Fourth Suspect Arrested in Murder-for-Hire Plot of 96-Year-Old Widow

The intricate scheme involved financial exploitation and fraud, leading to the tragic death of Violet Evelyn Alberts in her Montecito home.

A 96-year-old California woman, Violet Evelyn Alberts, was killed in a murder-for-hire plot as she prepared for her birthday in 2022.
Authorities have arrested a fourth person, Ricardo MartinDelCampo, in connection with the scheme that also involved financial abuse and fraud.
The investigation revealed a tangled web of financial exploitation against Alberts, culminating in her death to fraudulently obtain her property.
Pauline Macareno, a central figure in the plot, was sentenced to six years in state prison for fraud, with additional charges pending.
Investigators used old-fashioned detective work to uncover the plot, including evidence of a scouting trip to Alberts' property before the killing.