VIRGINIA BEACH — A mother will spend 10 years in prison for trying to hire a hitman to kill co-defendants and witnesses involved in a murder her son is now spending 41 years in prison for.
Marie Leary, 44, formerly of Woodburne Drive, pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of solicitation to commit murder. Judge William R. O’Brien sentenced her to 20 years with 10 suspended, according to a news release from the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney.
She was arrested on May 27, the same day she met with an undercover detective at the Oceanfront hotel La Quinta Inn & Suites and solicited his services as a hitman, prosecutors said.
During that meeting, Marie Leary allegedly gave the detective the names of at least five people she wanted him to kill in order to protect her 20-year-old son, Marquel Leary.
During her meeting with the undercover detective, Marie Leary gave him court documents that listed the names of the co-defendants and witnesses she wanted to have killed. She also said she would provide addresses and photos of the people on the hit list, according to court documents.
When asked what she wanted to have done to the men and juvenile, she allegedly said, “A flat person can’t talk right?… and I don’t want no skeletons… or this [expletive] coming back.”
She also added that she was “trading her soul for the devil,” according to court documents.
Her search for a hitman ended in her arrest just two weeks before her son pleaded guilty to murdering 19-year-old Taiwan Simon during an attempted robbery near Chatham Square Apartments.
Marquel Leary pleaded guilty on July 11 to three counts of use of a gun in the commission of a felony, first-degree murder, aggravated malicious wounding, attempted armed robbery and conspiracy.
https://wydaily.com/2017/10/05/mother-accused-of-trying-to-pay-2500-for-hitman-in-connection-to-sons-murder-trial-nws/
Marquel Leary pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in July. On Oct. 25, he was sentenced to 76 years in prison with 35 years suspended.
