of Estes revealed that she had feared for her safety and had requested that the management of her rental property change the locks on her doors, but this was not done. Zubko was arrested and faced multiple charges, including first-degree murder, burglary, and kidnapping. Prosecutors later announced they would seek the death penalty in the case against him. His bond was set at $1 million.
