Police: Man hired trio to kill pregnant wife

"Police: Man hired trio to kill pregnant Navy wife"

From: PilotOnline

Three men were indicted Wednesday on charges they tried to kill an acquaintance's wife — who was 8 months pregnant — in a murder-for-hire plot.

Robert James Burnette, 19; Tristan Richard Reeder, 21; and Joseph Kelly Apodaca, 21, were charged with conspiracy to commit second-degree murder and conspiracy to maliciously wound the 19-year-old woman.

Burnette and Reeder, both unemployed high school dropouts, also were charged with carrying out the Aug. 22 attack on Elizabeth Shelton, a Navy seaman stationed in Norfolk. She survived the assault.

Shelton's husband, 21-year-old Anthony Christopher Johnson, has been charged in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court with three felonies connected with hiring the men to kill his wife. In court documents, police said Johnson promised them more than $100,000 after he cashed in Shelton's life insurance.

Johnson was in Norfolk City Jail after being denied bond. He's appealed that decision to Circuit Court.

Shelton was assaulted inside their home at the Colony Point Apartments in the 900 block of Armfield Circle, court documents show. Police were sent there about 1:21 a.m. for a report of a home invasion, the documents say. An officer found Johnson in the hallway and Shelton inside a back bedroom.

Shelton was unconscious and lying in a pool of blood. Police said she suffered "extensive facial injuries" and was taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. As an active-duty Navy member, she was later transferred to Portsmouth Naval Medical Center.

Shelton is out of the hospital and has since had her baby, said Amanda Howie, spokeswoman for the Norfolk commonwealth's attorney.

Johnson told police two men entered the apartment through an unlocked side door and choked him until he passed out, according to court documents. Johnson said he called police when he came to and found his wife had been attacked.

Six hours later, Johnson called police again, this time to report that Burnette, Reeder and Apodaca had stolen his 2001 Saturn. He told investigators he thought they did it because they'd recently been staying at the apartment.

By the time an officer arrived 15 hours later, the car had been returned. Johnson told the officer he could find the trio at the Starbucks near Wards Corner. Police found Burnette and Reeder at the coffee shop in the Little Creek Gateway Shopping Center that night. After a consensual search, they also found a set of keys. Burnette said they were for Johnson's car.

Reeder told police Johnson hired the three of them to kill his wife in exchange for her life insurance money, court documents say. Reeder said Johnson promised to give him $40,000 and Burnette $70,000.

Reeder said he went into the apartment through an unlocked side door and Burnette picked up a knife. He told police Burnette stuck the knife in a couch after he decided he wouldn't need it, according to court documents.

Then Reeder told police he pretended to choke Johnson unconscious while Burnette actually choked Shelton. After that, Burnette threw her off the bed and stomped on her head a half dozen times or so.

After they saw she was bleeding, they took off in Johnson's car.

The three also were being held in Norfolk City Jail.