Widow, 96, preparing to celebrate her birthday was killed in alleged murder-for-hire plot at her home

In 2022,  96-year-old widow  Violet Evelyn Alberts was tragically killed at her Montecito, California home in an alleged murder-for-hire plot, revealing a complex scheme of financial exploitation. 

Authorities discovered Alberts dead in her bed on May 27, 2022, with evidence of a broken window suggesting forced entry. A subsequent investigation by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office unveiled a scheme where Alberts was deceived into signing over her valuable home by a woman named Pauline Macareno, who took advantage of Alberts’ vulnerability and financial needs. 

Macareno, along with accomplices, engaged in financial elder abuse, including forging documents and establishing fraudulent entities to gain control of Alberts’ assets. Macareno has been convicted and sentenced to six years in state prison for fraud. Three other individuals, Harry Basmadjian, Henry Rostomyan, and Ricardo MartinDelCampo, were arrested in connection to the case, facing charges ranging from murder to conspiracy and solicitation of murder. 

For more information see Minyvonne Burke “Widow, 96, preparing to celebrate her birthday was killed in alleged murder-for-hire plot at her home”, Aol., March 9, 2024.

Special thanks to David S. Luber (Florida Probate Attorney) for bringing this article to my attention.