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Former Pastor Sentenced to 50 Years Behind Bars for Hiring Couple to Kill Wife

  • Veronica Neffinger

    Veronica Neffinger wrote her first poem at age seven and went on to study English in college, focusing on 18th century literature. When she is not listening to baseball games, enjoying the…

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  • Updated Mar 16, 2016

A former pastor has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for hiring a couple to set fire to his house and kill his wife.

Charisma News reports that Donald Lafferty, 71,  hired Brandi Hicks and her husband Christopher David Hicks to burn down his house and kill his wife in the process.

Lafferty had reportedly began a sexual relationship with Hicks after she began attending his church. He also planned on collecting the insurance money from his burned down home, according to the Kansas City Star, which also notes that Lafferty was convicted of stealing $86,000 from his mother in a separate incident.

"I think that for all the things that the defendant did, it is very appropriate," Prosecuting Attorney Russell Oliver said, according to Southeast Missourian. "Especially, that count four was consecutive to the remaining counts. I felt that was necessary, because it was a separate transaction that occurred nearly a year after counts one through three."

Publication date: March 16, 2016