Ohio Substitute Teacher Accused of Attempting to Hire Student to Kill Her Husband for $2K

A high school student was allegedly offered $2,000 to kill her divorced husband by an Ohio instructor, who was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder, according to court filings.

Following an inquiry by the police, Stephanie Demetrius, a substitute teacher at Columbus’ Academy for Urban Scholars High School, was taken into custody on April 1. The investigation started when the student’s mother called the police after finding inappropriate communications on their phone.

According to Franklin County Municipal Court filings, Demetrius allegedly approached the unnamed student on March 26 and offered them $2,000 to carry out the murder, with a $250 down payment.

“This particular teacher was trying to groom this young person into committing murder,” Columbus Division of Police Sgt. James Fuqua stated during a press briefing. Demetrius allegedly promised the student that the remaining amount would be paid after police acquired a digital recording of the conversation.

According to the allegations, Demetrius allegedly gave logistical information regarding her estranged husband’s daily schedule, such as the fact that he works from home and the times their kids would be free. Demetrius allegedly said, “They don’t care about the neighbors,” in response to the student’s question about whether or not neighbors would hear gunfire, according to court documents.

When Demetrius appeared virtually in court, his public defender contested the charges, saying they were false.

Demetrius is a licensed substitute teacher for grades pre-K through 12th, according to documents from the Ohio State Board of Education. In April of 2024, she filed for divorce from Carlington Demetrius. In 2017, she filed for divorce, according to court records, but the case was eventually closed.

According to The Columbus Dispatch, Carlington Demetrius further complicated matters by requesting immediate custody of the couple’s children in July 2024, claiming claims of past violence and property damage. The complaint outlines allegations that Stephanie broke into his house, beat him and two of the children, and violated a protective order. In addition, he charged her of purposefully turning off the furnace in the winter and setting fire to the basement of the house.

A preliminary hearing is set for April 11 and Demetrius is currently being held till that date. According to Ohio law, conspiracy to commit murder is a first-degree felony, meaning that if found guilty, she could spend up to life in prison.