A Nevada woman has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to hiring a hitman through the dark web to murder her ex-husband.
Throughout her correspondence with the supposed hitman, the Nevada woman expressed a desire to have her ex-husband killed while he was traveling in Chico, California. (Photo: KTLA)
Nevada Woman’s Murder-For-Hire Scheme Using Bitcoin
Kristy Lynn Felkins, a 38-year-old Nevada woman who is a resident of Fallon admitted to arranging the sinister plot in exchange for $5,000 worth of Bitcoin.
According to the Associated Press, the motive behind the murder-for-hire was to eliminate Nevada woman’s ex-husband and stage it to appear as an accident.
According to an indictment from September 2020, Nevada woman Felkins initiated communication with an individual on a dark web platform offering hitman services. Unknown to Felkins, the website was in fact a scam designed to exploit unsuspecting customers seeking illegal services.
Throughout her correspondence with the supposed hitman, the Nevada woman expressed a desire to have her ex-husband killed while he was traveling in Chico, California.
Nevada woman’s intentions extended to include the well-being of her ex-husband’s new girlfriend, as she allegedly stated that she “did not care” if harm befell her during the planned murder.
Nevada Woman Faces Charges
Court records reveal that Nevada woman Felkins entered into a plea deal with federal prosecutors in March, which led to her murder-for-hire charge.
According to a published article, the plea agreement allowed her to avoid a lengthy trial and resulted in her eventual conviction.
In an admission of guilt provided as part of her plea deal, Nevada woman Felkins disclosed that she offered an additional $4,000 to expedite the timeline of the sinister plot in March 2016.
Her plan involved orchestrating the murder to appear as a random mugging gone wrong. Furthermore, Felkins expressed expectations of receiving a substantial life insurance payment after her ex-husband’s demise.
Upon delivering the sentence, a U.S. District Court judge in California also ordered Nevada woman Felkins to be placed under supervision for three years once her prison term is served.
This additional measure is intended to monitor her behavior and prevent any further attempts at harm.
Law enforcement authorities have described the dark web platform that Nevada woman Felkins engaged with as a deceitful operation meant to swindle money from gullible customers, rather than a legitimate avenue to commission criminal activities.
Despite being out of custody prior to her sentencing, Nevada woman Felkins was ordered to surrender in September to begin serving her prison sentence. The court’s decision sends a clear message about the gravity of her actions and serves as a warning to anyone contemplating such heinous acts.
