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Friends and family of Jackie Shroyer are in disbelief after she was charged in connection with the death of her husband, Beau Shroyer, a missionary who was tragically killed on October 25 in southern Africa. Jackie, who is a mother of five, allegedly orchestrated the murder with the help of three men in Angola, where the couple had been living and working. Carl Gessell, a close friend of the Shroyers from Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, expressed his shock, saying he couldn’t fathom that Jackie could have been involved in such a heinous act.
According to Angolan authorities, Beau Shroyer, 44, was discovered fatally stabbed near Humpata, in Huila province. Jackie is accused of masterminding a murder-for-hire scheme, enlisting the help of Bernardino Elias, a 24-year-old former security guard for the family, along with two other men, Isalino Kayoo, 23, and Gelson Ramos, 22. Investigators believe Jackie and Elias were romantically involved, which may have played a role in the murder plot. The authorities allege that Jackie offered Elias $50,000 for the murder and that she paid $400 to set the scene for Beau’s death.
Beau Shroyer, who had been living in Angola as a missionary with SIM USA, was killed after he arrived to help the three men, who pretended to have car trouble. As he approached the scene with Jackie, she reportedly stepped away, while her husband was attacked with a knife—a gift from Jackie to her alleged lover. The murder was staged to look like a robbery, with Elias reportedly paying the other two men a total of $9,000 for their involvement.
Friends who knew the Shroyers through their church in Minnesota are struggling to comprehend the situation, as they remember Beau as a compassionate and caring individual who was led by his faith to become a missionary in Angola. Many of them expressed disbelief over the allegations, with some attributing the decision to move to Angola to Jackie’s vision of helping impoverished children. Gessell, who had planned to meet with Beau during his visit to the U.S., remembered him as a kind-hearted person who was always willing to help others.
Despite the shocking nature of the case, friends like Cleone Stewart, a long-time family friend, said that it was Jackie who had the initial vision for their missionary work in Angola. Beau had been supportive of her dream, and they had worked together on various community projects, including the Festival of Birds in Detroit Lakes. As the investigation into Beau’s death continues, those who knew the Shroyers are grappling with the difficult reality that someone so trusted could be involved in such a tragedy.