Idaho woman sentenced to prison for murder-for-hire plot
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The following is a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho.
COEUR D’ALENE — Katrina “Katie” Lynn Danforth, 32, of Post Falls, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 120 months in federal prison for use of interstate commerce facilities in commission of murder for hire, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Danforth to pay a $1,000 fine and serve three years of supervised release following her prison sentence. Danforth pleaded guilty to the charge on Aug. 6, 2019.
According to court records, Danforth admitted that in October 2018 she agreed to pay a “hitman” to murder someone.
During October and November 2018, she met in person with the hitman, called him on the phone and mailed him a thank you card with a $2,500 cash down payment. The hitman was actually an undercover police officer, and Danforth was arrested.
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At the sentencing hearing, the United States played a recording of Danforth’s conversation with the hitman. Danforth could be heard describing how she wanted to make sure the man was dead and his body was found. Danforth has remained in custody since her arrest in December 2018.
This case was investigated by the North Idaho Violent Crime Task Force (NIVCTF). The NIVCTF is an FBI sponsored task force comprised of law enforcement from the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, Post Falls Police Department, Idaho Department of Correction, and Homeland Security Investigations.