Woman charged in murder-for-hire plot once dated cop from Lightfoot’s security detail

Bail was denied Sunday for a woman who unwittingly hired an undercover Chicago cop to execute another woman she thought was romantically involved with her ex-girlfriend — another officer who was assigned to Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s security detail.

Lissette Ortiz, 54, of Jefferson Park, was arrested Friday evening in the 4700 block of North Central Avenue and charged with a felony count of solicitation of murder for hire, according to Chicago police.

The investigation was set off Monday when Ortiz offered to hire a man to kidnap the 62-year-old woman, according to Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Jack Costello. Ortiz’s public defender Courtney Smallwood later said he was a handyman who worked in her building.

Ortiz believed the woman she was targeting had started dating her ex-girlfriend, veteran CPD Officer Marni Washington, according to Costello and a police source. Ortiz’s relationship with Washington had fizzled out by this summer, when Washington was acquitted of misdemeanor domestic battery after Ortiz accused her of abuse.

Ortiz, who told the handyman she planned to flee to Puerto Rico after the kidnapping, initially asked him to bring the woman to her so she could “take care of the rest,” Costello said. She then offered him either $5,000 to kidnap the woman or $500 and a television to introduce her to someone who would.

Costello said Ortiz made it clear she wanted the job done before Thanksgiving because she didn’t want the woman to celebrate the holiday at the home she previously shared with Washington. After offering up information about the woman, she asked the man to return to her home the following day.

The man swiftly alerted police, Costello said. When the man later told Ortiz that he’d “found a guy” to carry out the kidnapping, he was actually referring to the undercover officer.

On Wednesday, Ortiz met with the officer and asked for a handgun before formulating a new plan, Costello said. Fearing she would be identified as a suspect and hoping to set up an alibi, Ortiz now wanted the officer to kidnap the target and set her ablaze in a car.

Ortiz noted she wanted the woman to know she “was responsible for these events prior to the murder,” Costello said. When the officer asked when, exactly, she wanted the woman killed, Costello said she preferred the woman to “still be alive at the time of the car fire.”

During the taped conversation, Ortiz noted someone she had already paid to carry out the murder had run off with the retainer, Costello said. She then made plans to meet the undercover cop again on Friday so she could give him part of the $5,000 fee and provide more information about the target.

At that subsequent meeting, she committed to the plan and told the officer she was leaving the area until Sunday, according to Costello. She was then taken into custody.

Ortiz was previously convicted of theft and forgery and sentenced to two years of probation, Costello said. In addition to the new case, she faces an unrelated retail theft charge in Cook County.

Smallwood described her client as a mother of two who has worked at Oak Street in the Loop for the past six months. Ortiz contends the handyman had extorted and assaulted her, according to Smallwood, who noted Ortiz allegedly said she accused the woman targeted in the scheme of molestation.

Judge Mary C. Marubio ordered Ortiz held without bail. Her next court date was set for Monday.

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