In a shocking case that reflects a collision of categories ranging from romantic to criminal, Aimee Betro, a 30-year-old woman from Wisconsin, has been found guilty of attempting to murder Sikander Ali in Birmingham, UK. This startling incident, characterized by its unusual blend of personal connections and malevolent intentions, has captivated many due to its complexities. Interestingly, Betro’s trajectory leading to this act lacked significant criminal history, with British authorities deeming her a “fairly unexceptional” individual prior to the fateful event. Her case raises significant questions surrounding motivations that might lead an individual toward contract killing.
The narrative begins to unfold on a pivotal autumn night in September 2019 when Betro was hired to assassinate Ali amidst a violent feud between families—specifically, the families of Mohammed Aslam and his son, Mohammed Nabil Nazir, who had previously been embroiled in a disturbing altercation at a shop owned by Ali’s father, Aslat Mahumad. The fallout of this confrontation created a vendetta that led Aslam and Nazir to conspire for retribution against the Mahumad family.
On September 7, 2019, armed with a 9mm handgun—a weapon that starkly symbolizes the perilous depths to which their feud had descended—Betro engaged in her ill-fated mission. As she approached Ali, dressed inconspicuously, her firearm remarkably malfunctioned, jamming instead of firing—a chance event that ultimately thwarted what could have been a tragic murder. This bizarre twist adds a dramatic layer to a scenario that might have been pulled from the pages of a crime thriller, and perhaps saved the life of the intended victim.
Prior to the shooting, Betro had taken measures to integrate herself into the lives of her co-conspirators. Having met Nazir through a dating app previously, she stayed at various locations in the UK, ostensibly to finalize plans and establish trust with him, showcasing the premeditated nature of her involvement. Witness testimony and phone records revealed that just days before the attempted murder, there were discussions around firearms, illuminating the lengths to which they had gone to plot this act.
Following the failed assassination attempt, Betro did not flee the UK immediately. Instead, she returned to the scene and fired shots at the Mahumad family residence, a decision that underscores the totality of her commitment to the mission, despite the prior failure. Subsequently, she left for the United States, joining Nazir for recreational travels across states, a marked contrast to the dark reality they had just confronted.
The investigation spanned several years and two continents, further complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, involving collaboration among international law enforcement bodies like the FBI and the UK’s National Crime Agency. Betro managed to evade capture until her eventual apprehension in Armenia, where she was extradited back to the UK to face justice.
Despite Betro’s claims of coincidence regarding her presence near the crime scene—a narrative that lacked credibility—a jury ultimately found her guilty of conspiracy to murder. This ruling reinforced the idea that her actions were neither impulsive nor accidental. The authorities maintained that her calculated preparations suggest deeply-rooted motivations, possibly linked to her relationship with Nazir rather than financial gain, although evidence to substantiate such claims remains elusive.
Co-conspirators Aslam and Nazir received sentences for their roles in orchestrating the hit on Ali, highlighting that in this case, a seemingly mundane meeting through a dating app spiraled into an international manhunt and a high-profile trial. Betro, whose sentencing is pending, leaves behind a story that reflects not only the depths of human relationships but also how entangled ones choices can lead to severe ramifications. This case remains open to interpretation as to whether it was simply bad choices that led Aimee Betro down this bleak path or a more profound psychological battle that resulted in such drastic actions.
