Last September, YCSO patrol and detectives responded to the report of a subject who had been shot in the upper right shoulder and was at the hospital in Prescott Valley. The victim’s wife, Megan Bessert told the 911 operator that her husband had been shot by a male subject while he was walking on Henderson Road near their residence in Dewey. Deputies responded to the area and canvassed the surrounding residences but did not locate any helpful information.
During follow up investigations, the victim changed his story and said he was at a residence near his house, and it was there he was shot by an unknown subject. After months of investigation and interviews, detectives received information that there had been numerous domestic violence calls involving the victim and his wife and that the two had since separated. Not finding any evidence of the shooting at either of the places the victim claimed it had occurred and learning of the domestic violence issues, detectives armed with heightened suspicion as to the truth of the incident, went back to interview the victim again who admitted that his wife had shot him during an argument that night at their residence. Detectives recently were able to obtain the firearm believed to be used to shoot the victim, and once this evidence was in hand, felt it was time to confront the wife, Bessart, about the shooting.
Detectives and patrol went to Bessart’s residence to interview her, where she eventually admitted to the shooting and corroborating other evidence YCSO had obtained. She relayed that she and the victim were in a physical fight over her cell phone and as things escalated, she picked up a gun and shot the victim. Bessert was arrested for two counts of Aggravated Assault and will be charged with Tampering with Physical Evidence.
“This case is a good example of the instincts and the tenacity of our deputies and detectives in seeing a case to the end to find the truth” said Sheriff David Rhodes. “Six months of investigation finally concluded with the right person being brought to justice.”
