Woman pleads guilty to ‘murder-for-hire’ of her SEPTA driver boyfriend

Desiree Hicks. Credit: PPD Desiree Hicks. Credit: PPD

A woman pleaded guilty today to masterminding a murder-for-hire plot that left her SEPTA trolley driver boyfriend whom she lived with dead.

Desiree Arnett Hicks, 58, pleaded guilty today to murder in the third degree and conspiracy to commit murder.

Aaron Hayes Sr., 52, of the 7100 block of Elmwood Avenue, was shot to death on May 31, 2012 as he was leaving his house to head to work as a SEPTA bus driver just before 5 a.m.

Hayes allegedly had told Hicks he wanted her out of the house they had shared for 17 years, at which point she allegedly enlisted the aid of Miguel Gonzalez, who allegedly was the shooter.

Evidence against Hicks included the fact that immediately after his death she moved to obtain his customized van and access his bank account, reports say.

Detectives arrested Hicks and charged her with the murder in July 2012.

Gonzalez was reportedly arrested in August 2013 in Honduras by an FBI Task Force.

Courts records indicate Gonzalez is still headed to trial on murder charges.