Two Fairhope sisters were found guilty in a murder of hire plot after being arrested last year.

A federal jury convicted Judy Owen, 61, and Mitzy Smith, 54, for conspiracy to commit murder for hire, transfer of a firearm in furtherance of a felony and murder for hire on Jan. 10, according to a news release from the United States Attorney’s Office Southern District of Alabama.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Smith and Owen conspired together and with others to hire a hitman to murder another person. The sisters’ co-defendants, Rebecca Murphy, Sandra Grimes, of Niceville, Florida, and Jessica Montgomery, previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit murder for hire. The sisters were also convicted of transferring a firearm to another person in furtherance of a felony, murder.

Smith, Owen, Grimes and Murphy all initially entered not guilty please in July 2024, according to previous reporting from Gulf Coast Media. Reporting then said the plot was aimed at Grimes’ son-in-law who they said was abusing her family members and that the sisters hired Murphy, then 36, of Foley, and a former Barnwell-area neighbor and five-time convicted felon, to have the man killed.

Murphy, who was arrested in May 2024, informed the FBI of the plot in early May, leading to the sisters' arrests.

Previous reporting says the sisters originally gave a man $10,000 to take the job, but he disappeared with the payout, ultimately leading them to recruit Murphy, according to the complaint. Murphy allegedly had Owen pay a $500 vet bill, got offered additional payment and was taken on multiple trips to Louisiana by Grimes and Owen. Federal testimony said not only were funds provided by Owen with the intention of Murphy buying heroin, to make it appear as if the man had overdosed, but also a box carrying a 9mm gun via Smith in case other measures were necessary.