Aimee Betro Linked To Botched Hit In UK

From Dating App to Doppelgänger: The Bizarre Tale of the Wisconsin Woman Hired for a UK Hit

A Wisconsin native, a romance application, and a bungled murder scheme unravelling across different nations. This is the account of how Aimee Betro, a graphic artist from the American Midwest, ended up as a hired assailant in a family dispute in Birmingham. Her task concluded not with a deadly bullet, but with her apprehension in Armenia and a conviction in a British court. The case unveils a strange story of vengeance, love, and a failed assassination attempt that seems more like a movie script than a true story. It prompted a global law enforcement response that spanned several international borders.

The effort to locate Betro continued for multiple years. It involved the joint work of the West Midlands Police force, Britain's National Crime Agency, and the FBI. The worldwide pandemic also created substantial setbacks for the intricate police operation. In the end, investigators found Betro in a residential building on the edge of Yerevan, Armenia's capital. Local police there took her into custody, and she was later sent back to Great Britain to be held accountable for her actions in the affair.

A Feud Begins

This unusual criminal scheme's roots can be found in a physical altercation at a clothing retailer. In July 2018, a heated fight broke out at a shop owned by Aslat Mahumad in Birmingham's Alum Rock district. During the altercation, Mohammed Nabil Nazir and his father, Mohammed Aslam, were injured. This incident sparked a bitter and intense conflict between the households. The court would later hear that this one incident started a sequence of events that would lead to a plot to kill someone, with retaliation being the obvious and primary driver for the scheme.

A Digital Connection

Aslam and Nazir, the revenge plot's designers, looked for an external person to perform their plan. Their intended killer was Aimee Betro, a U.S. woman with whom they had no previous ties. Betro, a graphic design graduate, connected with Mohammed Nabil Nazir through a dating app toward the end of 2018. The online relationship developed swiftly. They used Snapchat to communicate before deciding to meet. This digital affair would ultimately take Betro over the Atlantic, involving her in a perilous criminal venture far from her home in Wisconsin.

From Romance to Conspiracy

Betro’s role grew more serious during trips to Great Britain. Her first journey to the country was on Christmas Day of 2018. On this trip, she stayed with Nazir at an Airbnb rental in London's Kings Cross neighborhood. When their relationship shifted from a mere romance to a murder plot is not entirely known. However, the prosecution showed that this first trip established the basis for her subsequent actions. Betro informed the court she had fallen in love with Nazir. Investigators think this emotional tie, not money, was her main reason for getting involved.

The Third Trip

Following her first trip, Betro came back to Great Britain a second time. Her third and final journey commenced during August of 2019. She asserted this trip was for her 40th birthday and a boat party. Prosecutors contended her actual reason was to execute the killing. Prior to the scheduled assault, she resided in various lodgings across Birmingham, Derby, London, and Manchester. In this timeframe, she conferred with her co-conspirators, Aslam and Nazir, to settle the particulars of their lethal scheme. This activity showed a clear resolve to commit murder.

Preparing the Attack

The plotters undertook multiple actions to get ready for the assault. Three days prior to the failed shooting, they checked the firearm. Video later found on Nazir's phone footage depicted a weapon discharging and then failing, a mechanical issue that would become decisive. On September 7, 2019, the date of the assault, Betro organized her disguise and transport. She acquired a used Mercedes from an Alum Rock dealership. She adopted the name Becky Booth for the purchase to hide her real identity. These calculated moves indicated a precise and organized attempt to carry out the murder.

A Disguise and a Convoy

On the evening of the scheduled assassination, Betro travelled to the target’s address. At first, she was dressed in a sundress, a hoodie, and sandals. Later, observers saw her driving the newly bought Mercedes in formation with Aslam and Nazir. They cased Measham Grove in Yardley, the peaceful residential street where the intended victim, Sikander Ali, resided with his family. After studying the location, Betro readied herself for the encounter. She concealed her appearance with a niqab, a piece of clothing that would cover her face and identity from any onlookers.

Image Credit - BBC

The Botched Assassination

Just before 8 p.m., Sikander Ali arrived in his vehicle. Aimee Betro got out of her car, approached him directly, and lifted the 9mm pistol. She took aim at him from very close range and attempted to fire. But, as had happened during the test-firing, the firearm malfunctioned. It did not fire a round. This failure provided Ali with a vital, life-saving moment. He immediately retreated to his vehicle and quickly drove off, eluding what would have been an almost guaranteed death.

A Narrow Escape

The gun's failure to discharge was a matter of sheer luck, investigators said. Detective Chief Inspector Alastair Orencas of the West Midlands Police explained that Mr. Ali's survival was highly unlikely if the gun had functioned correctly, given the close range. The jammed firearm alone was what stopped the event from turning into a homicide case. The assault, while not successful, represented a bold and daring effort to kill. It underscored the plotters' resolve to follow through with their plan, irrespective of the danger.

