Divorce can cause people to do all kinds of insane things – including murder. These incidents occur at a staggering pace throughout the United States, and they are often motivated by money. It does not take a genius to figure out why a spouse might want their ex dead after receiving the divorce papers. Millionaires who kill their exes can potentially avoid handing over half of their wealth. Here are some of the most notable recent divorces that triggered murder plots.
Wyoming Man Denied New Trial After Allegedly Discovering Wife’s Murder Plot
In September of 2024, it was reported that an oil and gas businessman had been denied a chance at a new divorce trial in Wyoming. The man claimed to have uncovered evidence of a murder plot hatched by his wife, but the District Court Judge presiding over his case said that the previous ruling would stand.
Under current Wyoming law, a spouse can ask for a new trial if they find new evidence they could not have discovered before the first divorce trial. The husband claims that his ex-wife called someone known for “taking care of things,” but it is not clear whether this individual was ever hired. Police did investigate a potential murder-for-hire plot, which the District Court judge now characterizes as “smoke” and “maybe a little heat,” but “not really any fire.”
Deli Owner Orders Hit on His Wife After Divorce Filing
Back in January of 2024, Oxygen magazine ran a story on the owner of a popular deli in Palm Beach, Florida. This deli was so popular that it raked in millions of dollars per year – and the owner risked losing everything when his wife filed for divorce. The divorce would have robbed the man of his business, his home, and even his airplane. He allegedly offered her millions of dollars to walk away – but the wife refused to accept any deal.
It was at this point that he contacted a friend and known drug dealer for a potential solution. The drug dealer was then arrested on drug charges before he could carry out the assassination – and he told authorities about the murder plot to save his own neck. This ultimately led to the husband’s arrest – and he pleaded guilty to first-degree murder.
Real Estate Developer Tried to Kill His Wife Multiple Times
In July of 2024, Law & Crime ran a story on a South Florida real estate developer who tried to kill his wife on multiple occasions – and with various methods. First, he tried to poison his wife with fentanyl. When that did not work, he hired a group of criminals to kill her in a staged hit-and-run accident. When that strategy also failed, he hired a different group of criminals to kill her in a staged home invasion.
Somehow, the wife managed to survive all of these assassination attempts – until finally, the husband’s involvement was made clear. Rather than allow himself to be taken into custody, the husband committed suicide.
About the author