SHANNON HOLLISTER, 35, of Bellingham, Washington, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Seattle today to Interstate Murder for Hire. According to the plea agreement, HOLLISTER attempted to hire a hit man from October 2004 through January 2005 to kill her ex-husband and his father. HOLLISTER was unaware the person she attempted to hire was a detective with the Clovis, New Mexico Police Department.

HOLLISTER will be sentenced October 14, 2005 by U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez. Interstate Murder for Hire is punishable by up to ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

According to the plea agreement in August 2004, HOLLISTER was living in Bovina, Texas, working at a chiropractic clinic. Staffers at the clinic joked that one of the patients knew a "hit man." HOLLISTER contacted that patient in October 2004, asking for the phone number of the patient's "friend," who would help her "take care of a problem." The patient ultimately put HOLLISTER in touch with Detective Robbie Telles of the Clovis, New Mexico Police Department. After returning to Washington State, HOLLISTER made multiple phone calls to Telles, arranging a $5,000 price for the "hit" and suggesting a possible scheme to make the deaths look accidental. She suggested a natural gas explosion at their place of business. On January 29, 2005, HOLLISTER wired $5,000 to Telles in New Mexico. HOLLISTER was arrested later that day.

The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Clovis, New Mexico Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Bruce F. Miyake prosecuted the case.

For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney's Office, Western District of Washington, at (206)553-4110.

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