Teresa Stone Pleads Guilty to Conspiring Husband's Murder, Could Face 10 Years behind Bars

KSHB
April 30, 2012

http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/crime/teresa-stone-pleads-guilty-in-husbands-murder

A woman admitted in court Monday to plotting her husband’s murder with their former pastor.

Teresa Stone pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

Teresa Stone’s husband, Randy Stone, was found dead March 31, 2010 in his Independence, Mo., insurance office.

Teresa Stone's voice was shaky as she answered nearly 50 questions from a judge at the Jackson County Court Annex in Independence. She eventually broke down and nearly wept as she admitted to the court she planned her husband's death.

Sentencing for Teresa Stone, 41, was scheduled for June 15. Teresa Stone faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.

The Stones’ former pastor, David Love, pleaded guilty last year to second-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison.

41 Action News sat down with Love's former Jackson County Public Defender, Molly Hastings.

"I anticipate staying in touch with him," Hastings said. "I know that he has an interest in what happens to Teresa just because he was the other part of this particular case and he would like to see how that ends up."

Hastings was in court Monday to watch Teresa Stone plea guilty. She believes her client wasn't treated with the same grace as Teresa.

In the end, Hastings does not believe Stone will avoid jail time. She predicts a full sentence of ten years.

"It became very evident that she was extremely culpable and largely responsible for what happened to Randy Stone," she said.

Hastings said there has been no contact between Teresa Stone and David Love, and no interest in contact from David.

"I really truly believed that he was not capable of this," said Hastings. "It kind of blind-sided us when we had the opportunity to take this offer and when he took it, there was always a part of me that couldn't believe he was agreeing he was guilty."

Teresa Stone's former in-laws don't think ten years is long enough.

"I think ten years is just, I think that's ridiculous. I think she should have got way more than ten years,"

John Stone, the cousin of Randy Stone, explained. "I got 16 for stealing cars. And this woman takes my cousin's life, a Christian, a good man? And they're talking ten years? I just don't understand the law."

John Stone thought Teresa's courtroom tears were an act.

"Me, myself, I faked tears myself for judge so I know how easy it is to do that," he said.

He thinks Teresa's involvement in the murder included everything but pulling the trigger.

"I personally believe she's the one that left the door unlocked, let preacher love know where the gun was at, so she a lot to do with it," Stone said.

Teresa Stone's family declined to comment on Teresa's confession.

Randy Stone's mother, who has been vocal about her son's death since the start, chose not to speak with media Monday. Instead, she told 41 Action News' Beth Vaughn on Monday that she plans to 'speak her peace' on June 15 when Stone is sentenced by a judge.