Jump to content

Waco Attorneys Arrested in Murder for Hire Plot


Vito Andolini

Recommended Posts

On 8/13/2020 at 12:49 PM, Liteitup said:

Indicted.

https://www.kwtx.com/2020/08/13/local-attorneys-indicted-in-alleged-murder-for-hire-plot/

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - Waco attorneys Seth Andrew Sutton, 45, and Chelsea Tijerina, 33, were indicted Thursday for criminal solicitation in an alleged murder-for-hire plot.

The two were arrested in May on warrants charging solicitation of capital murder and were later released on bond.

Sutton was a onetime Democratic candidate for McLennan County district attorney, but dropped out after the 2016 primary leaving Republican Barry Johnson unopposed.

He also defended some of the bikers arrested after the May 2015 shootout at Waco's Twin Peaks restaurant.

Sutton, an arrest warrant affidavit says, met with who turned out to be an undercover Waco police officer on May 14 and solicited the officer to murder Tijerina’s ex-husband, Marcus Daniel Beaudin, 37, who’s also a Waco attorney.

On May, 20, the affidavit says, Sutton again met with the undercover officer and “Sutton explained and exchanged ideas on the planning and execution of the murder of Marcus Beaudin.”

Sutton told the officer he would “acquire or help acquire a firearm” to be used in the killing and said he would help the undercover officer “financially to leave town after the murder,” the affidavit says.

The next day the undercover officer met with both Sutton and Tijerina “to discuss and planning and execution of the murder,” the affidavit says.

“Chelsea then provided specific information about Marcus Beaudin’s residence and how to successfully carry out the murder,” the affidavit says.

Then on May 22 Sutton provided the officer with $300 “to purchase the firearm to be used to murder Marcus Beaudin,” the affidavit says.

Woodway police arrested Beaudin, in February on a warrant charging indecency with a child.

An arrest affidavit says Beaudin is accused of “having improper sexual contact with a 10-year-old female family member on Dec. 4, 2019.

He has not been indicted and his attorney, Josh Tetens, has said he denies the allegation.

Copyright 2020 KWTX. All rights reserved.

So, the fact that he’s banging a 10 year old makes this whole thing make sense to me now. If it was my 10 year old I don’t know that Incan say I wouldn’t do the same. 

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, the fact that he’s banging a 10 year old makes this whole thing make sense to me now. If it was my 10 year old I don’t know that Incan say I wouldn’t do the same. 

I don’t think you can go that far. It could be a lot of things especially with a fucked up family like this. Do wonder where his case is at
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Updawg said:


I don’t think you can go that far. It could be a lot of things especially with a fucked up family like this. Do wonder where his case is at

Yeah, I don't know that the two issues are even related to each other. She may have had her own reasons for wanting the ex dead outside of the allegations against him. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, MaybeACoordinator said:

Like I said way back when, this whole thing has reeked of cocaine and bad decisions from the get-go. 


It’s not like you take cocaine to make “good” decisions 

 

026A0981-8A68-4B96-972B-8F3D033578BE.gif

Edited by Doc Reeves
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's sad that in this country you can be arrested for a completely fabricated allegation 

Well, in the absence of a hat with magic stones that you can look into to tell the absolute truth, the normal proximate cause requirements and resolution by motion practice or trial will have to do.
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Gatorubet said:


Well, in the absence of a hat with magic stones that you can look into to tell the absolute truth, the normal proximate cause requirements and resolution by motion practice or trial will have to do.

I'm talking about police arresting someone without probable cause

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, Wulaw Horn said:

So, the fact that he’s banging a 10 year old makes this whole thing make sense to me now. If it was my 10 year old I don’t know that Incan say I wouldn’t do the same. 

The goddamned Incans got nothing to do with it.

 

49MfMcQ.jpg

  • Like 2
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Kyrie Eleison said:


none...it’s all on video.

Any idea what the status of their cases were when she went dead? Long ways from trial? Being that it was an all warlock gang bang I'm thinking it could take a while to get to a final disposition. The prosecutor pretty much laid out their case in the press, I'm curious what sort of defense he'll have. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Grand jury returned child sexual assault indictment against the lawyer who was the target of the murder for hire plot. BUT! Not for the case originally mentioned. Nope. They got him on a totally separate one. Original case with 10 y/o family member is still being investigated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...
On 5/23/2020 at 7:15 PM, longhornmatt said:

Unless everything Hollywood has taught me is wrong, how on earth would anyone, especially a criminal defense lawyer, think the going rate for a real hit man is, “Just reimburse me the $300.00 I need to buy a gun from Academy, and we will call it good.”

Why do you think people are moving to Texas from California? No professional union labor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Interesting. At one point Jeff Kearney was Seth’s attorney, but now it’s Broden who really is a perfect choice for this type of case. Broden, by the way went HAM in those biker cases. Aggressive motions, working the medial, etc.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tend to believe people are the same wherever you go. Sure, they might have different politics or whatever, but no one area the size of Waco in America is any more or less donwright batshit insane than any other. But then Waco keeps Wacoin' on. I have it on pretty good authority -- the ex DA's entirely insane ex-wife -- that barely ten percent of the weird shit that goes on up there ever makes the papers. 

