Jennifer Faith’s mug shot, via the Dallas County Sheriff’s Deparment
Update: Jennifer Faith pleaded guilty to “murder-for-hire” on Monday, Feb. 7, and will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle.
Jennifer Faith has entered into a plea deal with federal prosecutors and admitted to her part in the murder-for-hire of her late husband James Faith.
James was gunned down as the couple walked their dog around South Winnetka in October 2020. Widow Jennifer Faith begged the public and police to help find his killer. She also accepted donations and charity from the good people of Oak Cliff. But it soon came to light that she knew the shooter, Darrin Lopez of Tennessee. Police revealed last February that Jennifer Faith and Lopez exchanged hundreds of text messages a day.
Last September the feds indicted Jennifer Faith, alleging she manipulated Lopez into believing, falsely, that her husband was physically and sexually abusing her and convinced him to commit the crime.
The Advocate reported at the time that U.S. Attorney Prerak Shah accused Jennifer Faith of “preying on [Lopez’] protective instinct and his pocketbook in order to convince him to execute her husband. Jamie Faith’s brutal murder was a tragedy. His death has been a double blow to his family and friends, who had just begun to absorb the news of his murder when they were confronted with evidence of his wife’s alleged involvement. We are committed to getting justice for Jamie – and to holding both Ms. Faith and Mr. Lopez accountable for their alleged crimes.”
According to a document from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas obtained by WFAA, Jennifer Faith now plans to admit to it all.
After talking to her lawyers, “Faith has concluded that it is in her best interest to enter into this plea agreement and all its terms, rather than to proceed to trial in this case,” the document noted.
She also plans to waive her right to an appeal from her conviction and sentencing as long as it does not exceed the statutory maximum punishment.
Her attorney Toby Shook did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Lopez has been charged with murder, accused of driving about 650 miles from his Cumberland Furnace home, and is awaiting trial in Dallas County. He has pleaded not guilty.
Last November the Oak Cliff Ladies Club — a popular Facebook group — made national news when People magazine ran an article about their efforts to raise money for Jennifer Faith when she was believed the victim of a horrible trauma.
The group set up a GoFundMe fundraiser that pulled in almost $60,000.
“The Ladies Club got a meal train running too, providing two meals a day for several weeks, including a vegan Thanksgiving feast for Jennifer and her grown daughter, Amber,” People‘s Marc Peyser wrote. “Many members remotely attended the funeral, which was held in Arizona, where the Faiths lived before Texas.”
The People writer wanted to know how neighbors of Oak Cliff felt after learning that Jennifer Faith (who withdrew the funds and spent them on airline tickets for Lopez and his daughters and FedEx charges to ship him a big-screen TV, to name a couple things) was involved in the murder.
Most said they would do it again for a neighbor in need. “We’re not going to change because somebody was awful. If nothing else, our actions were a witness that people care,” Jenna Wilson told People.
