The missionary's wife's affair is behind an assassination attempt in Angola

Angola's criminal investigation department claims the murder of an American missionary was orchestrated by his wife. It was about an allegedly illegal romance and financial promises. Authorities say 44-year-old Jackie Shroyer enlisted the help of three Angolan men to kill her husband, Beau Shroyer, in a remote part of the country.

Authorities have alleged that Jackie Shroyer conspired with a security guard at her apartment, Bernardino Elias, 24, and two other men identified as Isalino Kayoo, 23, and Gelson Ramos, 22, KFGO reported.

According to CIS Superintendent Manuel Halaiwa, Jackie had promised the men $50,000 to carry out the murder, the Angolan press agency Angop reported. The suspected motive for the crime, authorities said, stemmed from her romantic relationship with Elias and a desire not to leave Angola, where Beau Shroyer was completing his missionary work.

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The details of the alleged crime unfolded as follows, according to DL-Online: The three suspects rented a vehicle on October 25, drove to a secluded location and called Beau Shroyer under the pretext of a vehicle breakdown. When Beau arrived to help, he was stabbed, according to Angolan authorities. The murder weapon, described as a knife made in the USA, was recovered from the scene. Authorities believe Beau Shroyer originally gave the knife to Elias.

Authorities reportedly arrested Jackie Shroyer and Elias four days after the murder. Kayoo was arrested a few days later, while Ramos remains at large. The suspects have a criminal record, including for armed robbery and kidnapping, which were being investigated as part of the ongoing investigation.

Last week, two of the suspects were paraded by authorities in Lubango, the provincial capital, where further details of the case were released.

Angop reported that Jackie Shroyer was described as the “mastermind” of the assassination attempt and that she appeared insincere when officers arrived at the scene, allegedly pretending to be distraught. During the suspect's presentation, she was not present in Lubango, in particular for “health reasons”. The CIS has taken Jackie Shroyer and the two suspects into preventive detention on a judge's order.

According to Pastor Troy Easton of Lakes Area Vineyard Church, the five Shroyer children have been “well cared for” since their father's death and their mother's arrest.

SIM USA, a North Carolina-based evangelical organization that monitors Beau Shroyer's work in Angola, has expressed sadness over the incident. The organization commended Angolan law enforcement authorities for their diligence in investigating the matter and reiterated its support for the continued pursuit of justice for Beau Shroyer.

The Shroyers moved to Angola with their five children in 2021 to serve as missionaries with SIM USA. According to the church, their aim was to bring Christianity and the love of God to the residents of a “remote bush village” that has no electricity.

Prior to her missionary work in Angola, Beau served as a pastor at Lakes Area Vineyard Church and had a background in law enforcement, having worked for the Detroit Lakes Police Department in 2013, according to the Detroit Lakes Tribune. Before moving abroad, he also worked as a real estate agent.