In a chilling murder-for-hire plot that has shocked the US, three sisters have been sentenced to prison for conspiring to kill a man during a bitter custody battle. Sandra Grimes was handed a 70-month sentence after admitting she planned to murder her son-in-law, Raul Mina, amid his legal fight with her daughter, Irma Nicole Bauer, the People reported.
Her sisters, Judy Owen and Mitzy Smith, were also convicted for their roles in the plot, which was exposed when the hired hitwoman turned to the FBI.
According to court documents, the women first approached Rebecca Murphy in early 2024, asking her to assassinate Mina by injecting him with a fatal dose of heroin, making the death appear accidental. The affidavit revealed that their initial attempt to hire another hitman failed after he vanished with their money.
Murphy said the sisters financed her travel to Mina's home in Louisiana and even provided funds to buy the drugs. However, when asked to carry out the killing in broad daylight outside a courthouse, she backed out and later alerted federal authorities.
The investigation revealed that the women also provided Murphy with an unregistered gun and ammunition, involving Murphy's girlfriend in the process.
Grimes later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and firearms charges. Owen was sentenced to 10 years in prison, while Smith received time served. Murphy and her girlfriend were also sentenced to five years each for their involvement.
The sensational case has sparked widespread outrage and debate over family feuds turning deadly.
