Former Orland woman sentenced for hiring hitman to kill ex-husband

Jul. 21—A woman who investigators said previously lived in Orland was sentenced Thursday in a Sacramento federal court for attempting to hire a hitman to kill her ex-husband.

The problem, however, is that hitman never existed.

U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced on Friday that Kristy Lynn Felkins, 38, of Fallon, Nevada, was sentenced to five years in prison for a "murder for hire plot" to kill her ex-husband.

Court documents show that Felkins sent 12 bitcoin — valued at about $5,000 during that period — to a dark web hitman website known as Besa Mafia to have her ex-husband murdered.

"From February to May 2016, Felkins regularly communicated with the administrator of the site to pay and arrange for the murder of her ex-husband," federal officials said. "Felkins gave the administrator the specific location of her husband in an attempt to have him murdered."

Officials said Besa Mafia operated as a "hidden service" on the Tor network. However, the website is actually a scam. Officials said Felkins was not refunded the bitcoin she sent to the site, which is no longer in operation.

According to the criminal complaint, Felkins and her "current partner" resided in Orland from about February 2018 to December 2019, based on a review of a U.S. Postal Service Change of Address submission from Dec. 17, 2019. Officials also said that Felkins lived in Scotia, California, from February to May 2016.

"She also travelled during this time period to other cities in Northern California, including Chico, California, in the Eastern District of California," the complaint stated.

According to officials, Felkins was living in North Carolina when she was with her ex-husband.

The case against Felkins was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations as part of the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy Task Force, officials said. It consisted of agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Northern California task force is a federal entity that targets "all forms of dark web and cryptocurrency criminal activity in the Eastern District of California," officials said. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee prosecuted the case.

Seeking a hitman

Court documents show that Felkins had regular communication with the website Besa Mafia and the services it allegedly provided.

"I have found many posts, some on reddit for example, that state all hit man for hire sites are scams. Some poke fun at this specific site.... Also, the (Besa Mafia) articles really just make you look desperate ....weather it your posts or not," Felkins said according to court documents. "Any true group fighting such a thing would not include the website address. If we use a third party escrow how do I know you won't claim to have completed services when you really haven't. I can deny releasing funds but you can still claim they are owed...meaning a third party must then be involved.....How do I know you are not FBI, they do have the capability to infect ones device and trace them back to their real IP. Just being cautious."

A response from someone representing the website assured Felkins it was not a scam.

Court documents show that between March 6, 2016, and March 9, 2016, Felkins sent Besa Mafia a little more than 12 bitcoin for a hitman to kill her ex-husband and make it look like an accident. Felkins provided the home address of her ex-husband and other information, such as the time he left for work, vehicle information, and locations at which he could be located.

A representative of Besa Mafia acknowledged receipt of the payment and told Felkins "that a nearby hitman would be assigned to the job," court records state. Around March 6, 2016, Felkins was informed that the "order is sent."

On that day, the representative told Felkins that she could "travel out of the city on [the murder date], because our hitman won't leave any traces on stop, you want to be 100% that everybody knows they can't suspect you because you were in a different place at the time.. just in case someone might suspect you."

Felkins responded by saying, "The sooner the better....I won't be around next week. I know it's short notice but I will be in the airport on Monday so that's the perfect alibi...."

On March 9, 2016, Felkins told her ex-husband that she would be in San Francisco "next week," according to emails obtained by investigators.

A representative from Besa Mafia said a hitman was assigned and the killing would "be done either sunday or monday, 7 days from now." On or about the same day on March 9, 2016, the following message was sent to Felkins by the representative of Besa Mafia:

"Ok, we are all set. The job will be done on monday morning; please let us know if he goes to work with any other person in the car, that you don't want hurt, you need to tell us. Our man will wait him at the address of work, and when seeing him will shot him as soon as he gets down from the car; but if he is not alone bullets can hurt the other person as well. Our person will shot several times in chest and head and run; if there is someone important with him that does not need to be hurt please let us know, so the shooter is careful to hit only him. Take care."

Days later on March 12, 2016, Felkins asked if the hitman could make the murder appear to be a "mugging gone wrong." She was told it would cost an extra $4,000. Felkins did not appear to want to pay the additional amount, according to court documents.

On or about March 13, 2016, Felkins was told the "hit" will be done on March 16, 2016. Felkins was advised to "make sure you are in a different city and go out with several people, go shopping at mall or in public places where they have video surveillance."

When Felkins asked about the status of the "hit," she was told "the hitman is in position ... he was unable to do the shooting yesterday because he didn't saw the target."

After several attempts to get details on the status of the plot, the representative from Besa Mafia said on March 20, 2016, that the hit would require a sniper. That sniper would cost Felkins an additional $4,000. Unwilling to pay the additional amount, Felkins said she had already borrowed "to the end of my limit," according to court documents.

With no actual "hit" taking place, a representative of Besa Mafia continued to ask Felkins for additional money for a sniper. When asked why Felkins wanted her ex-husband killed, she said she does "stand to get money" from his death, but that he also allegedly "mentally, physically, sexually and emotionally abused" her.

Divorce papers filed in North Carolina confirmed that Felkins and her ex-husband received a divorce on Jan. 29, 2016 — weeks before she comminuted with Besa Mafia to have him murdered. The couple were married on or about June 19, 2004, in Butte County and resided there together until their separation on or about Nov. 8, 2014, court documents state.

"My family and friends are not people to have a lot of money, and I have already borrowed from them all they can give trying to settle things with him legally with lawyers," Felkins told the representative from Besa Mafia according to court documents. "The money I have already sent to you was the last I had to pay the lawyers for the next battle we are up against. My bank accounts are bare from running, relocating, starting over and Lawyers. Not to mention I stand to get his retirement, our house and possibly a large life insurance payout."

Because Felkins did not want to pay the additional amount for a sniper, the representative from Besa Mafia told her she could make a full payment at a later time when Felkins received the insurance money, court documents show.

"I can't wait for this to be over. I will offer 2000$ bonus to the current hitman if he gets this done tomorrow," Felkins said according to court documents.

After a continued back-and-forth conversation between Felkins and the Besa Mafia representative about her ex-husband's whereabouts, she was told the hitman could not find him, including in areas of San Francisco and Chico.

Despite signs of frustration about the lack of action on the part of the supposed hitman, Felkins agreed to continue using Besa Mafia's services. Court documents state that representatives associated with Besa Mafia continued to string her along.

A final message between Besa Mafia and Felkins was on or about April 19, 2016, with no action ever being taken.