Four people are arrested for smothering a 96-year-old woman to death while she was sleeping in her Montecito mansion in murder-for-hire plot to steal her pricey home

Four people have been arrested in a murder-for-hire plot to kill an elderly woman and gain control of her sprawling California home because she “lived too long.”

Violet Evelyn Alberts, 96, was found dead in her bed in her $5 million mansion in May 2022. She had made cookies for her birthday just before she was murdered.

Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies began investigating her death when they discovered a broken window in her Montecito home.

Her body was first discovered by her caretaker. A medical examiner determined it was likely she was smothered in her sleep.

Officials said Thursday that her murder was a hit-man plot orchestrated by Pauline Macareno, 48, who had previously tried to cheat Alberts out of her home.

Harry Basmadjian, 58, Henry Rostomyan, 33, and Ricardo MartinDelCampo, 41, were also charged in connection with the murder.

“In the eyes of Pauline Macareno, Miss Alberts lived too long,” Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said. “The acceleration of her death is probably the cause of the murder.”

During the investigation, detectives discovered that MartinDelCampo and Rostomyan had made a reconnaissance trip to Albert’s house on May 24, 2022.

“This crucial discovery sheds light on the premeditated nature of the crime and underlines the perpetrators’ calculated efforts to inspect Alberts’ home and plan their cruel and reprehensible actions,” Brown said.

In June, the sheriff’s office released photos of a white Porsche Cayenne that they believed were linked to Albert’s murder.

Police said they believe the driver traveled from Los Angeles to Montecito on the night of the murder and the vehicle entered and left Albert’s property.

Macareno is currently in jail on a separate charge, Basmadjian was arrested on January 2, Rostomyan was arrested on February 27, and MartinDelCampo was arrested on March 5, 2024.

Brown said Macareno had tried to gain control of Albert’s assets in 2020 by committing financial elder abuse.

Macareno was “referred” to Alberts, who the sheriff said needed extra money after “getting older” on her savings.

‘The victim was in a financially difficult situation where she essentially had no savings left and she actually had a very valuable home that she was living in, but otherwise she had no money left,” Brown said.

‘She needed some extra money and was approached Pauline Macareno with the schedule to sell her a reverse mortgage.”

Albert’s home is located in a wealthy neighborhood known for its famous residents, including Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.

KTL reported that Alberts’ home has an estimated value of more than $5 million.

Macareno is currently serving a six-year sentence in state prison for fraud in connection with Alberts’ case.

She was convicted of using a real estate scheme to convince Alberts to transfer ownership of her home to himself.

The sheriff said Alberts was making cookies for her birthday before she died and the ingredients for those cookies were found in the table when police arrived.

Brown said Alberts was a “vibrant 96-year-old widow” and a “treasured figure” in the community.

“Violet relied on her friendships and connections within the neighborhood, which made her feel like she was part of a close-knit community,” Brown said.

“Despite the challenges with her memory and cognition, Violet’s spirit remained undaunted.”

“Her love for her home, complete with a pond full of precious koi fish she brought from Beverly Hills, reflected her appreciation for life’s simpler pleasures,” he said.

Rostomyan and MartinDelCampo are currently being held without bail in the Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Basmadjian was arrested on similar charges while in federal custody on an unrelated charge.

He then suffered a life-threatening medical emergency that left him totally incapacitated with a grim prognosis, the sheriff’s office said.

A lush enclave outside Santa Barbara, Montecito is home to some of the world’s most famous and richest people, including the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Oprah and Ellen DeGeneres.