Ashley Grayson, a 35-year-old from Dallas, Texas, has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for her involvement in a murder-for-hire conspiracy. The plot, had it succeeded, would have resulted in the death of a woman from Southaven, Mississippi. Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, made the announcement regarding the sentencing.
Grayson, who operated an internet-based business, became well-known through her online activities. In 2021, she developed a conflict with a Southaven woman running a similar business. Grayson suspected this woman of creating fake online profiles to criticize her business. Despite never meeting in person, the tension between them escalated.
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In August 2022, Grayson contacted a woman from Memphis, with whom she had previously worked, to discuss a “business opportunity” in Dallas. The Memphis woman and her husband traveled to Dallas in early September 2022, where Grayson and her husband proposed a deal. Grayson offered to pay the couple to kill three individuals: the Southaven woman, her former boyfriend, and a Texas woman who had posted negatively about her on social media. Grayson valued each person’s murder at a minimum of $20,000.
On September 10, 2022, the Memphis woman recorded a call with Grayson, who confirmed her desire to have the Southaven woman killed quickly, offering an additional $5,000 if it was completed within a week. The Memphis couple then sent Grayson a photo of police lights from an unrelated Memphis incident, pretending they had attempted the murder-for-hire but failed. They demanded $10,000 from Grayson for the attempt, which she paid during another meeting in Dallas.
In July 2023, a grand jury in the Western District of Tennessee indicted Ashley Grayson and her husband, Joshua Grayson, for Use of Interstate Facility in Commission of Murder-for-Hire, a violation of 18 U.S.C. §1958. The trial took place in March 2024, resulting in Joshua’s acquittal and Ashley’s conviction. On October 31, 2024, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Ashley Grayson to 120 months in prison, the maximum sentence for this offense, followed by three years of supervised release. The federal system does not allow parole.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren highlighted the case as a modern crime where online disputes turned into real-world threats. Luckily, no physical harm occurred, though the intended victim and her family experienced significant emotional distress. Fondren credited the investigation’s proactive nature for preventing a more severe crime.
Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office noted that this case exemplifies federal law enforcement’s collaborative efforts to protect citizens. The sentence reflects the FBI and partners’ dedication to investigating violent crimes and safeguarding the public.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorneys Neal Oldham and Bryce Phillips prosecuted the case. For further information, the U.S. Attorney’s Office can be followed on Facebook and X.
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