Former Hackett Resident Arrested for Conspiracy to Commit Murder

Former Hackett resident, Mary Byers-Diaz was arrested on Friday, September 6, after allegedly offering money to the family’s contract laborer to kill her husband.

In a statement released from the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office that employee felt “pressured into killing Dr. Lawrence Diaz,” the husband of Mary Diaz. Additionally, that she “mentioned on several occasions that she wanted her husband dead and offered to compensate the cooperating individual for completing the act of murder.”

Investigators with the SCSO and Barling Police Department conducted an operation in which the cooperating individual recorded a conversation with Mary Diaz. In that recording, according to the SCSO, Mary Diaz assisted in coming up with a plan to murder her husband. Additionally, that she provided a payment of property in exchange for the act, and a promise of more property when the act was complete.

Following that operation, a warrant for conspiracy to commit capital murder was obtained through the Sebastian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and was served on Friday, September 6.

Assisting with the investigation was the Van Buren Police Department, Veterans Administration Police Department, and the Barling Police Department.

Mary Diaz is currently awaiting arraignment in the Sebastian County Adult Detention Center on a $200,000.00 cash only bond.