3/25/24

Last September, Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office patrol deputies 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 canvassed the surrounding residences, but did not locate any helpful information.

During follow-up investigations, the victim changed his story and said he was shot by an unknown subject at a residence near his house. 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.

Detectives went back to interview the victim again, who admitted that his wife had shot him during an argument that night at their residence. Detectives obtained the firearm believed to be used to shoot the victim and went to Bessert’s residence to interview her. She eventually admitted to the shooting. She explained she and her husband were in a physical fight over her cell phone and as things escalated, she picked up a gun and shot him. Bessert was arrested for two counts of Aggravated Assault and will be charged with Tampering with Physical Evidence.