CHICAGO (AP) -- A woman who stole a rare Italian viola from a junk dealer, conspired to have him murdered and later married him has been sentenced to two years in federal prison.

Wednesday's sentence ended a strange saga that went awry when Quintella Benson and her co-conspirator hired an undercover FBI agent masquerading as a professional killer to bump off Boisie Watson.Benson, 35, pleaded guilty to federal murder conspiracy charges last August. She could have been sentenced to five years in prison but got a break from U.S. District Judge William Hart, who noted that she helped prosecutors to gather evidence against her co-conspirator, Robert Heiss.

The 274-year-old Dom Nicolo Amati viola belonged to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. It had been left on the sidewalk by one of the musicians and purchased by Watson for $90 at a flea market.

Benson, then Watson's common-law wife, admitted stealing the instrument from under Watson's bed and giving it to Heiss, who took it to a dealer for appraisal. The dealer recognized it as the symphony's and called the police.

View Comments

Benson and Heiss admitted planning to hire a hit man to kill Watson and his business partner. Benson and Watson have reconciled and are now married.

Join the Conversation
Looking for comments?
Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.