A US woman who traveled to the UK to kill a man has been found guilty of conspiracy to murder after her assassination attempt failed. Aimee Betro, from West Allis in Wisconsin, was hired as a killer and flew to Britain in 2019 as part of a plot to attack a British family in Birmingham.
The 47-year-old woman targeted Sikander Ali, whose family was involved in a feud with her co-conspirators. Betro disguised herself using a niqab to hide her identity when she approached her target on Measham Grove in Yardley.
However, the assassin faced an unexpected problem during the attack, unlike the calculated killers who have managed to evade justice for years. When Betro tried to shoot Ali at point-blank range, her gun jammed at the critical moment. This mechanical failure allowed Ali to escape the scene unharmed, turning what could have been a deadly encounter into a failed murder attempt.
Court delivers guilty verdict after lengthy deliberation
Birmingham Crown Court heard the full details of the assassination plot during Betro’s trial. Jurors spent almost 21 hours deliberating before reaching their verdict. They found Betro guilty on multiple charges, including conspiracy to murder, possessing a self-loading pistol with intent to cause fear of violence, and illegally importing ammunition.
The verdicts were delivered by majority 11-person decisions on the conspiracy to murder and firearm charges. The ammunition charge received a unanimous guilty verdict from all jurors. Betro showed no obvious reaction when the verdicts were announced and stared towards the jury bench.
An American woman who tried to shoot a man dead outside his Birmingham home before fleeing the country and spending five years on the run was today facing years behind bars.
— London & UK Street News (@CrimeLdn) August 12, 2025
Aimee Betro was found guilty of conspiracy to murder, possession of a firearm. pic.twitter.com/9wYcgDD5Pl
During the court proceedings, Betro appeared wearing a purple T-shirt with her hair styled in space buns. The case highlighted the international nature of the crime, with an American citizen traveling across the Atlantic to carry out a hit in the UK. The plot involved multiple conspirators who had been engaged in an ongoing feud with Ali’s family, though the specific details of this dispute were not fully outlined in the court proceedings.
The failed assassination attempt demonstrates how even carefully planned criminal plots can be undone by simple mechanical failures, much like how many murder cases have been solved through unexpected evidence or circumstances.. Betro’s weapon malfunction saved Ali’s life and led to her eventual conviction on serious criminal charges that could result in a lengthy prison sentence.
