This story (a.k.a. true crime) didn’t end how the ex-husband of the victim had intended it to end. He and his girlfriend met with a man they believed was someone they could hire to murder the man’s ex-wife. They soon learned the hitman was an undercover law enforcement agent.
Reportedly, the con-conspirator (girlfriend) stated that her boyfriend wanted to have his ex-wife killed, ending his requirement to pay child support, and because of the mother’s death, he’d have full custody of their children.
You might wonder how does someone find a hitman? In this case, the ex-husband was in a jail holding cell awaiting his court hearing for a different case, he asked an inmate about hiring a hitman. The inmate told the authorities about the inquiry. The former inmate, working with law enforcement, introduced the ex-husband to a hitman via a phone call - he was an undercover law enforcement officer.
Later, the ex-husband agreed to meet the hitman in person. His girlfriend went with him. The ex-husband assured the hitman that his girlfriend knew everything. The three sat in the hitman’s vehicle and discussed the details. Unbeknownst to the couple, the hitman had his vehicle set up with recording devices.
The ex-husband told the hitman he wanted the ex-wife, “gone, so she never comes back.”
When the hitman asked to be clear, he was to kill the ex-wife, the ex-husband confirmed by saying, “yeah.” And then added, “End of story.” During this meeting, the ex-husband provided the hitman with his ex-wife’s full name, address, age, phone number—all the pertinent information, including photographs.
The co-conspirator, the man’s girlfriend, provided the hitman with the ex-wife’s social media information.
They agreed on a price range depending on the complexity of the job, between $5,000-$10,000.
When they had completed the arrangements, the authorities arrested the couple.
At the conclusion of an eight-day trial, a jury found the ex-husband guilty of conspiring to commit murder, traveling interstate or using interstate facilities (crossing state lines—using ATMs, banks, cars, cellphones in multiple states during the commission of the crime) with the intent that a murder for hire be committed, and attempting to tamper with a witness. #truecrime #relationships #divorce
In federal court, a judge sentenced the 58-year-old ex-husband to 18 years in federal prison where there is no early release.
The co-conspirator, girlfriend, pleaded guilty to participating in the scheme. A federal judge sentenced the 52-year-old girlfriend to five years in federal prison.
Source: United States District Court, United States Department of Justice, my central jersey