Alabama mother Jaclyn Skuce receives life without parole for orchestrating her child’s father’s murder via fake social media just hours before a custody hearing, exposing family courts’ deadly failures.
Story Highlights
- Skuce, 43, hired hitman Logan Delp for $30,000 to kill Anthony Larry Sheppard on July 24, 2020, preventing his custody gains.
- Convicted on three capital murder counts; sentenced early May 2026 in Morgan County, Alabama, after trial began April 26.
- Delp and three co-conspirators charged; Delp got life in October 2025, one pled guilty, two await trial.
- Plot uncovered through digital forensics on fake Facebook profile, underscoring social media’s role in crime.
- Child now in uncertain custody, highlighting broken family systems harming innocents amid parental disputes.
The Murder Plot Unravels
Jaclyn Skuce created a fake Facebook profile to hire Logan Delp, a Hartselle resident, offering $30,000 to eliminate Anthony Larry Sheppard. Delp shot Sheppard multiple times in his home on July 24, 2020. Police discovered the body during a welfare check after Sheppard missed a crucial custody hearing. Aaron Howard acted as lookout, LaJuhn Smart drove, and Angela Stolz provided support. Skuce aimed to block Sheppard’s visitation rights expansion.
Custody Dispute Turns Deadly
Pre-2020 tensions escalated as Skuce alleged Sheppard abused their daughter, fueling her fear of losing custody. Sheppard positioned to gain rights at the July 24 hearing. Hours before, the hit occurred, shattering the storm door and leaving the main door ajar. Indictments followed in 2021 against Skuce and four accomplices. Alabama’s capital murder statutes demand life without parole, reflecting the state’s tough-on-crime approach that protects families from such violence.
Morgan County investigators, led by Tania Burgess, traced Facebook communications proving premeditation. Skuce admitted hiring Delp post-arrest but claimed she expected no death. Prosecutors rejected this, emphasizing her instigator role in preventing custody changes.
Trial and Sentencing Deliver Justice
Skuce’s trial started April 26, 2026, in Morgan County. The jury convicted her on murder-for-hire, murder of a witness, and shooting into an occupied dwelling. Judge sentenced her to life without parole early May 2026. DA Scott Anderson secured the verdict, underscoring the conspiracy’s scope. Delp received life in October 2025. One co-conspirator pled guilty; two cases pend.
Alabama mother sentenced to life for hiring hitman to kill her child's father over custody dispute https://t.co/k0dH1PhXyv
— Hot Talk 99.5 WRNN (@995WRNN) May 10, 2026
This case fits U.S. patterns where 10% of familial murders link to custody battles. Family courts, strained by disputes, see 20-30% involving violence threats. Social media enables a 15% rise in hitman plots per FBI data. Hartselle residents face safety fears, while the child endures trauma in likely state care. Alabama’s harsh penalties set precedent, urging national reforms to shield children from parental rage and bolster digital policing.
Sources:
Mom Used Fake Social Media to Hire Hitman to Kill Daughter’s Dad (CafeMom)
