'He is the reason why I'm in here:' Florida inmate accused of trying to have husband killed

Suspect emailed undercover detective about 'tree removal,' deputies say

POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A Florida inmate accused of operating an unlicensed weight loss clinic is now facing an additional charge for trying to hire someone to kill her husband so he wouldn't testify against her, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies said Jesusadelaida Lopez began making comments to another inmate at the Polk County Jail in August indicating that she wanted to have her husband killed and she had the money to pay for it.

Recommended Videos



The inmate reported that information to authorities and deputies asked her to give Lopez the number of an undercover detective and tell her it belonged to a hit man, according to the affidavit.

Jail phone calls, emails and a handwritten letter detail the communications between Lopez and undercover detective. When the two communicated, they referenced having a tree removed as a cover for killing Lopez's husband, deputies said.

"Can you please send me a description of the tree you want removed pic also do you want the tree removed (or) cut up and left there your (sic) going to owe me big timmme," the detective wrote, according to the report.

In a handwritten letter, Lopez asked the detective to make it look like an accident or "like a robbery gone wrong," records show.

"If it can be done ASAP that would be great. He is the reason why I'm in here, he is the main key witness," the letter reads.

[READ: Lopez's handwritten letter to an undercover detective]

Deputies said Lopez provided the detective with information about where her husband lives and what her husband looks like. She offered to pay him $2,000 to commit the crime, according to deputies. She offered to wire money to him or take money out of her inmate account to send it to him, records show.

On Tuesday, deputies said they spoke with Lopez and she admitted to placing the phone calls, sending emails and mailing a letter to the undercover detective.

[RELATED: Good Samaritan killed while unknowingly helping man hired to kill him, deputies sayTrio accused of killing wrong woman in botched murder-for-hire plot]

Lopez was arrested in 2018 for presenting herself as a registered nurse at the Drop It Like It's Hot weight loss clinic, which she owned and operated, according to a news release. Deputies said that she was performing medical procedures at the clinic without proper licensing.

In February, records show she was accused of practicing health care without a license a second time when deputies busted another weight loss clinic she owned called Jesse's Gym.

Lopez said in a jail phone call that she was scheduled to be released on Dec. 13.

Now, she's facing an additional charge of solicitation to commit first-degree murder.


Recommended Videos