$8,500 offered for tips on Brazoria County woman accused of hiring man to kill husband

BRAZORIA COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- After being on the run for more than 10 years, authorities are increasing the reward for tips that will lead them to a woman accused of hiring a man to kill her husband.

The reward for Margaret Lorrain Smith, a Texas 10 Most Wanted fugitive, has been increased to $8,500 for information leading to her arrest if tips are received this month.

Smith, 62, is wanted for capital murder. She's accused of hiring a man to kill her husband, George Smith, on Aug. 6, 2007.

According to investigators, Smith lured her husband to Surfside Beach late that night and left him sitting in the sand as the man she hired beat him to death with a metal object.

Smith and the man were indicted for capital murder that year. Her co-defendant was later convicted.

Smith has been on the run since Aug. 11, 2009, when she left Brazoria County while on bond prior to the start of her trial.

She was last seen on video that month in a San Antonio-area Walmart getting into a maroon, four-door sedan, which investigators believe was a Lincoln Continental.

In addition to the Texas Crime Stoppers reward, $5,000 is also being offered by Brazoria County Crime Stoppers.

Smith is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs about 185 pounds.

She has a mole on the bottom of her right eyelid and according to investigators, often dyes her naturally dark, curly hair or wears a wig. She also went by Margaret or Lorrain.

To be eligible for the cash rewards, you must provide information to authorities using one of the three following methods:

• Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477)

• Submit a tip through the Texas DPS website by selecting the fugitive you have information about and then clicking on the link under their picture.

• Submit a tip via Facebook by clicking the "Submit a Tip" link, located under the "About" section.

The video above is from a previous report published on May 25, 2021 when Smith was added to Texas Most Wanted fugitives' list. To read the original report, click here.