Friday, July 16, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

GRAND JURY TRANSCRIPTS: Woman had plan to kill ex-husband

Documents reveal ex-wife's obsession with killing Henderson police officer

Florela McCorkle 38-year-old met twice with Las Vegas police investigator posing as hit man

Newly released grand jury transcripts portray a woman accused of plotting to kill her ex-husband as obsessed with carrying out the plan.

Florela McCorkle was indicted by a grand jury earlier this month on charges she planned to kill her ex-husband, Henderson police Sgt. Robert McCorkle. Transcripts of grand jury testimony were released this week.

Las Vegas police investigator Mark Walton told the grand jury he posed as a hit man and met with Florela McCorkle, 38, to discuss the plot.

"She brought out a thick envelope of all the things that she had on him, to include his police identification, his photo identification badge, she had written down his address, vehicle registration information, his girlfriend's pertinent information," Walton said of his first meeting with Florela McCorkle.

Another witness who testified before the grand jury, Brenda Lawrance, said Florela McCorkle asked her to investigate her husband. Lawrance, a former private investigator, said Florela McCorkle once faxed her Robert McCorkle's personal information, and she even mentioned having her husband scouted so his daily routines could be pinpointed.

"She stated she didn't have the money ... to hire a private investigator, and she took it into her own hands," Lawrance said. "She was doing her own investigation and she was getting his pattern down and his girlfriend's, and she mentioned his partner, whoever that was."

Florela McCorkle's defense attorney, Stephen Stein, said only one side of the case has come out so far, and he cautioned the public to keep an open mind about his client.

"No one should jump to a conclusion that someone is guilty of a crime simply because they are charged with a crime," Stein said.

Florela McCorkle was indicted by a grand jury on charges of solicitation to commit murder and attempted murder with use of a deadly weapon.

In transcripts from the grand jury proceedings, Florela McCorkle's boss, Kenneth Farmer, said he was training Florela McCorkle to be a loan officer at a mortgage business on Tenaya Way this year when he noticed she repeatedly talked about her ex-husband.

Farmer said Florela McCorkle told him she wanted her husband killed while he was working as an officer in Henderson so her daughter could benefit from insurance.

"She did want it done while he was on duty so her daughter would be provided for for the rest of her life," Farmer said.

Farmer said he tried to dismiss Florela McCorkle's talk as just that -- talk. But while talking to his business acquaintance, Lawrance, about Florela McCorkle, he said he gradually started to become concerned.

Farmer then introduced Florela McCorkle to Lawrance and the three had lunch. Lawrance told the grand jury Florela McCorkle talked openly about wanting to have her husband murdered.

"She had stated that she would have her husband killed," Lawrance said.

Lawrance contacted police. Walton then went undercover and called Florela McCorkle. The two met in June at an area restaurant.

"I told her that whoever gave her my number, that they must trust you very well," Walton said.

Gradually, Florela McCorkle warmed up to Walton, and over the course of two meetings, he said she told him she wanted her husband killed. She gave him her husband's personal information, and she said she didn't want the murder to occur anywhere other than her husband's place of work. She would pay him $10,000 for the job, and she provided $1,000 in cash.

"She was very adamant about what she wanted done," Walton said.

"You don't mind if I cut off his head, shoot him or whatever, disfigure him?" Walton said he asked her. "She goes, `No.' Then she stated, `I don't care if you shoot him in the eyes, cut off his penis and stick it in his mouth.' "