Way back in the 19th Century, Baylor had more churches per capita than anywhere else. Also more whorehouses. That sounds like legend but it's true.

The crazy is everywhere. The courthouse. Rapelor. The Bar. I am sure city hall and the county government are real peaches too. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, OneOfTheOutOfFocusGuys said:

I’ve always said that.  Waco has always been notably off its rocker.  Every time I learn some new embarrassment about Texas history, the word Waco is in the article.  

You'll be hearing from College Stations lawyers shortly. 

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Back to the top, trial starts in two weeks

https://www.kwtx.com/2023/07/28/judge-rejects-waco-attorneys-request-assist-his-own-defense-during-murder-for-hire-scheme-trial/

 

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - A visiting judge on Friday rejected Waco attorney Seth Sutton’s request to sit second chair to assist his attorney in his own defense next month at his trial on murder-for-hire charges.

Sutton, a prominent attorney who also is known for his work in civic theater, is set to stand trial Aug. 14 on a solicitation of capital murder charge.

Judge Roy Sparkman conducted a pretrial hearing in Sutton’s case Friday afternoon, which started late because Sutton, his attorney, Clint Broden, and assistant attorney generals Patrick Sloan and Matt Shawhan spent about 90 minutes behind closed doors trying to reach agreements on other pretrial discovery and motions issues.

Broden acknowledged in his motion seeking the “hybrid defense” that no other state but Georgia allows criminal defendants who are attorneys to assist their attorneys at trial. However, he asked the judge to allow it in this case, and the issue was solely within Sparkman’s discretion, despite there being no legal precedent for it in Texas.

Sloan opposed the motion, arguing a variety of reasons why the judge should deny the request. He said if granted, Sutton, while questioning witnesses, would be able to introduce “unsworn testimony” without being subject to cross-examination if he chooses not to testify.

A hybrid defense also could cause jury confusion about whether Sutton were acting as a defendant or an attorney, Sloan said, adding that it also could cause undue delays in the trial in the “inevitable” event that Sutton and Broden have a conflict during the course of the trial.

Sloan also charged that Broden and Sutton filed the motion seeking “hybrid representation” within 48 hours of the state prosecutors filing a sealed notice of extraneous offenses with which they intend to impeach Sutton.

“After reviewing what we intend to impeach him with, they filed this motion intended to allow unsworn, backdoor testimony from this defendant, and that is a corruption of the system,” Sloan said.

Broden countered that there were no “nefarious” motives for filing the motion and said he anticipates no conflicts because he and Sutton are “on the same page” as far as their defense.

“I think it’s an insult to the jury to say it would create jury confusion,” Broden said.

The attorney general’s office agreed to prosecute Sutton after the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office recused itself from the case. Likewise, Sparkman was appointed presiding judge after 19th State District Judge Thomas West recused himself.

Sparkman said he intends to call 100 potential jurors on Aug. 14 because of the notoriety of the case and the potential that panel members might know those involved in the trial. Court officials said they expect the trial to last about five days.

Broden, Sloan and Shawhan declined comment after the pretrial hearing.

Sutton, who remains free on bond and continues to practice law, is charged with trying to hire a Waco police undercover officer to kill Waco attorney Marcus Beaudin, who is charged with sexually abusing one of Sutton’s family members.

Sutton’s co-defendant in the alleged murder-for-hire plot, Beaudin’s ex-wife, Chelsea Tijerina, was killed in a motorcycle accident in Hays County in May 2021.

The undercover officer infiltrated Sutton’s Red Mouse Cult motorcycle club, and Broden alleges in pretrial motions that the officer took advantage of Sutton’s friendship and “pressed Seth to verbalize his fantasy of killing this sexual predator.”

The motion also alleges the undercover officer ignored at least three orders from Waco PD commanders to shut down his investigation of the motorcycle club and Sutton, and went “rogue,” continuing the operation without authorization.

In a notice the AG’s office filed last week alerting the defense of “potential impeachment material,” Sloane outlined the officer’s apparent refusal to terminate the investigation. The notice said that the officer was made an official “patched” member of the motorcycle club on May 13, 2020, two days after the “third and final directive to suspend the operation.”

“This was done without permission and without the knowledge of his chain of command,” Sloane’s notice states. “On Thursday, May 14, (2020) believing (the officer) to be leaving the state, defendant Sutton met with (the officer) and first mentioned killing Marcus Beaudin.”

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seth should appear in court in a variety of his community theater costumes. Like a Shakespeare outfit with those pointy shoes and funny hat. Or a Shark. Or cats. Springtime for Hitler.

Did not know his squire died in a motorcycle wreck. Could have been a deadly bike for hire.

I can’t imagine being one of his current clients. Sorry, can’t get to your will cos I’m having to prepare for my own murder trial!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 8/1/2023 at 7:41 AM, 4th and 5 said:

Sutton, who remains free on bond and continues to practice law, is charged with trying to hire a Waco police undercover officer to kill Waco attorney Marcus Beaudin, who is charged with sexually abusing one of Sutton’s family members.

