Woman Accused of Double Murder Tries To Get Inmates To Kill Witness: Police

A Florida woman jailed on suspicion of a double murder tried to get fellow inmates to kill a key witness in the case, according to police.

Police at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office originally arrested Fatima Garcia Avila, 21, following murders in Dover and Thonotosassa, near Tampa, in July 2022.

She was apprehended alongside Daniel Negrete, 27, who is also suspected of being involved in the double murders. Negrete and Avila were arrested in August.

According to CBS12, police said a witness came forward months after the arrest and claimed Avila asked inmates at the Falkenburg Road Jail to kill a key witness.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, March 28, an HCSO spokesperson said Avila had been charged once again.

The statement read: "A murder suspect is facing a new charge after attempting to solicit several inmates within the Falkenburg Road Jail to kill a prime witness in her homicide case."

The spokesperson added: "This is a woman who has no regard for life other than her own, and she continues to prove that even behind bars.

"I commend the work of the detention deputies and staff for being attentive, alert, and stopping another potential murder."

Avila was later placed under further restrictions to protect the witnesses and the integrity of the investigation.

According to Florida government statistics, there were 1,462 homicides across the state in 2021. When adjusted for population, there was a homicide rate of 7.3 per 100,000 people in Florida that year.

Newsweek has contacted the HCSO for comment via email.

Last year, a Florida woman was convicted after she plotted to hire a hitman to kill her ex-husband.

Gretchen Buselli from Tallahassee was found guilty on August 12 of the use of an interstate commerce facility in the commission of murder-for-hire and making a false statement to a federal officer.

Evidence presented at the trial showed Buselli sent messages via an encrypted mobile app, in order to "solicit the murder of her estranged husband." But the person who Buselli solicited to carry out the murder reported the request to law enforcement.

An undercover agent then stood in as the acquaintance and spoke with Buselli about the plot, which in turn led to the arrest.

When Buselli spoke with the FBI agent, she ultimately negotiated a downpayment of $5,000 in order to carry out the murder.