ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK: A New York bank manager reportedly attempted to hire a torpedo for $10,000 to murder her brother-in-law who was traveling in Guyana with his family, court documents state.
Reshma Massarone, a branch manager at a credit union in New York State, allegedly used Facebook Messenger to ask an old friend, who is a cop in the mentioned Latin American country, to help her carry out the heinous act.
The name of Massarone's friend has not been disclosed in the federal complaint filed against the accused. The friend, who knew Massarone's brother-in-law, told her that he would not commit the crime himself but would instead hire a hitman to fulfill her wish.
Investigators have obtained the cellphone data and communications of WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger which showed Massarone's desperate efforts to fund and carry out the murder. She reportedly contacted her friend in a July 20 message, saying he would be a "very rich man" if he took "care of business."
Massarone swore she wouldn't cheat her friend
"I hope that when we get rid of [the victim] for you, you don't roll us over," the friend responded to the accused's text. "It's all about trust. Sweet dreams bby [sic] girl." Massarone, whose maiden name is Bhoopersaud, wrote back, "Swear on my kids."
How much did the hitman charge for the murder?
Massarone's friend asked her to deposit $2,500 for the hitman to carry out her task. Investigators obtained surveillance footage from July 21 which showed Massarone taking out the said amount of money from a bank in Orange County, New York. Additional security camera footage shows the accused completing a wire transfer at a Western Union kiosk.
She hands a cashier 25 $100 bills in the footage which totals $2500, the complaint says. It was until August 16, that Massarone allegedly continued to communicate with her friend about the alleged murder plan. "No turning back," she wrote in a July 25 message. "So delete my number before the man or anybody catch [sic]."
Massarone's friend provided security for her brother-in-law
According to The Daily Beast, the unidentified friend provided security for the accused's brother-in-law and his family whenever they visited the South American country, the complaint says.
Massarone told the officer she wanted her brother-in-law dead, and that “because of the preexisting friendship between [the officer] and [Massarone’s brother-in-law], Massarone believed that [her brother-in-law] and his wife would never expect that [the officer] would murder [the brother-in-law],” according to the complaint.
A dramatic turn of events
Massarone’s brother-in-law and his wife went to Georgetown, Guyana, on July 24, where he accused Massarone of having taken a hit out on him. He said he “learned of the hit because [the officer] had told him about it, and that the hit was supposed to take place the next day, July 25, in Guyana,” it states.
Even though Massarone's true motive for wanting to murder her brother-in-law has not been revealed, the complaint states that he told embassy officials that he and Massarone “had an ongoing civil litigation matter pending in New York.”
The hitman was waiting for the target to leave his home
The officer told Massarone that everything was set in a July 25 phone call and that he had secured a car to use for the job. Her friend then checked one final time that she only wanted the brother-in-law killed. “Just he, just he,” Massarone replied, according to a transcript included in the complaint.
The officer claimed the hitman was waiting for the brother-in-law to leave home. “We have to do it in a fast and smart way,” the officer told Massarone. “They shoot him from the road, you understand. So why I call you back, you understand, to make sure I let you know everything goes as planned and there is no turning back.”
Where is Massarone now?
Massarone is currently being held in federal prison, because she presents a danger to the community. If convicted, she faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. Massarone is due back in court on September 5 this year.
