From The Banner · Justin Fenton · · 1m 20s
Matthew Hightower gets 40 years for botched murder-for-hire
Matthew Hightower sentenced to 40 years after botched murder-for-hire killed Baltimore educator’s aide.
In brief
Matthew Hightower sentenced to 40 years after botched murder-for-hire killed Baltimore educator’s aide. Matthew Hightower received 40 years in prison for fatally shooting Latrina Ashburne, a Baltimore teacher’s aide, in a botched murder-for-hire scheme. Originally reported by The Banner.
Botched murder-for-hire case
Matthew Hightower, a 44-year-old from Baltimore, was sentenced to 40 years in prison for the botched murder-for-hire that killed Latrina Ashburne, a Baltimore teacher’s aide.
Case details
Ashburne, 41, was killed on May 27, 2016, when contract killers mistakenly shot her next door to a federal witness Hightower targeted for healthcare fraud information.
Hightower’s prior sentence
Hightower has already served 31 years for healthcare fraud and killing David Wutoh, and his sentence for Ashburne’s murder will be served concurrently.
Defense argument
Defense attorneys argued the sentence should leave open the possibility that Hightower would live some portion of his final years as a free man rather than dying in federal custody.
Prosecution stance
Federal prosecutors described Hightower as a businessman, hustler, and successful drug dealer who knew exactly what he was doing when hiring contract killers.
Family reaction
An unidentified member of Ashburne’s family wrote the judge that the drawn-out case was difficult but the sentence would provide some measure of closure.
The takeaway
Matthew Hightower received 40 years in prison for fatally shooting Latrina Ashburne, a Baltimore teacher’s aide, in a botched murder-for-hire scheme.
