Psychopath Freed Early For Shooting Girlfriend In Belly To Kill Unborn Baby

Story By: Les Steed, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency:  Newsflash

A South African “psychopath” who arranged the fatal shooting of his own unborn baby daughter has been released after serving only 13 years and three months of his 21-year sentence.

Baby Jenna-May died on Valentine’s Day after her pregnant mother, Melissa Shelver (now Dyer), then-23, was shot twice in the belly at point-blank range weeks before she was due to give birth in 2006.

Shelver’s then-ex boyfriend, David Best, was shot in the shoulder during the attack in the South African city of East London that he arranged through a middle man for around 824 GBP.

Newsflash

The couple had been separated for some time, however, Best had offered to accompany the young mother to the doctor’s appointment on 14th February 2006.

Best was accused alongside the shooter, then 24-year-old Ludwe Mashumpa, after their middleman turned state witness.

Best avoided murder charges after the South African high court ruled in 2007 that the killing of an unborn baby does not constitute murder.

The foetus’ death was therefore charged as an assault on the mother instead.

He was sentenced to 21 years for conspiracy to murder Mrs Dyer, attempted murder, obstruction of justice, and assault.

According to the parole report, Best has shown “positive behaviour” throughout his sentence in spite of previously being described as a “psychopath with no chance of rehabilitation”.

Best will now be able to spend Christmas at home after his parole was granted by the authorities.

Mrs Dyer survived the attack and is now happily married with her childhood sweetheart who got in touch with her after news of the shooting broke.

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