Episode 182: Tommy Carlton Murder Trial

Tommy Carlton, a registered nurse living in Osceola County, Florida, was very angry with his ex-wife, Elizabeth. The couple were involved in a bitter custody battle, and Tommy owed $85,000 in child support. In 2008, He hired a hit man to kill her, but the hit man turned out to be an undercover cop. With the help of Elizabeth, police staged a sting operation using posed photos where she appeared to be shot in the head. When the police told him his wife had been murdered, Tommy replied, “I can’t say I’m sad about it. I hated the bitch. But I had nothing to do with it.” In court, Tommy claimed he had a hearing deficit and couldn’t understand what the hit man was saying. He was found guilty of solicitation to commit first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, and sentenced to life in prison.

This episode contains an excerpt from Tommy defending himself on the stand, followed by a recording of his conversation with the police after being informed of his wife’s murder.