DALLAS — A Bedford woman who attempted to hire a hit man to kill her boyfriend’s lover was sentenced to federal prison, announced Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Dallas Special Agent in Charge Lester R. Hayes Jr. and U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Michelle Murphy, 58, has been handed a nine-year prison sentence by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman for her role in a murder for hire plot. She was charged in September 2023, pleading guilty in December 2023 to one count of murder for hire.
Court documents reveal that Murphy attempted to pay $10,510 using Bitcoin to an online source to have her boyfriend's lover killed. During the investigation, blockchain analysis showed that Murphy converted cash into cryptocurrency on multiple occasions, transferring approximately 0.358 BTC ($10,510) to a Bitcoin wallet she believed belonged to the intended recipient of the murder-for-hire.
Following the discovery, HSI special agents confronted Murphy and the boyfriend in question. After being informed of her Miranda rights, Murphy confessed that she had sought the services of a hit man upon learning of her boyfriend's affair.
HSI investigated with the assistance of the Bedford, Euless, Grapevine and Hurst Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht prosecuted the case.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by calling the HSI tip line at 877-4-HSI-TIP.
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About HSI
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel and finance move. HSI’s workforce consists of over 10,000 employees, assigned to 235 offices within the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI's international presence represents the Department of Homeland Security’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.