Marina JohnsonLouisville Courier Journal
July 31, 2026, 11:43 a.m. ET
“Worst Neighbor Ever,” a new true crime series on Netflix, is available for streaming, and one episode has ties to Kentucky.
The show is a spinoff of other Netflix documentary series, including “Worst Roommate Ever” and “Worst Ex Ever,” and “details true stories of neighbors gone bad, from heinous fraud schemes to senseless acts of violent retribution,”
The first episode, “She Finally Snapped,” tells the story of Shawna and David Scott and how a falling out with their neighbor, Frances Zaayer, led to a fatal shooting in Mount Sterling. Here’s what to know.
Who are Shawna and David Scott?
Shawna and David Scott first met in Franklin, Ohio, in 1995.
At the time, Shawna was a bus driver for the Warren County Board of Developmental Disabilities, and David worked at a group home where Shawna transported clients. The two did not get along initially, but eventually started dating and moved in together.
They later married during a family vacation to Tennessee with Shawna’s daughter, Haley, and discovered shortly after that they were pregnant.
In 2002, the couple moved to Mount Sterling to be closer to Shawna’s family, most of whom lived in the same neighborhood.
In Mount Sterling, David worked at a factory that made car parts and also worked part-time at the Montgomery County Regional Jail as a deputy jailer. Shawna was unable to work at the time and collected disability due to health issues.
Who is Frances Zaayer?
Zaayer was an old friend of Shawna’s family, specifically her grandmother and cousin, and moved to Mount Sterling in 2016 while she was going through a divorce.
She bought the property across the street from Shawna and David, and while work was being done on the home, she moved in with the couple at the end of November 2016. The relationship between the Scott family and Zaayer, however, quickly began to deteriorate.
Zaayer became increasingly controlling and, according to the family, began displaying racist behavior. She was kicked out of the Scott family’s home in January 2017 after yelling at David and Shawna’s grandchild.
She eventually moved into her home across the street in March 2017, and tensions between Zaayer and the Scott family continued to grow.
Zaayer built a driveway on Shawna’s father’s property and, at one point, followed Shawna to a tanning salon and posted negatively about her on social media. The two women later got into a physical altercation, leading Zaayer to call police and press charges against Shawna.
The conflict continued to escalate, with both Zaayer and members of the Scott family calling police over various disputes. Zaayer reported incidents involving Shawna’s family, including Fourth of July fireworks and David parking in Shawna’s father’s driveway. Shawna also called police on Zaayer after she was outside topless in front of her grandchild.
Shawna eventually took a plea deal in the assault case, but Zaayer was unhappy with the outcome – hoping to send Shawna to jail.
What happened to Shawna and David Scott?
On May 26, 2018, Zaayer broke into the Scott family’s home and shot both David and Shawna.
David was killed, while Shawna suffered serious injuries after being shot in the face. She underwent 16 facial surgeries, lost vision in her left eye and lost hearing in her left ear.
“I am really lucky to be here today,” Shawna said.
In 2022, Zaayer pleaded guilty to David’s murder and received a 35-year prison sentence. She is eligible for parole in 2038.
Kentucky Department of Corrections records show Zaayer is currently serving time at Kentucky Correctional Institution for Women in Shelby County.
See official trailer for ‘Worst Neighbor Ever’
How to watch ‘Worst Neighbor Ever’
Episode 1 of “Worst Neighbor Ever” is available for streaming on Netflix.
Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.
