Murder of Ryan Poston

Poston's murder has been featured on several television programs, including ABC's 20/20, CBS's 48 Hours, and Oxygen's Snapped and It Takes a Killer. HULU’s Killer Cases 2022

Following her sentencing, Hubers appealed her conviction. Her appeal was granted on August 25, 2016, overturning her conviction on the basis that one of her jurors concealed a felony conviction; Kentucky law prohibits convicted felons from serving on juries. Hubers' new trial was set to begin on September 18, 2017, but was delayed for four months to January 16, 2018. Hubers' new out-of-state attorney asked for, and was granted, a six-month delay to allow him time to prepare for the re-trial. Hubers' second trial began on August 8, 2018.

On April 23, 2015, after five hours of jury deliberation, Hubers was found guilty of Poston's murder. Following the verdict, the jury recommended a 40-year prison sentence. Hubers' attorneys argued for a new trial, stating that they were not allowed to present evidence and witnesses that would have shown Hubers killed Poston in self-defense. Her attorneys also asked the judge to recognize Hubers as a victim of domestic violence, which would reduce the amount of time she would be required to serve before becoming eligible for parole. Under state law, Hubers would be required to serve 85 percent, or 34 years, of her term before becoming eligible for parole, but her attorneys' motion would require her to only serve 20 percent of her sentence before she could be released.

On October 12, 2012, Ryan Carter Poston, an American attorney from Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, was shot to death by his on-again off-again girlfriend Shayna Michelle Hubers. After a trial in the Campbell County circuit court, Hubers was convicted of murder on April 23, 2015. She was sentenced to 40 years in the Kentucky Department of Corrections on August 14, 2015, with parole eligibility after 34 years. On August 25, 2016, Hubers’s conviction was overturned on appeal when one of the jurors in her murder trial was revealed to be a convicted felon. Hubers was convicted of murder during her second trial on August 28, 2018. On October 18, 2018 she was sentenced to life imprisonment with parole eligibility after 20 years.

On October 12, 2012, Hubers called 9-1-1 to report that she killed Poston in his Highland Heights condominium. Hubers shot Poston six times, but she continually maintained that the killing was in self-defense. That night, during her interrogation, she alleged that her relationship with Poston had been abusive. Although she was read her Miranda rights, Hubers voluntarily spoke to police. When explaining the details of their relationship, she described Poston as "very vain" and that she "gave him the nose job he always wanted." She made statements that could be considered inappropriate under the circumstances, such as, "I don't know if anyone will ever want to marry me if they know that I killed a boyfriend in self-defense." After being left alone in the interrogation room for several hours, Hubers began pacing, dancing around the room, and singing "Amazing Grace". She also said aloud, "I did it. Yes, I did it. I can't believe I did that" and, "I'm so good at acting." Hubers was arrested for murder and was held on a $5 million bond.

Hubers was indicted for Poston's murder on December 20, 2012. On January 16, 2013, she entered a plea of not guilty to the murder charges. Two-and-a-half years after the incident, Hubers' murder trial began on April 13, 2015. She had remained in the Campbell County jail since her arrest, unable to meet her bail.

In 2011, Poston, who was 28 years old at the time, met 19-year-old Shayna Hubers on Facebook. Hubers was friends with Poston's step-cousin, Carissa Carlisle. Poston and Hubers began dating soon after. At the time they began dating, Hubers was a psychology student at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, approximately 80 miles from Highland Heights. She graduated cum laude and was pursuing a master's degree in school counseling. The couple reportedly had a volatile relationship, and broke up several times over an 18-month period. On the night of his murder, Poston had a date with Miss Ohio USA 2012 Audrey Bolte.

Ryan Carter Poston was born on December 30, 1982, in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, to Lisa Carter and Jay Poston. He had three younger sisters: Alison, Katherine, and Elizabeth Carter. Poston attended Blessed Sacrament School (Fort Mitchell), the International School Manila (Philippines), and the International School of Geneva (Switzerland) during high school. He later attended Indiana University, where he triple-majored in history, geography, and political science, then went to law school at Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights. After completing his Juris Doctor degree, Poston began working as an attorney in Cincinnati, Ohio.