Tampa woman sentenced for murder-for-hire order planned through the dark web

On April 20, U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday sentenced 50-year-old DeAnna Marie Stinson of Tampa, Florida, to six years and six months in federal prison for her part in setting a murder-for-hire in motion. The Court also ordered Stinson to pay $11,403.22 in restitution to the victim of the offense and a $1,000 fine. Stinson had pleaded guilty to murder-for-hire on January 19, 2022.

“If you are looking to have someone murdered, beaten, kidnapped you have arrived at the best place,” the homepage of the website, billing itself as the “#1 hitmen service,” stated, according to Stinson’s sentencing memo.

Luckily for the target, prosecutors say, the website turned out to be a “scam.”  ~ Law and Crime

Background:  On June 24, 2021, Stinson created an account on the dark web website “The Website” that purported to provide murder-for-hire services to its customers. The following day, Stinson submitted an “order” requesting that a hitman be assigned to complete a “quick hit in southern Florida” to kill the spouse of Stinson’s former significant other.

Going through that dark web site, Stinson provided the victim’s name, address, and a photograph of the victim.

“Do not do at the home,” her order read. “Any place else is fine. Need completed during July – preferably between July 5th – 11th.”

Between June and July 2021, Stinson sent four additional orders and over $12,000 in Bitcoin to effectuate the hit. During this time, Stinson repeatedly messaged administrators of The Website and purported hitmen requesting that the “job” be completed as soon as possible and even offered a “bonus” if the hit was completed by a specific date.

When Stinson had not received a status update from administrators of The Website, on July 31, 2021, Stinson requested that the administrators “reassign the job to someone who has a history of getting jobs done,” because she, “need[ed] th[e] job done ASAP.”

Law enforcement agents received information regarding Stinson’s online murder-for-hire order and obtained records from her virtual currency exchange account. The records showed that Stinson had paid Bitcoin to The Website.

An agent contacted Stinson while acting in an undercover capacity as a hitman for The Website. In a recorded phone call, Stinson confirmed that she wanted the victim killed and agreed to send additional money to the undercover agent via Bitcoin so that the transaction could not be traced. On September 13, 2021, Stinson sent $350 in bitcoin to the undercover agent so that the agent could purchase a revolver to commit the murder.

Turns out that Stinson’s murder-for-hire request was her first run-in with the law.  During her trial, we learned that the failed murderess had earned a Master’s Degree, ran her own financial consulting service, and also worked previously providing financial services for a local church.

Her attorney said in court that she’d known the victim and the victim’s spouse for years. ~ The Tampa Bay Times

For more on the failed murder-for-hire plot, see the video accompanying this article.

(Source:  U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida)
(Cover photo:  DeAnna Marie Stinson mugshot: Image credit: Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office)

~ Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Connect with Richard on Facebook and Twitter