Providence Police Department Intelligence Unit Investigation Foils Murder-For-Hire Scheme
Providence, RI – A Providence resident has been apprehended for allegedly attempting to hire a hitman to murder the mother of a Providence Police Officer and burn her home, following a successful undercover investigation by the Providence Police Department Intelligence Unit.
Michelle Larracuente, 50, of Garfield Street in Providence is charged with soliciting another to commit murder and soliciting another to commit 1st degree arson.
On Wednesday July 22, 2015 the Providence Police Department Intelligence Unit was contacted by the Providence Fire Department Arson Squad and an investigator from the Rhode Island Department of Corrections regarding a murder-for-hire scheme involving a Providence Police Officer’s mother.
Providence Police were advised that an individual had reported being approached by a female, later identified as Larracuente, who asked the individual to seriously injure the police officer’s mother, burn down her house and vandalize another home in exchange for money. Members of the Intelligence Unit met with the individual, who provided further details regarding Larracuente’s murder-for-hire scheme.
The Providence Police subsequently used video and audio recording equipment to monitor meetings between the cooperating individual and Larracuente. Larracuente was recorded asking that the police officer’s mother get beaten so badly that she would die from her injuries. Larracuente also asked that the police officer’s mother’s house be burned down, and another house vandalized. The cooperating individual and Larracuente agreed on a price for services rendered, and that they would meet at a later date for a deposit to be made.
On Friday July 24, 2015 the cooperating individual met with Larracuente again for approximately 40 minutes, which was again video and audio recorded. During this second meeting Larracuente advised the cooperating individual on how to get into the police officer’s mother’s house to “take care of” the woman, and also provided the cooperating individual with a cash deposit.
At approximately 1415 hours on July 24, Larracuente was placed into police custody without incident. She appeared in 6th District Court this morning and was released on $100,000 bail with surety pending home confinement. She was also issued a no contact order on the individual and her residence.
Providence Police Investigators from the Intelligence and Organized Crime Unit who worked on this case are Sergeant Nick Ludovici, Detective Andres Perez, Andrew Lawton, and Peter Conley. Providence Police were also assisted by the Rhode Island Department of Corrections Special Investigations Unit.