A Tennessee woman was arrested this week in an alleged murder-for-hire plot to kill a witness in the murder of her son in November 2022.

Ashley Brown, 42, was charged with soliciting first degree murder after she allegedly tried to hire a confidential informant to make the hit, telling the informant she had information about the witness’s work schedule, work place, and vehicle, according to the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office.

She further told the informant she wanted the murder to “appear to be a suicide.”

“Brown stated that if she committed the murder that she would have to leave town and it would appear as if she was guilty and by soliciting the murder from someone that had no ties to her son’s murder, the informant would not have anything to worry about,” the sheriff’s office said.

Brown’s son, 17-year-old Gavin Brown, was found dead at the Brown home in Blountville on November 4, 2022, face down in a pool of blood in the home’s entryway, Law&Crime reported, citing court documents.

According to an affidavit, detectives interviewed several people, including Ashley Brown. She told investigators that Korey Allen Barnette. Mason Scott Dubois, and a third person — all friends of her son — stopped by the house the night before the murder as she and a friend were leaving the house.

Law&Crime did not name the third person, who was the alleged target of the hit.

Police determined that the three friends went to the house to buy drugs. Barnette reportedly told investigators that he became upset with Brown, hit him with his fist, and knocked him to the floor.

“Korey stated he kicked, strangled, and stabbed Gavin,” the affidavit said. “Korey stated the knife he used to stab him belonged to Gavin. Korey advised Gavin had a knife, and he took it away from him and stabbed him two times.”

Dubois, the affidavit says, lied about what happened so he and Barnette wouldn’t be charged with murder.

Barnette has been charged with first-degree murder and especially aggravated robbery. Dubois was charged with especially aggravated robbery and accessory after the fact. Both are due in court on July 7.

It’s not clear why the witness was not charged or why Ashley Brown wanted that person dead.

Authorities said the murder-for-hire plot came to light when the informant spoke with police and agreed to wear an audio device while speaking with Ashley Brown.

She is being held on a $500,000 bond and is due in court on June 20, the sheriff’s office said.

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[Featured image: Ashley Brown/Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office]