Worst Neighbor Ever: what happened to Dave? Inside the case that opens the Netflix series

Here's the short answer.

Dave is David Scott, a 47-year-old deputy jailer from Mount Sterling, Kentucky, who was shot dead on his own back porch by neighbour Frances Zaayer on 26 May 2018. His wife, Shawna, was shot in the face in the same attack and survived. Zaayer is now serving 35 years for murder.

Who was Dave?

David Scott worked part-time at the Montgomery County Regional Jail and at Summit Polymers, and coached girls' softball in the community. He and Shawna lived on Washington Avenue in a cluster of homes owned by Shawna's family — cookouts, a pool in the garden, everyone close by.

When David was killed, hundreds turned out for the funeral procession, with law enforcement travelling from across Kentucky to pay their respects.

From family friend to nightmare neighbour

The most chilling part of the case: Frances Zaayer wasn't a stranger. She'd been treated as part of Shawna's family since her teens, and when she returned to Mount Sterling after a divorce, the Scotts let her stay in their home while her house across the street was being renovated. Then everything curdled:

• The driveway dispute — Zaayer built a driveway over the Scotts' land despite being told repeatedly she couldn't. Asked why, she reportedly replied simply that she could.
• The 911 calls — for a year she rang police constantly, over everything from a missing bird feeder to fireworks. Deputies said they were called to the street almost daily.
• The harassment — Shawna says Zaayer mowed her lawn naked, filmed the family, and followed her around town.
• The April 2017 fight — a confrontation turned physical, and Zaayer's assault claim actually led to Shawna's arrest before the case fell apart.

The shooting

On 26 May 2018, Zaayer walked across the street armed with a handgun, entered the Scotts' home, and shot Shawna in the face. She then went to the back door, where David was outside putting up security cameras, and shot him. He died at the scene.

"I remember this awful bang and I was down." — Shawna Scott, in the 2026 Netflix docuseries

Shawna survived, but at enormous cost: she lost the sight in her left eye and hearing in her left ear, and went through 16 facial surgeries. She only learned David was dead after waking from a coma.

Where Frances Zaayer is now

Zaayer was arrested after a brief stand-off with police. In January 2022 she took a plea deal, pleading guilty to murder, second-degree assault, and first-degree wanton endangerment, and was sentenced to 35 years. She's held at the Kentucky Correctional Institution for Women and becomes eligible for parole in 2038 — a prospect Shawna has called her biggest fear.

One detail says it all: when a neighbour dialled 911 that day, the dispatcher reportedly asked straight away whether the shooter was Frances Zaayer.

Everyone already knew the name.