In the quiet community of Eden, Indiana, the morning of August 10, 2004, was shattered by a brutal act of violence that would unravel a story of deep-seated animosity and a murder-for-hire plot. Brett Dobbins, a 44-year-old White male, was discovered by his wife, Nancy, lying in the driveway of their home. He had been shot twice in the back as he was leaving for work, a routine departure that turned into a fatal encounter.
The initial shock of the discovery rippled through the community as investigators began to piece together the events that led to his untimely death.
The investigation soon uncovered a sinister plot orchestrated not by a stranger, but by Linda Shimer, a close friend of Nancy Dobbins. Prosecutors would later describe Shimer's feelings toward Brett as a 'volcanic hatred,' an intense animosity that ultimately led her to conspire to have him killed. To carry out her deadly plan, Shimer enlisted the help of 19-year-old Kenneth Kelly from Indianapolis. She promised him a Cadillac in exchange for ending Brett Dobbins's life. On that fateful August morning, Kelly lay in wait outside the Dobbins' residence and ambushed Brett as he prepared to leave for his job.
The investigation moved swiftly, leading to the arrests of those involved. Kenneth Kelly was taken into custody and confessed to the shooting, his confession implicating Linda Shimer as the mastermind behind the murder. Kelly's 18-year-old girlfriend, Jennifer Brundage, was also arrested and charged with assisting a criminal for her role in driving Kelly to the Dobbins' home on the morning of the murder. Both Kelly and Brundage would eventually testify against Shimer, their testimonies providing crucial evidence of her culpability in the heinous crime.
The legal proceedings brought the dark details of the murder-for-hire scheme to light. Linda Shimer was tried and convicted of murder and conspiracy to commit murder, receiving a 55-year prison sentence for her role in orchestrating the death of her friend's husband. Kenneth Kelly, the man who pulled the trigger, also received a 55-year sentence for murder. Jennifer Brundage was sentenced to eight years in prison for her involvement. The convictions brought a sense of justice to the family and community, but the tragic loss of Brett Dobbins left a lasting scar.
