A Texas woman has been sentenced to a decade in federal prison for orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot against a Mississippi woman she had never even met, all stemming from an online business rivalry.
Ashley Grayson, 35, of Dallas, ran an internet-based business and had developed a significant online presence. In 2021, she became embroiled in a dispute with another woman who operated a similar online business in Southaven, Mississippi. Grayson suspected this woman of creating fake online profiles to criticize her and her business, fueling an intense online feud.
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The rivalry took a dangerous turn in August 2022 when Grayson contacted a woman in Memphis, with whom she had previously worked, proposing a “business opportunity.” The Memphis woman and her husband traveled to Dallas to meet with Grayson and her husband. During this meeting, Grayson offered the couple a chilling proposition: she would pay them to kill three people.
The targets included the Southaven woman, Grayson’s ex-boyfriend, and a Texas woman who had recently made negative social media posts about Grayson. Each murder carried a price tag of at least $20,000.
On September 10th, 2022, the Memphis woman recorded a phone call with Grayson, during which Grayson confirmed her desire to have the Southaven woman killed as soon as possible. She even offered a $5,000 bonus if the murder was carried out within the week.
In a surprising twist, the Memphis couple decided to deceive Grayson. They sent her a picture of police lights from an unrelated incident, claiming they had attempted to carry out the hit but were unsuccessful. They demanded $10,000 – half of the agreed-upon payment – for their “efforts.” Grayson and her husband met with the couple in Dallas and paid them the $10,000.
The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) launched an investigation, leading to the indictment of Ashley Grayson and her husband, Joshua Grayson, in July 2023. Following a week-long trial in March 2024, a jury acquitted Joshua Grayson, but found Ashley Grayson guilty of Use of Interstate Facility in Commission of Murder-for-Hire.
On October 31st, 2024, United States District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Ashley Grayson to the maximum penalty of 120 months in federal prison, plus three years of supervised release.
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“This murder-for-hire plot underscores the strength of joint federal law enforcement efforts to ensure the safety of the citizens in our community,” said Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office, Memphis Resident Agency. “This sentence demonstrates the commitment of the FBI and our partners to investigate violent crimes and root out those who seek to prey on the public.”
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