California Woman Targeted in Mortgage Scam, Killed in Murder-for-Hire Plot

A 96-year-old California woman, Violet Evelyn Alberts, was found dead in her home in 2022, and detectives have now uncovered an elaborate murder-for-hire and reverse-mortgage scam targeting her valuable property. Four people have been arrested in connection with the case, including Pauline Macareno, who manipulated and deceitfully targeted Alberts, and two men who were involved in a scouting trip to Alberts's home just days before her death. The suspects are facing charges of murder and conspiracy to murder, and the investigation remains ongoing. The case highlights the financial exploitation and victimization of elderly individuals, with California reporting the highest number of elderly fraud victims in the country.