Florida Mother with Schizophrenia Escapes Prison Sentence in Disturbing Hitman Plot
A young Florida mother diagnosed with schizophrenia will not serve jail time after attempting to hire a hitman to murder her three-year-old son. Jazmin Paez, aged 20, was sentenced to probation on Monday after pleading guilty to offering $3,000 through a parody website in 2023 to have her child killed.
Detailed Plot Uncovered Through Parody Website
Paez was arrested after visiting RentAHitman.com and submitting a detailed form requesting a killer to eliminate her toddler within days. The then-18-year-old provided photographs and an address of where her son would be located, along with specific instructions. Police reports indicate she wrote that she wanted her son murdered 'to get something done once and for all' and requested he 'be taken away, far, far, far away and possibly be killed but ASAP.'
Her inquiry was immediately flagged to law enforcement by Robert Innes, the website's owner. Innes originally created the webpage years ago to promote an IT business but maintained it after realizing it could help apprehend criminals. Despite receiving hundreds of similar solicitations daily, Innes told NBC6 Miami that Paez's submission stood out due to its alarming specificity.
'The ability to research names and addresses and verify the intended target lived at a particular address—that to me is a red flag,' Innes explained. 'If that information is corroborated, that is something that needs to be looked at, and that’s why I referred it.'
Police Investigation and Arrest
After learning about Paez's online request, investigators contacted her while posing as the hired killer. Following this communication, they arrested her and matched the IP address to her residence. The toddler's grandmother confirmed to authorities that the child was indeed the intended target. Reports indicate the child, whom Paez had when she was 15, was living with his grandmother at the time.
Paez was initially released from jail on a $15,000 bond after her arrest. Her father publicly defended her, stating, 'My daughter is not a monster. My daughter is a little girl who was born with health problems. She has liquid retained in her neck. She's had 12 surgeries, she lost the ability to move her face. She's been bullied in school, they called her "the monster."'
Guilty Plea and Sentencing Outcome
On Monday, Paez pleaded guilty to charges including soliciting first-degree murder, unlawful use of a communications device, and tampering with evidence. In exchange, prosecutors offered a withhold of adjudication, meaning Paez will not be legally classified as a convicted felon.
Instead of facing four decades behind bars, she received two years of community control, twelve years of reporting probation, and mandatory behavioral therapy until it is no longer deemed necessary. Her parental rights were terminated in dependency court, and she is prohibited from contacting her son until her probation concludes in 2040. The child has since been adopted by Paez's mother and currently resides with her father, according to attorneys cited by NBC News.
Website's Role in Multiple Criminal Cases
Innes previously informed the Daily Mail that his satirical website has led to the arrest of dozens of individuals and at least twelve convictions. Users have attempted to hire hitmen to murder friends, colleagues, and even their own children through the platform.
In addition to Paez, the site has ensnared other individuals, including a wannabe hitman who fell for its 'careers' page. In April 2023, 21-year-old Josiah Garcia, an Air National Guardsman, was charged after applying through the website to become a killer-for-hire. Furthermore, in January 2022, Wendy Wein, aged 53, was sentenced to seven to twenty-four years in prison for trying to solicit the murder of her ex-husband. She applied through the site and offered an undercover police officer $5,000 to commit the murder.
This case underscores the complex intersection of mental health issues, criminal justice, and the unintended consequences of online platforms designed for satire. The sentencing reflects judicial consideration of Paez's schizophrenia diagnosis while addressing the severity of her actions through strict probation and therapeutic requirements.