A Brazen Return

After the unsuccessful try, Betro initially escaped the area. Her participation didn't stop at that point, though. Displaying remarkable tenacity, she went back to Measham Grove shortly past midnight. On this occasion, she came by taxi. Abandoning a head-on confrontation, she discharged three rounds at the house. These gunshots acted as a distinct and frightening message. Subsequently, Betro dispatched threatening texts to Aslat Mahumad, the victim's father. The messages contained taunts like, “Where are you hiding?” and “Stop playing hide and seek, you are lucky it jammed.”

The Escape to America

With the assault finished, Betro rapidly exited the country. By 1:30 p.m. the next day, she was present at the Manchester Airport, catching a flight that returned her to the U.S. Mohammed Nabil Nazir followed her several days later. In her testimony, Betro stated they hired a vehicle and started a drive to Seattle. She depicted it as a relaxed excursion, making stops at locations including an amusement park, Area 51 in the Nevada desert, as well as the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. She insisted she was unaware of the shooting incident during this entire period.

The Trial Begins

Aimee Betro was sent back to Great Britain in January of this year for legal proceedings. At her Birmingham Crown Court trial, she pleaded not guilty to all allegations. These comprised plotting to murder, carrying a self-loading pistol with the aim to provoke fear of violence, and unlawfully bringing in ammunition. While testifying, she asserted her innocence. She said to the jurors her proximity to the crime's location was just an "unfortunate coincidence." She cast herself as a casualty of events, unknowingly ensnared in matters she couldn't manage.

A Tale of a Doppelgänger

Betro offered a complex and unlikely story to counter the significant proof against her. She asserted that a different woman from America was the person responsible. This enigmatic woman, whom Nazir also allegedly knew, was behind the assault, she claimed. Betro said this lookalike, by chance, had a similar appearance, dress sense, and voice to her own. She also hinted this other person utilized an identical phone and put on the same kind of trainers. The prosecution, however, built a solid case that pointed specifically and clearly to Betro as the one who fired the weapon.

The Prosecution's Case

The prosecuting team, headed by Tom Walkling KC, made a persuasive case to the jury. They contended that vengeance was the only reason for the plot. The altercation in July 2018, which caused injuries to Aslam and Nazir, was the direct cause for them to arrange the killing of Aslat Mahumad or someone in his family. The crown asserted Betro was a knowing and energetic collaborator in this scheme. Proof indicated she had a firm and clear desire to kill even before she travelled to the United Kingdom that third time. Her conduct was not impulsive but belonged to a pre-arranged mission.

Overwhelming Evidence

Prosecutors laid out a large body of proof tying Betro to the offence. Security camera video plainly revealed her position outside the Ali family residence on the evening of September 7th. Additional video recorded her acquiring the Mercedes involved in the assault. The taxi she took to go back to the location was linked to a reservation she had made. The evidence systematically refuted her claims of innocence. Prosecutor Hannah Sidaway asserted that Betro attempted to kill a man at very close range and his survival was pure luck. The evidence was undeniable.

The Verdict

Following a trial that lasted three weeks, the jury went to deliberate. Their discussions lasted for nearly twenty-one hours. Judge Drew had permitted them to reach a majority verdict. The jury declared Aimee Betro guilty of plotting to murder with an 11-1 majority vote. They also found her guilty of the charge of having a firearm to create fear of violence by the same margin. For the third charge, importing ammunition illegally, the jury's guilty verdict was unanimous. Betro's detailed story had not swayed them.

An Unemotional Reaction

As the jury foreman announced the decisions, Aimee Betro displayed no outward signs of feeling. Wearing a purple t-shirt with her hair in space buns, she simply gazed at the jury section. She stayed composed as her conviction was confirmed. After the verdicts, guards led her out of the dock. Her calm attitude was remarked upon by courtroom observers. It seemed to be the closing scene of a drama that began with a romance app and concluded with a conviction for attempted murder.

A Dangerous Individual

Alistair Orencas, Detective Chief Inspector, characterized Betro as "extremely dangerous." He said she was highly driven to inflict the most severe injury on others. He highlighted that her actions were not an impulsive burst of insanity. Rather, it was a premeditated scheme arranged with accomplices over different nations. The detective also remarked on what he called her "difficult association with the facts." This pointed to her persistent unwillingness to take responsibility for the charges against her, even when confronted with a large amount of evidence during the trial.

Sentencing and Consequences

The individuals who planned the scheme have already received their sentences. During November 2024, Mohammed Nabil Nazir was given a 32-year prison term for his key involvement in the murder plot and associated crimes. His father, Mohammed Aslam, got a 10-year prison sentence for his contribution. Both were found guilty after a different trial held at the Birmingham Crown Court. Aimee Betro is due to receive her sentence on August 21st. Her conviction concludes a lengthy and intricate international inquiry, making sure that all main figures in the violent affair are brought to justice.