Trial canceled in murder-for-hire case

By Kipp Hanley

Published: October 6, 2008

A Manassas teenager accused of conspiring with her mother to kill her father is expected to enter a plea Oct. 30.

Seventeen-year-old Jessenia Blasini, who was indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit murder for hire, malicious wounding and criminal solicitation, was scheduled for a trial starting Monday.

The trial was canceled in favor of a plea hearing. Blasini attorney George Wooditch did not return a phone call from his Alexandria office Monday.

In August, Jessenia Blasini's mother, April Dawn Blasini, 36, of 10332 Abbott Road in Manassas, and Thomas Roy Bennett, 19, of 9709 Clark Place in Manassas, were also indicted.

Manassas police said that April Blasini hired Bennett to kill her husband. Police said that Jessenia Blasini woke her father around 1 a.m. May 23 and said she heard a noise outside.

When he went outside to investigate, Bennett hit him several times on the head with a baseball bat, police said at the time. He was able to overpower Bennett and hold him until police arrived.

Initially police investigated the incident as a burglary, but later determined it was a murder-for-hire plot. The three were arrested June 4.

April Blasini was indicted on aggravated malicious wounding, conspiracy to commit murder for hire and criminal solicitation for murder for hire charges. Bennett was charged with aggravated malicious wounding, wearing a mask in public and criminal solicitation for murder for hire.

April Blasini is scheduled to stand trial Nov. 25. Bennett is scheduled to enter a plea Thursday.

Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-369-5738.