83-year-old woman, her son charged in murder-for-hire plot

PLAINFIELD, N.H. - An 83-year-old woman and her 63-year-old son have been charged in a murder-for-hire plot involving a family member, police said Friday.

Pauline Chase and Maurice Temple were arrested Thursday and charged with conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation to commit murder and attempt to commit murder.

The two Plainfield residents were scheduled for court appearances Friday. It wasn't immediately known if they had lawyers.

Messages were left for Temple, who runs an excavating and snowplow business. A possible phone number for Chase was out of service.

According to the police complaint, both had conversations with another person about causing the death of a family member and provided about $5,000 as a down payment.

The state police crimes unit, the attorney general's office's drug task force and the Sullivan County attorney's office were involved in the investigation.

Plainfield Police Chief Paul Roberts couldn't comment when asked if a violent act had occurred, the Valley News reported.  Roberts said the case is "still fluid," and he described the investigation as "active."