Wait, I know the actual Beaudin charge ended up being for an underage victim who was not the 10 year old from the original complaint (presumed to be Tijerna’s child, perhaps Beaudin’s, such detail is intentionally left out to protect the victim), but this last article claims the other alleged victim is a Seth Sutton family member? Has this been known, or did the KWTX report get it wrong? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 8/4/2023 at 7:24 AM, Vito Andolini said:

Wait, I know the actual Beaudin charge ended up being for an underage victim who was not the 10 year old from the original complaint (presumed to be Tijerna’s child, perhaps Beaudin’s, such detail is intentionally left out to protect the victim), but this last article claims the other alleged victim is a Seth Sutton family member? Has this been known, or did the KWTX report get it wrong? 

It was Seth’s stepdaughter. I Also, bumping this thread. Now since the jury is deliberating.  Reporter Tommy Witherspoon has been live tweeting this whole thing and it was a very interesting trial.  I think the account is @TSpoonfeed

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 8/1/2023 at 7:41 AM, 4th and 5 said:

Back to the top, trial starts in two weeks

https://www.kwtx.com/2023/07/28/judge-rejects-waco-attorneys-request-assist-his-own-defense-during-murder-for-hire-scheme-trial/

 

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - A visiting judge on Friday rejected Waco attorney Seth Sutton’s request to sit second chair to assist his attorney in his own defense next month at his trial on murder-for-hire charges.

Sutton, a prominent attorney who also is known for his work in civic theater, is set to stand trial Aug. 14 on a solicitation of capital murder charge.

Judge Roy Sparkman conducted a pretrial hearing in Sutton’s case Friday afternoon, which started late because Sutton, his attorney, Clint Broden, and assistant attorney generals Patrick Sloan and Matt Shawhan spent about 90 minutes behind closed doors trying to reach agreements on other pretrial discovery and motions issues.

Broden acknowledged in his motion seeking the “hybrid defense” that no other state but Georgia allows criminal defendants who are attorneys to assist their attorneys at trial. However, he asked the judge to allow it in this case, and the issue was solely within Sparkman’s discretion, despite there being no legal precedent for it in Texas.

Sloan opposed the motion, arguing a variety of reasons why the judge should deny the request. He said if granted, Sutton, while questioning witnesses, would be able to introduce “unsworn testimony” without being subject to cross-examination if he chooses not to testify.

A hybrid defense also could cause jury confusion about whether Sutton were acting as a defendant or an attorney, Sloan said, adding that it also could cause undue delays in the trial in the “inevitable” event that Sutton and Broden have a conflict during the course of the trial.

Sloan also charged that Broden and Sutton filed the motion seeking “hybrid representation” within 48 hours of the state prosecutors filing a sealed notice of extraneous offenses with which they intend to impeach Sutton.

“After reviewing what we intend to impeach him with, they filed this motion intended to allow unsworn, backdoor testimony from this defendant, and that is a corruption of the system,” Sloan said.

Broden countered that there were no “nefarious” motives for filing the motion and said he anticipates no conflicts because he and Sutton are “on the same page” as far as their defense.

“I think it’s an insult to the jury to say it would create jury confusion,” Broden said.

The attorney general’s office agreed to prosecute Sutton after the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office recused itself from the case. Likewise, Sparkman was appointed presiding judge after 19th State District Judge Thomas West recused himself.

Sparkman said he intends to call 100 potential jurors on Aug. 14 because of the notoriety of the case and the potential that panel members might know those involved in the trial. Court officials said they expect the trial to last about five days.

Broden, Sloan and Shawhan declined comment after the pretrial hearing.

Sutton, who remains free on bond and continues to practice law, is charged with trying to hire a Waco police undercover officer to kill Waco attorney Marcus Beaudin, who is charged with sexually abusing one of Sutton’s family members.

Sutton’s co-defendant in the alleged murder-for-hire plot, Beaudin’s ex-wife, Chelsea Tijerina, was killed in a motorcycle accident in Hays County in May 2021.

The undercover officer infiltrated Sutton’s Red Mouse Cult motorcycle club, and Broden alleges in pretrial motions that the officer took advantage of Sutton’s friendship and “pressed Seth to verbalize his fantasy of killing this sexual predator.”

The motion also alleges the undercover officer ignored at least three orders from Waco PD commanders to shut down his investigation of the motorcycle club and Sutton, and went “rogue,” continuing the operation without authorization.

In a notice the AG’s office filed last week alerting the defense of “potential impeachment material,” Sloane outlined the officer’s apparent refusal to terminate the investigation. The notice said that the officer was made an official “patched” member of the motorcycle club on May 13, 2020, two days after the “third and final directive to suspend the operation.”

“This was done without permission and without the knowledge of his chain of command,” Sloane’s notice states. “On Thursday, May 14, (2020) believing (the officer) to be leaving the state, defendant Sutton met with (the officer) and first mentioned killing Marcus Beaudin.”

Creating as many appealable issues is what this is about. So not a bad play.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...