MN - Beau Shroyer, Wife of Detroit Lakes missionary killed in Angola arrested in connection to his death

[Tippy Lynn]

DETROIT LAKES, Minn. — The wife of a Minnesota missionary who was killed in Angola has been arrested in connection with his death, according to Lakes Area Vineyard Church in Detroit Lakes.

Beau Shroyer died in an "act of violence while serving Jesus" on Friday, according to a statement from the church.

He left behind his wife and five children, who as of Tuesday were still in Angola. The family had moved there three years ago.

Wife of Detroit Lakes missionary killed in Angola arrested in connection to his death, church says

The wife of a Minnesota missionary who was killed in Angola has been arrested in connection with his death, according to his church.

www.cbsnews.com

Security issues were a concern for Shroyer family in Angola

There are no plans yet for local funeral or memorial services for pastor and former Detroit Lakes police officer Beau Shroyer.

www.dl-online.com

 

[realanastasia]

Holy smokes, reading the interview with the wife in the article linked above, she sounds extremely enthusiastic and supportive of the sudden move the family made to do their mission, which makes it all the more surprising that she’s been accused of his murder. I am assuming the move was more his idea, since he worked as a pastor in the US before the family moved to Angola.

Her instagram makes it look like the family was thriving there (I don’t know if it is strange or not, but most of her posts feature her and the kids, not so much her husband):

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

I don’t know a thing about the legal system over there, but I hope there is some solid evidence backing up the mother’s arrest because it’s left five American kids/teens alone to fend for themselves on a not-completely-protected piece of property which the mother and late father described (in the article shared above) as being constantly under siege by desperate people looking to steal food from the grounds or trying to break into the family’s home.

I also wonder if there was any local animosity towards the family, given that the apparently-large property they lived and worked on was given to them by the Angolan government. Or if local folks were displeased/discomfited by the family’s insistence on treating Angola’s “street kids” with kindness, generosity, and respect (see Instagram for examples). I am by no means uncritical of missionary work in general, but insofar as I can see, the family’s efforts to feed and encourage a sense of self-worth in these “throw-away” kids seem pretty benign/not particularly coercive.

 

[Tippy Lynn]

Wife of Minnesota missionary killed in Africa arrested in connection with his death, church says

Easton said Shroyer and his wife shared five children, all of whom are reportedly being "well cared for" in the wake of their father's death and mother's arrest.

www.kare11.com

 

[airportwoman]

Beau and Jackie Shroyer and their 5 kids were from Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, and moved to Angola a few years ago to work full-time as missionaries. He was found murdered last month, and in the meantime, she has been arrested! Of course, I have no idea how the legal system works in Angola, or if it does, or if she will be extradited to the States. People who know them are completely shocked by this.

Wife of Detroit Lakes missionary killed in Africa arrested in connection with his death

Lakes Area Vineyard Church Lead Pastor Troy Easton said Beau and Jackie Shroyer's five children are “well cared for” and that the church will continue to work along SIM USA and SIM Angola.

www.dl-online.com

Wife arrested in connection with missionary husband's murder in Angola

A Minnesota woman has been arrested in Angola on suspicion of murdering her husband, a missionary serving in the African nation, according to their church Authorities have taken Jackie Shroyer into

www.christianpost.com

 

[RickshawFan]

Holy smokes, reading the interview with the wife in the article linked above, she sounds extremely enthusiastic and supportive of the sudden move the family made to do their mission, which makes it all the more surprising that she’s been accused of his murder. I am assuming the move was more his idea, since he worked as a pastor in the US before the family moved to Angola.

Her instagram makes it look like the family was thriving there (I don’t know if it is strange or not, but most of her posts feature her and the kids, not so much her husband):

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

I don’t know a thing about the legal system over there, but I hope there is some solid evidence backing up the mother’s arrest because it’s left five American kids/teens alone to fend for themselves on a not-completely-protected piece of property which the mother and late father described (in the article shared above) as being constantly under siege by desperate people looking to steal food from the grounds or trying to break into the family’s home.

