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Burka-disguised hitwoman guilty of plotting murder after botched assassination

Jurors convicted Aimee Betro of conspiracy to murder, possessing a self-loading pistol with intent to cause fear of violence, and a charge of illegally importing ammunition.

Aimee Betro

Aimee Betro disguised herself in a burka to shoot a shop owner. (Image: PA)

A woman who disguised herself in a burka in order to murder a shop owner is facing prison. US citizen Aimee Betro, 45, has been found guilty at Birmingham Crown Court of conspiracy to murder in relation to a failed assassination plot in the city in September 2019. Jurors deliberated for almost 21 hours before convicting Aimee Betro of conspiracy to murder, possessing a self-loading pistol with intent to cause fear of violence, and a charge of illegally importing ammunition.

Betro, wearing a purple T-shirt and with her hair in space buns, showed no obvious reaction and stared towards the jury bench as the verdicts were returned. She was found guilty by a majority 11-1 verdict on the conspiracy to murder and firearm charges, and by a unanimous verdict on the ammunition charge.

Aimee Betro

Betro, a US citizen, was found guilty of conspiracy to murder. (Image: PA)

Betro, who is originally from West Allis in Wisconsin but spent several years in Armenia before her arrest in January this year, will be sentenced on Thursday, August 21.

Defence barrister Paul Lewis KC said he was not asking for pre-sentence reports as they would not assist the court.

Judge Simon Drew KC told the court: “I suspect Miss Betro would like to know the outcome of this case and there is nothing worse than sitting waiting.”

Betro also showed no emotion as she was remanded in custody and led away to the cells.

Detective Chief Inspector Alastair Orencas from West Midlands Police’s major crime unit called the woman “a fairly unexception individual” not known to police anywhere.

He said: “[She was] a fairly unexceptional individual. On the face of it, a normal-looking individual [but] prepared to do an outrageous, audacious and persistent murder.”

Orencas added that there would’ve been little chance of survival if the firearm had gone off. He said: “It was absolute pure chance this didn’t culminate in a murder investigation.”

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