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Trial Under Way Monday for Mystic Accused of Orchestrating Arlington Couple's 2012 Murders

Victims paid suspect thousands to continue providing spells and other spiritual services to save their family business

A trial is now underway for the woman accused of orchestrating the 2012 murders of an elderly Arlington couple.

Tarrant County Sheriff's Department
Dephne Wright

Dephne Wright has been indicted on 10 separate counts for the deaths of 72-year-old Long Nguyen and his wife, 63-year-old Huong Ly. 

According to authorities, the victims' son-in-law first contacted Wright, who claims to be a mystic, about removing a curse from their family's struggling sewing business.

During opening arguments Monday morning, prosecutors said the couple paid Wright thousands to continue providing spells and other spiritual services in hopes of turning things around.

When they were no longer able to pay her, they continued to use Wright's services on credit -- and reportedly amassed a debt that soared to $280,000.

It was when Wright came looking for the money, prosecutors allege, that she began hatching a plot to kill them.

She had learned, they told jurors, that Nguyen and Ly had taken out two life insurance policies, with a payout of nearly $1 million -- and thought "that's how she's going to get paid."

Prosecutors said the evidence will show she conspired with a man named Bobby Guillory, who was dating a friend of her's at the time, to break into the couple's East Arlington apartment and kill them -- all in exchange for money.

Guillory took his then 16-year-old nephew Willie with him to Arlington -- and together, authorities said, they carried out the deed.

Nguyen and Ly were found beaten, bound, and suffocated inside their home on June 10, 2012.

Prosecutors said Wright provided the men with a key to the couple's apartment -- and they were there waiting for them when the pair returned home from a birthday party.

The case went cold for several years until police were able to link DNA evidence from the scene to Willie Guillory.

Not long after he was arrested, police charged Bobby Guillory โ€” and ultimately Wright โ€” for the murders.

Bobby Guillory was convicted and sentenced to life in prison last fall.

Willie Guillory is expected to testify as part of a deal to reduce his murder charge to an aggravated robbery charge.

Wright has pleaded not guilty to all charges against her.

Her defense team told jurors there is no evidence that connects her to the murder scene.

And they suggested the couple's son-in-law -- who has agreed to testify in exchange for immunity -- was involved in plotting the hit. 

They noted that he is the listed beneficiary of the couple's insurance policies -- and even hinted that his mother-in-law, Ly, may have been in on the plan, desperate to pay off their debts and save the family's business.

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