I also wonder if there was any local animosity towards the family, given that the apparently-large property they lived and worked on was given to them by the Angolan government. Or if local folks were displeased/discomfited by the family’s insistence on treating Angola’s “street kids” with kindness, generosity, and respect (see Instagram for examples). I am by no means uncritical of missionary work in general, but insofar as I can see, the family’s efforts to feed and encourage a sense of self-worth in these “throw-away” kids seem pretty benign/not particularly coercive.

The US Embassy will take charge of the kids. That’s no problem.
My experience is that missionaries can head to developing countries with stars in their eyes, and they may not be popular with locals, unless they’re doing legitimate medical work. And yes, they are likely to be very wealthy compared to locals, and they will act as though they’re used to abundance, which, comparatively they are. Whether or not it was kind to treat local “street kids“ the way they did may be in the eyes of the beholder. They may have been perceived as patronizing and arrogant.

In this vein, the media above (not CBS) has a story about locals stealing oranges. They also focus on thefts and a siege mentality. There’s no mention of lovely Angolans, of the kids going to a local school (so they’d be well-integrated), of bright colors, the hustle and bustle of the markets. Just crime. Very little compassion or understanding. Desperation is a matter-of-fact kind of thing, and seems attached to the location. We have plenty of that in the US, too; it’s just that many people who go abroad don’t see that.

Why is this family even there? It sounds like they hate it, but are only there because of a calling, and that’s what they like about it. I’m sure there’s lots to love about Angola, but the family seems to have nothing positive to say!

<modsnip - off topic>

FWIW I’ve never been to Angola, but have spent many years in developing countries.

 

[sunspun]

Did it say how he died?

 

[RickshawFan]

Did it say how he died?

I'm betting a gun. His own gun. Grabbed by his wife. And I'll bet guns are rare in Angola.

Also, where they're living seems to be a missionary compound in a city. They are not in some kind of isolated village in an unprotected home. This is likely to be gated and guarded. It will be clear (mostly) who's coming and going. Also, since it's a compound with other missionaries, there's gonna be talk..... In fact, in a closed society like that, there's gonna be a lot of mean talk. Nasty stuff. IMO it will be easy for a basic police department to get to the bottom of this.

Can you imagine being convicted of murder in Angola, and going to an Angolan prison for life?

 

[RickshawFan]

This is the State Department's paper on detention in Angola (yep, it says technical difficulties, but the link is correct):

Technical Difficulties

 

[RickshawFan]

Angolan policy is to limit weapons among the civilian population, and the government is gathering them up. Evidently, assault weapons are for military use only.

To me, this implies if the murder was committed with a gun (which I think likely), the government is not going to like this at all. If a stabbing, maybe the situation would be more benign.

Angola: More Than 100,000 Firearms Destroyed Across the Country

More than 100,000 firearms have been destroyed throughout the national territory so far, as part of the process of disarmament of the civilian population, which began in 2008, the Minister of Interior Eugénio Laborinho said.

allafrica.com

 

[Chimera]

The US Embassy will take charge of the kids. That’s no problem.
My experience is that missionaries can head to developing countries with stars in their eyes, and they may not be popular with locals, unless they’re doing legitimate medical work. And yes, they are likely to be very wealthy compared to locals, and they will act as though they’re used to abundance, which, comparatively they are. Whether or not it was kind to treat local “street kids“ the way they did may be in the eyes of the beholder. They may have been perceived as patronizing and arrogant.

In this vein, the media above (not CBS) has a story about locals stealing oranges. They also focus on thefts and a siege mentality. There’s no mention of lovely Angolans, of the kids going to a local school (so they’d be well-integrated), of bright colors, the hustle and bustle of the markets. Just crime. Very little compassion or understanding. Desperation is a matter-of-fact kind of thing, and seems attached to the location. We have plenty of that in the US, too; it’s just that many people who go abroad don’t see that.

