A federal jury in Florida convicted Gretchen Buselli, also known as Gretchen Yarbrough, 48, of Tallahassee of use of an interstate commerce facility in the commission of murder-for-hire and making a false statement to a federal officer.
The guilty verdict was returned Friday following a five-day trial.
Evidence introduced during the trial revealed between on or about June 17, 2021, and on or about September 16, 2021, Buselli used the U.S. mail and a facility of interstate commerce, a cellular phone, with the intent that a murder be committed in violation of the laws of the State of Florida.
Testimony revealed that Buselli communicated with an acquaintance via the U.S. mail, telephone calls, text, and an encrypted mobile application to solicit the murder of her estranged husband.
The acquaintance reported Buselli’s request to law enforcement, who then engaged an undercover agent to further the investigation.
Buselli communicated her desire to have her estranged husband killed to the undercover agent, providing a description of the intended victim, his whereabouts, and his routines.
In subsequent conversations with the undercover agent, Buselli negotiated the price for committing the murder and discussed the manner in which the act would take place, acknowledging that she would be interviewed by law enforcement thereafter.
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Buselli was later surveilled depositing the agreed upon $5,000 payment at a public park. Following her delivery of the payment, agents observed Buselli dispose of the clothing she had worn during delivery of the payment. After being advised by the undercover agent that her estranged husband had been killed, Buselli stated, thank you.
When later questioned by law enforcement, Buselli made multiple false statements denying her involvement in the plot and her desire to have her estranged husband killed.
Buselli’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 27, 2022, at 10:00 a.m., at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States Chief District Judge Mark E. Walker.
Buselli faces up to ten years’ imprisonment for the use of interstate commerce facility in the commission of murder-for-hire charge and up to five years imprisonment for making the false statement to a federal officer.
This conviction was the result of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tallahassee Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Eric Mountin and Kaitlin Weiss.
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