Texas Woman Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Bitcoin Murder-for-Hire Plot

A Texas woman, Michelle Murphy, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for attempting to use Bitcoin to hire a hitman to murder her boyfriend’s lover. The 58-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of murder-for-hire in December, leading to her sentencing this week.

The case came to light in August 2023 when Homeland Security Investigations received information from a source on the dark web about a suspect seeking to have someone identified as “Intended Victim-1” murdered in exchange for money. The intended victim, who was in a romantic relationship with a man known as O.G., revealed that O.G. lived with another girlfriend named Michelle, who had recently sold her home for over $100,000.

Murphy’s Facebook page confirmed her relationship with O.G., and investigators linked her to the dark web moniker “LISTMUDI,” further solidifying her connection to the murder-for-hire plot. Agents apprehended Murphy and O.G. at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in September 2023, where Murphy admitted to transferring Bitcoin to pay someone to carry out the murder.

During the sentencing hearing, it was revealed that the hitman likely never intended to go through with the murder. Prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed on this point, and Murphy’s defense attorney did not provide any immediate comment on the case.

Murphy will serve nine years in federal prison and two years of supervised release, with a recommendation for mental health treatment programs. This bizarre case highlights the dangers of using the dark web for criminal activities and the serious consequences that can result from such actions.