Nicolette Beard remains in jail on a $100,000 bond. Police believed her murder-for-hire plot was so credible that they moved quickly, protecting her intended target and arresting her last night.
It was in a College Station grocery store parking lot where police say Nicolette Beard's scheme to kill the father of her child came to an end -- but not before an undercover office had proof.
"How much money was she offering?" we asked College Station Assistant Chief Brandy Norris.
"A total of $4,000, and she actually gave him $800 last night as a down payment," she said.
Money and a photo of her child's father in exchange, Norris says, for killing him. And Beard had only one request.
"To make it look like an accident, and she also commented if his current wife was hurt or killed then that would be OK too," Norris said.
It was a fast-moving operation and almost movie-esque. On Wednesday afternoon, a friend went to College Station police saying Beard had asked him to either kill her ex or find someone who would. And there was a deadline.
"They're in an ongoing custody battle, and according to the person who reported it to us, she wanted something done before they went to court tomorrow," Norris said.
Officers picked up her intended target and his wife, suggested they stay at the police department until Beard was in custody. And so for about five hours, they waited as the undercover officer met with the 33-year-old in the parking lot, recording audio of the meeting, accepting cash and likely hurting any chances she had to win child custody.
Police say Beard brought her son with her to the murder-for-hire meeting. Her friend took him inside the store while she met with the undercover officer.
Beard is now charged with solicitation of capital murder. Her family in Spring did not return our calls seeking comment.
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