Dateline: 5 harrowing details about Jamie Faith's murder for hire plot, revisited

Dateline covered the Jamie Faith case in a thorough investigative piece called Losing Faith, giving an inside look at a murder-for-hire plot that initially stunned the Dallas community. The crime, which began as a seemingly random act of violence, ultimately revealed a complex and evil plot hatched by the victim's own wife.

Jamie Faith, a director of technology at American Airlines, was shot and killed early on the morning of October 9, 2020, while taking a stroll with Jennifer around their Oak Cliff neighborhood, accompanied by his dog. Investigation showed that Darrin Lopez, who had been Jennifer's high school boyfriend, committed the murder under the mistaken belief that Jennifer's husband was mistreating her. The case afterwards gained nationwide interest and was featured in a Dateline show.

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Here are 5 harrowing details about Jamie Faith's murder for hire plot

1. The initial crime scene and investigation

As per Dateline, Jamie Faith was shot seven times—thrice to the head, thrice to the chest, and once in the groin. At first, the law treated the incident as a random shooting. There were no initial leads, and the incident prompted local media interest.

But soon the inquiry showed inconsistencies. Surveillance footage review led police to a black Nissan Titan with a distinctive "T" sticker on the rear window, which later was traced to Darrin Lopez. The connection between Jennifer Faith and Lopez was the focal point of the emerging case.

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2. False abuse allegations

As shown in Dateline, Federal officials determined that Jennifer Faith created a fabricated narrative wherein she claimed to have been physically and s*xually assaulted by Jamie. Utilizing fake email accounts, she devised full conversations to lead Lopez to believe that she was in danger.

Lopez, an Army veteran who is disabled and has a traumatic brain injury, believed that the emails were real. According to court papers, he responded to these forged allegations, believing he was saving Jennifer from further abuse.

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3. A huge volume of communication, and use of fundraising proceeds

Dateline showed that between May 2020 and January 2021, Jennifer and Lopez exchanged quite a lot of messages. They were in constant communication before and after the killing. Jennifer also created a GoFundMe page that raised nearly $58,000, which she stated was to serve as a payment for household expenses after Jamie's death.

Instead, investigators found that the funds were deposited into Lopez's account. Jennifer paid his bills with the funds, sent him a television, and opened credit cards in her name for his access. Records confirmed that those were bought using the fundraiser donations.

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4. Cover-up attempts

Dateline depicted that after the murder, Jennifer Faith instructed Lopez to eliminate identifying features from his vehicle, including the "T" sticker, in a bid not to be seen. They also planned the deletion of text messages and other computer messages that could link them to the offense.

Despite all these, police recovered the murder weapon, a .45-caliber handgun, and other incriminating evidence when Lopez's Tennessee home was searched. These findings contributed a lot towards the eventual charges made against the two suspects.

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5. Financial motive and legal outcomes

As per Dateline, Jennifer Faith filed a claim for life insurance shortly after her husband's death for approximately $629,000. She also spoke with Lopez regarding accessing Jamie's retirement savings, which totaled hundreds of thousands of dollars. Text messages between Jennifer and Lopez discussed how the life insurance payout would be able to support a new life together.

Jennifer, in February 2022, pleaded guilty to using interstate commerce in murder-for-hire in one count. Jennifer was sentenced to life in federal prison with no parole and a $6,500 restitution and a $250,000 fine. Darrin Lopez was later sentenced to 62 years' imprisonment for murder.

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The Jennifer Faith case, which was featured on Dateline, continues to be in the spotlight due to the crime itself and the painstaking steps taken before and after the murder.

The investigation exposed a very complex web of deception, fake financial activities, and computerized records, which led to two convictions and life-altering consequences for all parties involved.

Also read: Dateline: Losing Faith - A complete timeline of the Jamie Faith murder case, revisited