COLUMBUS, OH – An Ohio substitute teacher is embroiled in a shocking legal battle over allegations she conspired with a student to murder her estranged husband, law enforcement officials revealed.
Stephanie Demetrius, 44, was arrested after authorities claimed she engaged a high school student in a murder-for-hire scheme by offering the teenager $2,000 to kill her husband. This accusation surfaces amid Demetrius’s contentious divorce proceedings.
Court documents revealed that the alleged offer was made on March 26 at the Academy for Urban Scholars High School, located in Columbus. While neither the student nor the husband has been identified in reports, Demetrius purportedly paid $250 upfront to the student as a partial payment for the deed.
In a conversation reportedly captured by authorities, Demetrius reassured the student that the rest of the money would be forthcoming. She allegedly noted that the student was owed an additional $1,500 payment, further indicating her commitment to the grim plan.
The Columbus Dispatch noted Demetrius went so far as to disclose personal details about her husband’s and children’s schedules, suggesting when they would be away from home and advising how and where to carry out the proposed attack.
Further implicating herself, Demetrius allegedly dismissed concerns about neighbors overhearing gunfire, suggesting that the community would not be responsive if such an incident were to occur.
The couple’s marital strife has a documented history. They first filed for divorce in 2017, a filing that was eventually retracted. However, records show Demetrius filed again for divorce in April 2024, indicating unresolved issues.
Attempts to reach Demetrius’s husband for comment were unsuccessful, as he chose not to discuss the allegations, citing a desire to prioritize his children during this tumultuous time.
At her initial court appearance, Franklin County Judge Jessica D’Varga set Demetrius’s bond at $150,000 and ordered her to remain in custody. The judge also issued a no-contact order between Demetrius and her husband.
Demetrius is slated to make her next court appearance on April 11, where further developments in this disturbing case are expected to unfold.