Texas Woman Convicted in Keithville Murder for Hire Scheme

A Caddo District Court jury deliberated slightly more than an hour and a half before finding a San Antonio woman guilty of all five counts against her for the 2010 murder-for-hire of her stepfather.  

57-year-old Linda Kate Passaniti was on trial for her part in the July, 2010, murder of her step-father, Ernest Luttrell.  Prosecutors say Passaniti was the mastermind behind a plot to gain control over Luttrell's money.

Specifically, she's been found guilty on one count each of principal to second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, principal to forgery of Power of Attorney over Luttrell's health care, principal to forgery of Power of Attorney over Luttrell's finances, and principal to forgery of Luttrell's Last Will and Testament.

Her mother, Loretta Luttrell, was previously charged in the case but, last year, she was found to be unfit to stand trial.  Two other co-conspirators in the case have already pled guilty for their parts in the scheme.  Tina VanMoerkeque, who was the Luttrell's housekeeper, has admitted that she hired Erick Crain to kill Ernest Luttrell for $1000 and Crain has admitted that he did it.

Caddo District Court Judge John Mosely has scheduled Passaniti's sentencing for 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 16th.  She could be spending the rest of her life behind prison bars.