Undercover work stops plot to kill son-in-law

BUYING A GUN

BY MIKE WELLS ~ Southeast Missourian

An Illinois grandmother is in the Cape Girardeau County Jail after being arrested in a mall parking lot and charged with conspiring to murder her son-in-law.

Linda L. Myers, 49, of Jonesboro, Ill., was charged with conspiracy after her arrest outside Westfield Shoppingtown West Park in Cape Girardeau. Her mother, Helen A. Severs, 65, of Ullin, Ill., also is charged with conspiracy but hasn't been arrested.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Myers was attempting to buy a gun to be used to kill her son-in-law, and Severs supplied the money to purchase the gun.

On Monday, an officer phoned Myers, and she reportedly told the officer she would pay $75 to purchase a 9-millimeter handgun and use it to kill her son-in-law, Michael Ravellette, 28, of Jonesboro, because she believed he molested her 3-year-old granddaughter.

Ravellette is wanted on four warrants in Cape Girardeau County for failing to finish out a 30-day jail sentence for a drug paraphernalia conviction, but Union County, Ill., State's Attorney John Bigler said no sex-related charges are pending against Ravellette.

Ravellette was convicted July 11 in Union County for domestic battery and has a lengthy criminal record which includes driving while intoxicated and possession of marijuana.

"He is kind of a frequent flyer here," said Union County State's Attorney John Bigler.

Sting operation

Investigators said an informant had arranged a meeting between an undercover officer and Myers. She met with the undercover officer at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the mall parking lot in Cape Girardeau.

"During the transaction, Myers indicated to the officer that the son-in-law would be in the Mississippi River, along with the gun, by tonight or the following day," said highway patrol Sgt. T.G. Mills in a probable cause statement. "She also said her mother would actually do it."

The officer, who recorded the conversation, sold her a gun and then arrested her. Myers is in the Cape Girardeau County Jail on $100,000 bond.

After Myers' arrest, an undercover officer phoned Severs.

"Severs also asked the undercover officer about the use of a homemade silencer for the handgun because Ravellette lived near the courthouse and police station," Mills said. "Severs also asked the undercover officer how much he would charge to do it."

Severs was not in custody late Tuesday, but her bond has been set at $100,000. Once she is apprehended in Illinois, she can choose to waive extradition and be brought to Cape Girardeau County, Prosecutor Morley Swingle said.

However, if she chooses to fight the extradition, the process to get her from Illinois to here could take up to 90 days, he said.

Mother-in-law worries

Ravellette said Myers has been spreading the child molestation allegations about him for the last year and that she has tried repeatedly to take the child away from him and his wife, Ashley.

"I'm still pretty shocked by the whole thing," Ravellette said. "I've heard of the 'mother-in-law from hell' before, but this one is the real thing. I don't want to ever hear anyone else complain about their mother-in-law again."

Ashley Ravellette is disturbed by her mother's and grandmother's alleged plot to kill her husband and attempts to take her child.

"I'm just glad they caught them and the wheels of justice are turning," she said. "We've been dealing with this for years. I've had to keep my kids from playing outside for fear someone would kidnap them."

The Ravellettes said they hope the arrests put a stop to what they described as a year of chaos and fear.

"It's been a constant stress for over a year, with me looking over my shoulder and wondering if someone there was sent by her to kill me," Michael Ravellette said. "I'm glad they got caught and I'm glad it's finally over. Maybe we can get back to having a normal family life again."

mwells@semissourian.com

355-6611, extension 160