Raquel Marie Sanchez

DUNCAN, Okla. — According to an affidavit filed Tuesday, a 29-year-old woman attempted to solicit the murder of her mother and stepfather in a letter that she actually asked her mother to mail.

Police say that on Nov. 25, Raquel Marie Sanchez, 29, sent a letter to a woman she shared a cell with in August while in jail on an unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia charge which detailed a $500 offer to kill Sanchez’s parents.

According to the affidavit, Sanchez asked her mother, Maria Taylor, to mail the letter for her. She was arrested Tuesday on two charges of attempted solicitation of murder in the first degree.

Taylor said her daughter was diagnosed with mental disorders in 2011.

According to an affidavit filed Tuesday, Sanchez wrote: “My parents don’t respect me and treat me as an (expletive) child. My plan is to hire someone for $500 and have them come to the door and shoot my mom and (stepfather) in the head. Are you up to the job? I need some peace in my life and someone’s got to die for the rest of us to live. Please, it’ll be easy. If not, I will find a guy.”

Investigators with the Sixth District Attorney’s Office Drug and Violent Task Force determined the recipient of the letter had met Sanchez at the jail in August and identified the handwriting as belonging to Sanchez, the report stated.

According to the report, task force investigators and deputies went to Sanchez’s residence to attempt to find her, but were unsuccessful.

The alleged targets of the plot, Sanchez’ mother and stepfather, were interviewed by investigators and shown the letter.

“Maria Taylor appeared to be startled and shocked at the content and advised … (Sanchez) has assaulted her several times,” stated the report. “She had seen the envelope before and was asked by (Sanchez) if Maria would put a stamp on the envelope and mail it for her.”

Taylor, however, told The Duncan (Okla.) Banner that while she had been attacked by her daughter once before, Sanchez had never gone through with anything malicious and prior to being diagnosed with disorders in November 2011, she lived a normal life as a college student.

“The last year, the voices have been telling her to hurt her mother, not her father, her mother,” Taylor said. “She has tried to get all the help she can and when we ask for help, she doesn’t receive any.”

Her mother said Sanchez has been to and from institutions seeking help and believes the letter is a result of her mental state.

“This is not my daughter. My daughter loved me and her dad. This is what’s going on in her mental state,” Taylor said. “Before (the diagnosis) she would have given people the shirt off her back.”

Investigators noted on their report they were concerned for the safety of the pair and were not aware if anyone else had been solicited to carry out the murder.

The family is asking the public for privacy as Sanchez’s case unfolds.

“We would appreciate if people would respect our privacy, quit calling, quit texting and quit messaging us on Facebook or contacting us in anyway,” Taylor said. “I can’t stress enough that we want people to respect our privacy.”

Christian Betancourt writes for the Duncan (Okla.) Banner.