Jamaica Woman Plotted Killing Of Witnesses In Boyfriend's Trial

JAMAICA, QUEENS -- A Queens woman faces up to eight years in prison for her part in a plot to have a "hitman" kill multiple witnesses in her boyfriend's pending burglary trials.

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced on Wednesday that Latisha Larrymore, 33, of Jamaica, pleaded guilty earlier that week to conspiring with her boyfriend's father to allegedly hire the hitman while her boyfriend awaited trial on Rikers Island for two armed home invasion cases.

Larrymore, who pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree conspiracy, was arrested in May 2016 and has since been held without bail.

“Witness protection is a top priority for law enforcement and when we learn of plans like the one the defendant participated in we do everything in our power to stop them," Brown said.

Larrymore's boyfriend, Edward Leasure, of Jamaica, was accused of committing two armed home invasions on March 16, 2015, that caused residents to fear for their lives, according to charges in the underlying case. Leasure, then 36, was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court two days later on charges including burglary, robbery and weapons possession. He was held in jail on a $200,000 bail.

Larrymore and Leasure's father, Eddie Marcus, allegedly spent April 29, 2016, to May 12, 2016, plotting to hire a hitman to murder witnesses slated to testify in the pending home invasion trials, Brown said.

Marcus allegedly approaced a person known to the investigation and offered them money to kill several witnesses, providing their names and addresses along with a timeframe in which to kill them, according to the charges.

Brown said Larrymore later recorded conversations with the hitman where she discussed payment for the murders and how they should be carried out. She also told the person she knew someone who could sell them a gun and a silencer.

Larrymore told police when she was arrested that Leasure called her from prison, worried about the witnesses testifying. Leasure allegedly told her to meet with his father, who he said found a "lawyer" to take care of the situation, which was the code word for hitman. She also told police the hitman wanted $4,000 up front for the jobs, and she told the hitman the rest would be paid once Leasure was out of jail.

On Aug. 22, 2016, Leasure pleaded guilty to second-degree conspiracy in the conspiracy to commit murder case and to first-degree burglary in the home invasion cases. He was later sentenced to up to 24 years in prison for each, Brown said.

Larrymore is set to be sentenced on Jan. 17, 2018. She faces 6-8 years in prison, Brown said.

The case against Eddie Marcus is still pending trial.

Lead image via Patch.