An 18-year-old Florida woman, Jazmin Paez, along with an alleged accomplice, 18-year-old Gamaliel Soza, have been arrested for what authorities describe as a deeply disturbing and unprecedented murder-for-hire plot aimed at her own 3-year-old son.
According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Paez was taken into custody on July 18 after she submitted an unsettling request on a parody website, rentahitman.com, seeking to hire a hitman to kill her toddler. She went as far as providing the child's address and photograph, along with a safe word for the contracted killer, which was "Put me in coach."
Website Creator's Prompt Action Led To An Immediate Police Investigation
The creator of the website, which was initially intended as a joke, did not take the matter lightly. He promptly informed the Miami-Dade police, who immediately launched an investigation. An undercover police officer posed as a potential hitman and entered into a text conversation with Paez, where she agreed to pay $3,000 for the assassination of her son.
Paez faces severe charges, including first-degree solicitation of murder and unlawful use of a communications device. Her attorney was not available for comment when reached this past Wednesday. Soza, who was arrested later, is also facing serious charges, including conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and unlawful use of a communications device. Soza had been in text communication with Paez and wrote about the disturbing plan to kill the child.
A judge has set Soza's bond at $15,000 and imposed conditions prohibiting him from having contact with anyone under 18 without adult supervision. His attorney has refrained from commenting on the case at this time.
Previous Incidents Involving the Parody Website
Interestingly, the website rentahitman.com was initially created in 2005 as an advertising tool for a cybersecurity startup. However, when the business venture failed, the website was converted into a parody site. Despite this, it has attracted individuals who are earnestly seeking to engage hitmen for illegal activities.
Earlier this year, an Air National Guardsman, Josiah Ernesto Garcia, was charged with applying to be a hitman through the same site, even submitting his identification and résumé.
This harrowing incident opens a broader debate about the role of online platforms in facilitating criminal behavior. It also brings forth pressing concerns about the safety and welfare of children within their own homes, showing how easy it is for individuals with malicious intent to misuse digital resources.
As the investigation continues, both Paez and Soza could face additional charges or enhancements to the existing charges. The case has attracted the attention of legal experts, child welfare organizations, and the general public, all of whom are concerned about the disturbing implications of this event and the potential for it to set a troubling legal precedent.
Given its deeply unsettling nature, the case is expected to remain under intense scrutiny both legally and socially and is being viewed as a landmark incident in discussions about online safety and child protection.
