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Samantha Wohlford was at the center of the murder plot that killed her husband, Ernie Ibarra, in 2015. With the help of Jose Ponse, Johnathan Sanford, and Octavious Rhymes, she planned on taking "Ibarra out of the picture" using a drug bust, which then reportedly turned into a full-fledged murder plan upon the agreement of all the parties involved.
Ernie was brutally attacked in his own home, kidnapped in the middle of the night, and ultimately killed with a gunshot to the head in a remote Camp County bayou area where authorities discovered his body. The victim was a Titus County tattoo artist and the father to Samantha's five children.
Initially, it seemed that the perpetrators had hatched a flawless plan and got away with murder, but Wohlford accidentally switched up stories in between interrogations which led the authorities directly to the murderers. Her name popped up as the mastermind and there was evidence to back up that claim. All four individuals were convicted by the end of 2017.
ID's The Murder Tapes is set to share the full story in its Season 7 Episode 2 this Wednesday, July 13, 2022, at 9 PM ET. Learn more about Samantha Wohlform, Ernie Ibarra's wife, and her role in the murderous plot ahead of the premiere.
Five facts about Samantha Wohlford and her involvement in her husband's murder plot
1) Wohlford is allegedly a victim of domestic abuse
Reports state that Ernie Ibarra and Samantha Wohlford had an abusive marriage, and the former would often attack and mistreat her. She even called the police on Ernie and had a restraining order placed on him in 2014 for this reason. She also claimed that he had attacked her.
Prosecutor David Colley further detailed the incident, saying:
"Ernie was brought in for questioning and he was ultimately arrested. As part of that arrest, an emergency magistrate’s protective order was issued against him."
2) Her overconfidence kept her from getting away with murder
It would seem Samantha Wohlford wasn't as great of an actress as she claimed to be. Switching lanes from the original plot, she tipped the authorities on the possible involvement of a man named Johnathan Sanford, whom she had met a while ago at the hospital while visiting her friend.
She stated that he could have been involved, considering the great deal of offense he took when she informed him about her abusive husband's actions. Jose Ponse and Sanford were soon arrested, and they confessed to the involvement of Wohlford and the fourth accomplice, Octavious Rhymes.
3) Wohlford was arrested days after her husband's murder
Samantha Wohlford's accomplices, Sanford, Ponse, and Rhymes, revealed her involvement in the scheme following their arrest. Moreover, the authorities retrieved cell phone data from text messages and calls that she had reportedly deleted to steer clear of any accusations. The data linked her to the three accomplices she herself incriminated, and she was arrested soon after.
4) She lent her car to the perpetrators
Samantha claimed to have lent her car to Johnathan Sanford to assist him in driving the former's friend, who was also Sanford's girlfriend at the time, back home from the hospital. It was later revealed that she had actually given the three men her car, a Chevy Equinox, as part of the murder plot. The three men even drove Wohlford and her children home that night from their drug expedition.
5) Samantha Wohlford is currently serving jail-time in Texas
Samantha was found guilty in her 2017 trial that finally led to her conviction. She was sentenced to 99 years in prison. This was to be consecutively served with the 50-year-long abduction jail-time. She remains imprisoned at the Carol Young Complex in Dickinson, Texas, till date.
Watch the full story of Samantha Wohlford and her involvement in her husband's murder plot on ID's The Murder Tapes. The episode, titled Friends Like These, is set to air on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, at 9 PM ET.
