Now DailyMail.com can reveal that Shriner is no stranger to the inside of a prison cell after striking up an intense friendship with murderer Samuel Little who claimed the lives of at least eight women during a reign of terror that lasted 25 years.

Little, who was 80 when he died in his cell at the California State Prison in Lancaster, also confessed to murdering another 93, with the FBI confirming his involvement in at least 50 of the deaths – making him the most prolific serial killer in American history.

Weezer bassist Scott Shriner’s wife Jillian Lauren, 51, is no stranger to dark stories, which may be the reason why she befriended a notorious serial killer and claimed his body when he died in December 2020

 Shriner was shot by a cop outside her home in Eagle Rock, northeast LA on Wednesday afternoon when she became entangled in a hit-and-run manhunt through their neighborhood

Shriner met serial killer Samuel Little while making a documentary series called Confronting a Serial Killer. But behind the scenes the duo developed a close friendship

Shriner, who is a film maker and author, met the savage murderer while making a documentary series called Confronting A Serial Killer, that was later turned into a book titled, Behold the Monster: Facing America’s Most Prolific Serial Killer.

But while both projects were billed as a fight to get justice for Little’s victims, DailyMail.com can reveal that behind the scenes, the pair had developed a close friendship – with Little even designating herself as his next of kin on prison forms.

When he died in December 2020, Shriner embarked on a year-long legal battle to claim his remains – describing him in court papers obtained by DailyMail.com as a ‘friend’.

When asked to state her relationship to the killer on the form, which was filed in December 2021, Shriner wrote: ‘I knew Sam for three years as a friend and through my work.’

She also described how she had made repeated attempts to contact his half-sister Inez McDowell, now 71, about what to do with Little’s remains before noting that: ‘Sam intended me to be his next of kin as indicated on his emergency contact form and that is understood by everyone now.’

Judge Susan Matcham granted the request two days later and Little’s remains were subsequently released to Shriner.

When he died, Shriner petitioned the court to collect his body and described him in court papers obtained by DailyMail.com as a ‘friend’

Shriner stated in the documents she had attempted to contact his half-sister Inez McDowell, now 71, about what to do with Little’s remains before noting that Little ‘intended me to be his next of kin’

Judge Susan Matcham granted the request two days later on December 23, 2021, and Little’s ashes were subsequently released to Shriner

The author tied the knot with Weezer bassist Scott Shriner in 2005, and later adopted two kids with him

DailyMail.com’s revelations are the latest bizarre twist in a saga that began on Tuesday when cops chasing a hit and run driver descended on her upscale Eagle Rock neighborhood.

The man was later found swimming in the pool of a neighboring home and pretending to be a resident but cops came across Shriner outside her home while conducting the manhunt.

According to police, the 51-year-old was clutching a 9mm handgun and pointed it towards them when asked to drop it.

A neighbor who spoke to DailyMail.com on condition of anonymity said she had no idea that Shriner was armed during the standoff but saw multiple cops with their weapons drawn and heard six gunshots.

She added: ‘There was no shot and then a response shot. It was just them firing on her.’

The neighbor described herself as ‘livid’ about what happened, adding she was ‘pretty sure’ one of the cops was hidden when he opened fire and claimed none had identified themselves to the mom-of-two.

In November, Shriner shared photos of herself with Little’s ashes. She allegedly shared details of her prison interviews with Little that she used for her book about his crimes

‘Taken just before we put together the Sam Little exhibit at @thehauntedmuseum @realzakbagans,’ she captioned the photo of herself and another closeup of it in a car trunk

Shriner, said the neighbor, was shot in the backyard of her home and ‘had a reason to have a gun’ because the hit and run driver was in the backyard of the house next door.

She added: ‘If she had been able to see them and see who they were, I’m pretty sure she would have dropped the gun.’

The furious neighbor also claimed cops had failed to find a stolen fire-engine red Gibson guitar the suspect had stashed in the trash and alleged that they appear uninterested in pursuing the hit and run perpetrators.

The hit-and-run suspect was later detained by California Highway Patrol Officers, cited and released.

In a news conference yesterday evening, Detective Meghan Aguilar of the LAPD said the moments leading up to the shooting were unclear, with body-worn police video failing to shed much light on the incident.

She said: ‘At that point there were some commands given, multiple commands to drop the gun, drop the weapon, unfortunately it did result in an officer-involved shooting.’

Shriner’s neighbor said they were ‘livid’ about what happened, adding she was ‘pretty sure’ one of the cops was hidden when he opened fire and didn’t identify themselves 

Weezer bassist Scott, 59, was seen outside the home on Thursday morning and gave an update to reporters asking about her health

Aguilar added that the camera had failed to provide ‘a clear view of what she did with that firearm’ and said it was ‘not clear if she [Shriner] fired at officers or not’.

Shriner was treated overnight Tuesday for minor gunshot wounds and charged with attempted murder before being released on a $1million bond.

According to CBS News, she told police she had simply been trying to defend her home at the time of the shooting.

Weezer bassist Scott, 59, was seen outside the home on Thursday morning and gave an update to reporters asking about her health.

‘She’s alright, thank you for asking,’ he said, before plugging his upcoming gig at the Coachella Festival in Indio, California, on Saturday afternoon.