Cops: Teacher plotted to kill wife to be with student

HARFORD COUNTY, Md. - A former Harford County, Md. teacher is accused of plotting to murder his wife to be with one of his students, reports CBS Baltimore.

Ethan Estevez is charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, a charge his lawyer vehemently denies.

If convicted, the 31-year-old Estevez, a former teacher in the Harford County school system, now faces a possible life sentence. In March, police charged him with sex abuse of a minor amidst allegations he was having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl.

"He was a teacher and this was a student in the school where he was a teacher," said Joe Cassilly, Harford County state's attorney, reports CBS Baltimore.

Now, Cassilly says there's evidence Estevez and that student were plotting to murder Estevez's wife.

Authorities reportedly found messages the 17-year-old wrote to a friend, saying, "Like it has to look like an accident because of life insurance and stuff" and they "just really need it to happen before Sunday."

Estevez's attorney says her client is shocked by all the allegations.

"My client would deny any wrongdoing, that he never conspired with anyone to commit an offense or never solicited anyone to commit such an offense," said his attorney, Karen Jones.

Estevez is free on $75,000 bond.

The conspiracy charges against Estevez will be presented to a grand jury, according to the station.

Harford County schools terminated Estevez's employment in January.