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BEAVER — A Minersville woman has admitted to soliciting her lover "about killing my husband and the ways in which we could do it."
Victoria Elyse Woerth, 30, pleaded guilty earlier this month in 5th District Court to criminal solicitation, a first-degree felony, in connection with the shooting death of Shane Michael Davis, her husband of less than a year.
Woerth was initially charged with aggravated murder, a first-degree felony, and conspiracy to commit aggravated murder, a second-degree felony, in addition to criminal solicitation. But these charges were dismissed as part of a plea deal.
Mike Allen Miller, Woerth's lover, pleaded guilty on the same date to murder and felony discharge of a firearm causing serious injury, first-degree felonies, and conspiracy to commit aggravated murder, a second-degree felony, in connection with Davis' death.
Miller, 27, also benefited from a plea deal that reduced the conspiracy charge, exchanged an aggravated murder charge for discharge of a firearm, and outlined that the murder charge will be reduced to manslaughter, a second-degree felony, at sentencing.
Miller's statement supporting the guilty plea explains that his actions would be murder, but the charge was reduced because he believed he was acting in self-defense even though he was not, citing a Utah law. He admitted to intentionally causing Davis' death in the statement.
Charging documents allege that in September 2021, Woerth conspired with Miller to have Davis killed and make it look like an accident so that Miller and Woerth could be together.
In the early morning hours of Sept. 26, 2021, officers arrived at the home in Minersville where all three lived and found Davis in the garage. At the time he was "semi-responsive" and told medical staff he did not shoot himself. He died shortly after arriving at the hospital.
Beaver County woman charged with murder in husband's death
A woman in Beaver County has been charged with aggravated murder in the shooting death of a man she identifies on Facebook as her husband. Another Minersville man who apparently lived in the same house also faces an aggravated murder charge related to the death.The affidavit said others in the house reported Davis and Miller had been arguing earlier in the day.
Charging documents also said a witness told police that he overheard Woerth telling someone else in the house that "the only way that Mike can marry her is if Shane is dead" and that Woerth sent a Snapchat message saying, "Once he is gone, we can get married."
A police booking affidavit said Miller claimed the shooting was in self-defense and he "thought he was protecting other residents in the home." He was trying to not allow Miller into the home they both lived in. Police, however, found at the time there was no immediate threat of serious injury or death.
According to Woerth and Davis' Facebook pages, the two were married earlier in 2021. Court records show Woerth was divorced from another man in late 2020.
Miller and Woerth will both be sentenced on Oct. 16.
