Mississippi woman sentenced in murder-for-hire scheme

Published 4:29 pm Tuesday, May 22, 2018

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi woman has been sentenced to more than 14 years in federal prison after admitting she tried to hire a hit man to kill her half brother so she could collect from his life-insurance policy.

Velma White of Jackson was sentenced Monday in federal court.

White pleaded guilty Feb. 20 to four counts of using a communications facility to carry out murder for hire.

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U.S. Attorney Michael Hurst says White was to be the sole beneficiary of her half brother’s $50,000 policy. Hurst says she offered $10,000 to a supposed hit man who was an undercover agent.

Hurst says White had many chances to back out but “only affirmed her commitment to the murder scheme.” He says the killing never happened.