Why is this family even there? It sounds like they hate it, but are only there because of a calling, and that’s what they like about it. I’m sure there’s lots to love about Angola, but the family seems to have nothing positive to say!
<modsnip - off topic>

FWIW I’ve never been to Angola, but have spent many years in developing countries.

Thank you for your perspective !

An unusual crime, for sure.
Omo.

 

[RickshawFan]

Here's a secular update on the case. It makes me giggle a bit since the reporter seems to be practicing elocution and not quite used to the gig. Someone must be giving him lessons, and they aren't quite working!

6PM Update: Detroit Lakes woman arrested in connection to her husband’s death in Africa

On October 25th, 44-year-old Beau Shroyer was killed on a missionary trip to Angola with his wife and their five kids.

www.kttc.com

 

[TTF14]

Wow, this is a head scratcher for sure. If she did it, I'd guess she was fed up with decisions about the family that she wasn't given a say in. I can't imagine being a child and having to leave an American life with comfort and amenities and move to a place that not only didn't offer those luxuries but added tremendous fear of harm as well. As someone who grew up in churches that frequently had visiting missionaries sharing their stories of danger and peril, I was terrified as a child that I would be "called to the mission field" and be a target for scalpings and beheadings just for being a believer! (I'm not saying they do this in Angola.)

Had this woman been in contact with anyone back home about a desire to get the kids back to America?

As always, JMO.

 

[Inthedetails]

Wow, this is a head scratcher for sure. If she did it, I'd guess she was fed up with decisions about the family that she wasn't given a say in. I can't imagine being a child and having to leave an American life with comfort and amenities and move to a place that not only didn't offer those luxuries but added tremendous fear of harm as well. As someone who grew up in churches that frequently had visiting missionaries sharing their stories of danger and peril, I was terrified as a child that I would be 'called to the mission field" and be a target for scalpings and beheadings just for being a believer! (I'm not saying they do this in Angola.)

Had this woman been in contact with anyone back home about a desire to get the kids back to America?

As always, JMO.

I also find it a strange case. Did she want to return to USA? If so, what prevented her? Or was it a domestic fight that got out of hand?

Never a good thing to commit a crime, especially a serious crime, and ESPECIALLY as an American in a foreign country. She will not have the rights in the judicial system that we are allowed here in USA.

What in the world happened??
jmo

 

[RickshawFan]

The State Department cautions for Angola are at Level 2.

Here's a list of all countries at Level 2. You will see that Level 2 is no biggie. It includes Netherlands, Sweden, India, Germany, UK, Maldives, half of Africa, Turkey, Nepal.... i.e. all the places I might want to visit.

Travel Advisories

travel.state.gov

IMO the media reports about the conditions the missionaries live in have all kinds of biases that are not reflected in the State Department in-country analysis.

 

[TTF14]

The State Department cautions for Angola are at Level 2.

Here's a list of all countries at Level 2. You will see that Level 2 is no biggie. It includes Netherlands, Sweden, India, Germany, UK, Maldives, half of Africa, Turkey, Nepal.... i.e. all the places I might want to visit.

Travel Advisories

travel.state.gov

IMO the media reports about the conditions the missionaries live in have all kinds of biases that are not reflected in the State Department in-country analysis.

Thank you!

 

[RickshawFan]

Wow, this is a head scratcher for sure. If she did it, I'd guess she was fed up with decisions about the family that she wasn't given a say in. I can't imagine being a child and having to leave an American life with comfort and amenities and move to a place that not only didn't offer those luxuries but added tremendous fear of harm as well. As someone who grew up in churches that frequently had visiting missionaries sharing their stories of danger and peril, I was terrified as a child that I would be "called to the mission field" and be a target for scalpings and beheadings just for being a believer! (I'm not saying they do this in Angola.)

Had this woman been in contact with anyone back home about a desire to get the kids back to America?

As always, JMO.

