Top 5 Deadly Women Who Killed Their Partners | True Crime Cases

1. Shayna Hubers — “If I Can’t Have You…”

Where & How:
 Highland Heights, Kentucky, October 2012. Ryan Poston, a successful 29-year-old attorney, was supposed to be meeting a date that night. Instead, his on-again-off-again girlfriend, 21-year-old Shayna Hubers, showed up at his condo. By the end of the evening, Poston was dead — shot six times, twice in the face. Hubers later claimed she acted in self-defense during an argument, but her own words to police told a different story. At one point, she laughed and said she “gave him the nose job he always wanted.”

Why:
 Jealousy, rejection, and an obsessive inability to let the relationship go. Friends said Hubers was desperate to keep Poston from moving on — especially with other women.

Red Flags:
 Frequent uninvited appearances, emotional volatility, erratic texts, and controlling behavior that escalated after breakups.

Where She Is Now:
 Hubers’ first conviction was overturned due to juror misconduct, but she was retried in 2018, convicted again, and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years. She’s still serving her sentence in Kentucky, with her earliest parole eligibility in 2035.

2. Amber Hilberling — The Fall From the 25th Floor

Where & How:
 June 2011, Tulsa, Oklahoma. In a moment that would shock the city, 19-year-old Amber Hilberling pushed her 23-year-old husband, Joshua, through the window of their high-rise apartment. He fell 17 stories to his death. Amber, pregnant at the time, told police she acted in self-defense during a heated argument.

Why:
 Amber claimed she’d been in an abusive marriage and feared for her safety, but prosecutors argued the evidence pointed to anger and recklessness rather than self-defense.

Red Flags:
 A whirlwind romance, frequent fights, documented volatility, and a mutual cycle of escalation. Neighbors reported loud arguments. Friends and family saw instability early on but hoped the baby on the way would calm things down.

Where She Is Now:
 Convicted of second-degree murder, Amber was sentenced to 25 years. In 2016, five years into her sentence, she was found dead in her prison cell. Her death was ruled a suicide.

3. Jodi Arias — The Shower Scene That Shook America

Where & How:
 Mesa, Arizona, June 4, 2008. Travis Alexander, a 30-year-old motivational speaker, was found dead in his home — stabbed 27 times, his throat slit ear to ear, and shot in the head. The brutal scene made national headlines, but it was the photographs found on Alexander’s camera that stunned investigators: images of him in the shower moments before the attack, followed by blurry, chaotic shots likely taken during the killing.

Why:
 Arias and Alexander had a tumultuous relationship filled with breakups, reconciliations, and accusations. Prosecutors said Arias killed him out of jealousy after learning he planned to take another woman to Cancun. Arias claimed self-defense, saying Alexander had been abusive.

Red Flags:
 Stalking-like behavior, uninvited visits, obsessive messages, and ignoring clear signs that the relationship had ended. Friends warned Alexander to keep his distance, but he told them he “couldn’t get rid of her.”

Where She Is Now:
 Convicted of first-degree murder in 2013, Arias is serving a life sentence without parole at the Arizona State Prison Complex — Perryville. She has maintained a small public presence through her art sales and occasional media updates from prison.

4. Clara Harris — Death in the Parking Lot

Where & How:
 Friendswood, Texas, July 2002. Clara Harris, a respected dentist, discovered her husband, David, was having an affair. She didn’t just confront him — she hired a private investigator, who tipped her off when David met his mistress at a hotel. In the parking lot, Harris rammed her Mercedes into him repeatedly, killing him instantly. The act was caught on the investigator’s camera.

Why:
 An explosive combination of betrayal, public humiliation, and rage. Harris had learned of the affair just days earlier and felt her marriage slipping away.

Red Flags:
 Fixation on controlling the situation, escalating confrontations, and public meltdowns. Friends said she was “acting out of character” in the days before the murder — almost consumed by proving herself right.

Where She Is Now:
 Sentenced to 20 years in prison, Harris was released on parole in 2018 after serving 15 years. She completed her parole in February 2023 and now lives quietly out of the public eye.

5. Kouri Richins — The Grief Book Author Accused of Murder

Where & How:
 Kamas, Utah, March 2022. Eric Richins was found dead in his bed after drinking a Moscow Mule prepared by his wife, Kouri. The medical examiner determined he died from a fentanyl overdose — five times the lethal amount. A year later, Kouri was arrested and accused of poisoning him. Adding to the media frenzy, she had published a children’s book about coping with grief, which she promoted as a way to help her own children.

Why:
 Prosecutors allege financial desperation drove the crime. Kouri was deeply in debt, had taken out life insurance policies on Eric, and allegedly forged his signature on loan documents.

Red Flags:
 Questionable financial activity, sudden narrative control over her husband’s death, and a bizarre public persona as a grieving widow turned author. Friends of Eric say he had suspected she might harm him and had even told his family he wanted her out of his will.

Where She Is Now:
 Richins is being held without bail while awaiting her trial, now set for 2026. In addition to the murder charge, she faces 26 felony counts of fraud, forgery, and money laundering.

Final Thoughts

While the details of each case are different, they share one haunting truth: the red flags were there. Whether it was obsessive jealousy, explosive tempers, financial manipulation, or controlling behavior, those closest to the victims often saw the signs — sometimes even the victims themselves. But seeing a red flag isn’t the same as acting on it. And in these five cases, ignoring the signs proved deadly.

I invite you to read my full article on the Shayna Hubers case by clicking here.

🔔 Subscribe on YouTube

🎥 Love true crime? Don’t miss a single episode of Suada’s gripping investigations. 👉 Subscribe to Suada’s YouTube Channel for full video episodes, exclusive content, and behind-the-scenes insights.

New episodes drop throughout the month — turn on notifications so you never miss a case!

🎥 Want bite-sized true crime content? Follow Suada on TikTok for story highlights and podcast previews.

🎧 Listen to Suada’s Crime Files on Spotify

Discover chilling true crime stories from around the world — including white-collar schemes, shocking disappearances, and headline-making murders. 👉 Click here to listen on Spotify