Texas influencer gets 10-year jail for murder-for-hire plot
What's the story
Ashley Grayson, a 35-year-old social media influencer from Dallas, Texas, has been sentenced to a decade in federal prison.
The sentence comes after she was convicted for masterminding a murder-for-hire plot against three people.
Her targets included a business competitor from Southaven, Mississippi; her ex-boyfriend; and a woman who had publicly criticized her on social media platforms.
Plot details
Grayson's murder plot and its unraveling
Grayson, who runs an online business, started the murder-for-hire scheme in August 2022. She contacted a Memphis couple offering at least $20,000 per killing.
The next month, she and her husband Joshua Grayson met the couple in Dallas.
During a recorded video call on September 10, 2022, she expressed urgency for the Mississippi woman's assassination within a week and offered an extra $5,000 for it.
Deception unveiled
Couple's deception leads to Grayson's indictment
The Memphis couple fooled Grayson by sending photos of police cars from an unrelated incident, suggesting they had attempted the murders.
They demanded and received $10,000 for their fake attempt from Grayson and her husband in Dallas.
In July 2023, a Tennessee grand jury indicted both Ashley and Joshua for using an interstate facility in commission of murder-for-hire.
However, only Ashley was found guilty during the March 2024 trial; Joshua was acquitted.
Sentencing announced
Grayson's sentencing and its implications
On October 31, 2024, United States District Court Judge Thomas L Parker sentenced Ashley to the maximum penalty of 120 months in prison with three years of supervised release. Since it's a federal case, she isn't eligible for parole.
Acting US Attorney Reagan Fondren called this case "a 21st-century crime where online feuds and senseless rivalries bled into the real world." He also noted the severe emotional impact on the intended victim and her family.