Manatee County Sheriff's Office thwarts murder for hire

Manatee County Sheriff's detectives arrested Rachael Natalie Leahy Thursday and charged her with solicitation for murder.

Sheriff Brad Steube reported an investigation began Aug. 22 when the Sheriff's Office received information Leahy, 34, wanted to hire someone to kill her ex-husband, 59-year-old David Joseph Leahy, Jr., of Sarasota. Leahy is only listed as living in "south Manatee County."

In the subsequent undercover operation, Leahy is accused of hiring a Sheriff's deputy to kill her ex-husband. The deputy was offered $5,000 for the murder with Rachael Leahy having paid $2,500 of the amount. The police report said she wanted to kill her ex-husband to gain custody of their children.

Leahy was arrested without incident.