Diana Costarakis, Fla. woman, tried to have daughter-in-law killed in murder-for-hire plot, cops say
(CBS/AP) MIDDLEBURG, Fla. - Diana Costarakis, a 70-year-old Florida woman, was arrested after soliciting an undercover detective to kill her daughter-in-law, authorities said.
Costarakis, of Middleburg, was being held without bond in the Duval County Jail on Saturday on charges of criminal solicitation and criminal conspiracy, both capital felony crimes, jail records show. She is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 31. The records did not list any attorney for her.
According to a police report from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Costarakis offered an undercover detective $5,000 on Wednesday when they first met at a Home Depot. She gave him $500 as the first payment as well as a photo of the daughter-in-law, her address, and a description of her car, the report said. Costarakis gave the detective another $1,000 on Thursday and told him her daughter-in-law wore diamonds and other expensive jewelry that could be stolen and sold, with the proceeds being used toward the final payment. The diamonds could not be traced, she told the detective, according to the report.
When asked if Costarakis wanted her daughter-in-law dead, she said, "If you don't, I will," according to the police report.
She was later taken into custody.
Costarakis told police that her daughter-in-law was a drunk and a bad mother to her 6-year-old granddaughter, the police report said.
Angela Costarakis told CBS affiliate WTEV that she had no idea her mother-in-law wanted her dead.
"She just told me three weeks ago, gave me a big old hug and said, 'I'm glad we're great friends,'" Angela Costarakis said.
She said the incident has disrupted her whole world and she feels sorry that her daughter will be the one that is affected most.
"She loves her grandmother," she said.
The police report said Diana Costarakis claimed her daughter-in-law was leaving her son and moving to Denver with her granddaughter. Angela Costarakis told another station, WJXT, that wasn't true.