US woman Aimee Betro convicted of attempted UK assassination after gun jammed and victim escaped point-blank shooting
US woman Aimee Betro convicted of attempted UK assassination after gun jammed and victim escaped point-blank shooting
A US national who flew from Wisconsin to the UK to carry out a targeted killing in Birmingham has been found guilty of conspiracy to murder, after a dramatic trial revealed how her assassination attempt failed when her gun jammed.
Aimee Betro, 44, from West Allis, Wisconsin, conspired with two British men to kill a local businessman or a member of his family in a revenge-fueled plot in 2019. She was extradited to the UK after nearly five years on the run and tracked down to Armenia with help from a Daily Mail investigation.
The jury at Birmingham Crown Court found Betro guilty of conspiracy to murder, possessing a self-loading pistol with intent to cause fear of violence, and illegally importing ammunition. The verdicts came after nearly 21 hours of deliberation. She showed no emotion as the jury returned its decision.
The court heard that Betro had been recruited by Mohammed Nazir and his father Mohammed Aslam, who sought revenge against businessman Aslat Mahumad following a violent altercation at his clothing boutique in 2018. The men were previously jailed for their roles in the conspiracy.
Betro arrived in the UK in September 2019, bought a car, and lay in wait for her target Mahumad’s son, Sikander Ali outside the family’s home on Measham Grove, Yardley. Disguised in a niqab, she confronted Ali at point-blank range and pulled the trigger. The gun jammed, allowing Ali to flee in his SUV.
Later that night, Betro returned to the scene in a taxi and fired three shots through the windows of the empty home. She also sent taunting messages to Mahumad, saying, “Where are you hiding?” and “You are lucky it jammed.”
Detectives said Betro made a “poor attempt” to disguise herself. Despite wearing a niqab, she was caught on CCTV and tracked through her footwear, phone activity, and digital records.Det Ch Insp Alastair Orencas, who led the investigation, said, “Only a malfunction or rogue bullet stopped her from taking a life. It was a chillingly close call.”
He added: “Whether she underestimated British police or thought she could vanish, she was wrong. Her plan was fatally flawed.”
Despite her central role in the attack, Betro had no significant prior criminal history. Her motive remains a mystery. Prosecutor Hannah Sidaway of the Crown Prosecution Service said, “Only Betro knows what drove her what she hoped to gain from this deadly plot.”
During her trial, Betro denied being involved. She claimed to be elsewhere during both incidents and disputed having any connection to Nazir, Aslam, or the car used in the crime. The jury, however, did not accept her account.
Following the botched attack, Betro disappeared for nearly five years, living under the radar in Armenia before being located and extradited to the UK. Investigators credited the Daily Mail with a critical role in tracking her down.
Ch Insp Orencas, “but without a doubt, the Daily Mail were of great assistance. And I’ll say thank you on record.”Betro is due to be sentenced on 21 August.
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