According to the sheriff’s office, Amanda and Jacob Bishop were going through a divorce and in a heated custody battle at the time of the murder. Sheriff Jimmy Davis explained during a press conference Tuesday afternoon that they believe that is what “sparked the animosity” between them and eventually led to Jacob Bishop’s murder. Davis added that Amanda Bishop was always “kind of at the top of the list” of suspects.”

LCSO also identified Byrd as Amanda Bishop’s cousin.

During the press conference, Davis explained details of the case, including how it was the only unsolved murder case the department had during former Sheriff Tim Guider’s 32 year-tenure.

On October 1, 2019, Jacob Bishop was found dead at his home. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was bound by zip ties, according to the sheriff’s office. He had just returned from Poland that May.

Davis also shared that the case has been actively investigated constantly since it began, and they have been in contact with Jacob Bishop’s mother, who was the one that found him dead, around every week.

“Some people say, you know, give them peace or closure. I don’t think there’s really a closure in a case like this, but we can at least try to give them some justice. So that’s what we’re trying to do today is give her a little bit of justice and be able to follow this through to get a conviction,” said Davis.

LCSO said the investigation has faced numerous challenges, but advancements in technology and evidence allowed the case to progress. Although Davis did not share exactly what technology was used in the breakthrough, he did share that the investigation included geofencing and data collection “of that nature.”