Angola is a Level 2 at State Department warning. Same as UK. All the talk of imminent violence and personal threat (and no mention of pleasure with the country and its people) reflects a) Western misconception; and b) bias about "savages". This language distances people as "not me" and therefore extreme, violent, and dangerous, and it's inflammatory, as you experienced as a child. It's offensive to me that people from other countries and ethnic groups are spoken about this way.

All of this is exacerbated when folks organize themselves in cliques and don't associate with the locals on a social level. This heightens the feel of "us and against them". This is the language at play in these media reports.

These missionary families get plenty enough to live well. They are richer than the people they are living amongst! They are paid by US churches. They are privileged. I can almost guarantee they have servants. IMO it's shameful how they speak about folks they are supposedly helping. Sure, there are some unique features to living in a developing country (I have thousands of stories), but I often feel a lot less safe in the US, simply because there's so much entitlement here.

I did something very rare growing up, and went to an African school. Best school I ever went to. People were lovely. Academically, I was at Algebra I before I turned 11, as were half my classmates, and we only had class 4 hours a day; yep, pre middle-school in the US. The school, incidentally, was founded by an English missionary, though the goal was education, not proselytization, exactly as it should be! Those missionaries were completely integrated into local African culture. The school is Ridge Church School in Ghana. You can easily look it up, if you'd like to imagine how it would be to go to a school like that.

 

[TTF14]

Ridge Church School in Ghana

This is super enlightening. Thank you for this educated perspective. I take it you probably don't think her motive (if she did it) was due to wanting to get her kids the hell out of there, then?

 

[RickshawFan]

This is super enlightening. Thank you for this educated perspective. I take it you probably don't think her motive (if she did it) was due to wanting to get her kids the hell out of there, then?

No, not at all. IMO standard DV. Maybe she didn't want to be there, but getting thrown in prison is not exactly helpful. Also, what happened might have nothing to do with being in Angola, but be, as it were, a "pre-existing condition", perhaps even the reason they left the US.

However, they all seemed to hate it there. It seeps out of everything they evidently said about it. Often that happens when folks are unwilling to hang out with the culture. They end up in expat islands and get nasty about the locals. In this case, the seething was slathered over with superficial (IMO) commitment to the "calling".

Kids would often like places like Angola if their parents would be quiet about their own views. After all, it's a great big adventure! No need at all to terrify the kids because you hate a place. Let them join a local soccer team, join the Girl Guides, learn about snakes or local dance styles, whatever. Above all, get them out of the enclave. Within 6 months, the kids should be fluent in Portuguese (if not, the parents are likely holding them back, because young kids can grasp language quickly if you let them). There look to be decent schools for expats in Lubango.

I spent my afternoon getting re-acquainted with my old school in Ghana. I am now known as an "Old Ridgean", as in, alumna of Ridge Church School. This is definitely an advance, since at my other favorite school, in the UK, I'm called an "Old Girl".

 

[airportwoman]

I did see in the linked articles that he was the type who would "do anything for anybody", which has me wondering if he was neglecting his family, financially or emotionally, and the statement that as a Realtor, he sometimes forfeited the commission to get the sale through (is that even legal?) was curious to me.

 

[meanmaryjean]

Beau and Jackie Shroyer and their 5 kids were from Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, and moved to Angola a few years ago to work full-time as missionaries. He was found murdered last month, and in the meantime, she has been arrested! Of course, I have no idea how the legal system works in Angola, or if it does, or if she will be extradited to the States. People who know them are completely shocked by this.

Wife of Detroit Lakes missionary killed in Africa arrested in connection with his death

Lakes Area Vineyard Church Lead Pastor Troy Easton said Beau and Jackie Shroyer's five children are “well cared for” and that the church will continue to work along SIM USA and SIM Angola.

www.dl-online.com

Wife arrested in connection with missionary husband's murder in Angola

A Minnesota woman has been arrested in Angola on suspicion of murdering her husband, a missionary serving in the African nation, according to their church Authorities have taken Jackie Shroyer into

www.christianpost.com

Why would she be extradited? The crime was committed in Angola. Those authorities are in charge.