The man identified as the lover of Lindsay Shiver, who is charged with plotting to kill her former Auburn football player husband, rejected claims that the pair hired a hitman.

Terrance Bethel, 28, told the Daily Mail that the now-infamous WhatsApp messages sent between him, Ms Shiver, and 29-year-old Faron Newbold were misunderstood and overblown by police.

The outlet previously reported that Ms Shiver confessed during an interview with police to sending photos of her husband Robert Shiver to Mr Newbold, along with the message: “kill him.”

Mr Bethel suggested that the messages were sent “out of frustration,” and insisted to the outlet that the charges would be dropped.

After a Daily Mail reporter approached Mr Bethel asking for more insight into the WhatsApp messages, he reportedly responded that the police “have had both of my phones for three weeks. They’ve been through every single message - there’s nothing there.”

He added, “None of us have anything to hide. People are taking everything at face value and defaming us.”

From the outside looking in, this entire case is shocking.

Mr Shiver was a college football star while Ms Shiver was a beauty pageant queen. The woman who once bragged on Instagram about her “perfect marriage”—and frequently posted photos of tropical family vacations—was accused last month of plotting to hire her husband of 13 years.

The pair had already filed for divorce and are pursuing vicious counterclaims. Both are seeking custody of their three children as well as full use of their $2.5m Georgia mansion.

She, Mr Bethel and Mr Newbold had been held in custody until, surprisingly, Mr Shiver helped them post bail. All three of the accused were granted emergency bail on 1 August. Ms Shiver was seen leaving Nassau’s Fox Hill Prison on Tuesday morning.

The mother-of-three is required to wear an ankle monitor and stay in the Bahamas until her next court date on 5 October. Similarly, their next divorce hearing is reportedly set for 31 October.

Mr Shiver filed for divorce for “adulterous conduct,” according to reports, while attorneys for Lindsay Shiver denied the affair, writing: “Any extramarital relationship defendant has had was during the parties’ separation and legally condoned by husband.”

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