A substitute teacher at a Columbus charter high school is facing felony charges after allegedly trying to recruit one of her students to murder her estranged husband in exchange for money.
Stephanie Demetrius, a licensed substitute teacher at the Academy for Urban Scholars High School, was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder after she reportedly offered a student $2,000 to carry out the killing, according to court documents.
Investigators say Demetrius provided the student with a $250 down payment and also detailed her husband’s work-from-home routine and the timing of their children’s absences from home—an apparent effort to help the student avoid detection.
Police reports indicate that parts of the plot were recorded, including a moment when Demetrius is allegedly heard reassuring the student that the rest of the payment would follow.
The chilling plan unraveled when the student’s mother discovered suspicious messages on her child’s phone and immediately alerted local authorities.
That tip sparked the investigation that led to Demetrius’s arrest.
According to court records, Stephanie Demetrius filed for divorce from her husband, Carlington Demetrius, in April 2024.
The couple share children, and her husband reportedly works from home.
Demetrius, who holds an active substitute teaching license in Ohio, is being represented by a public defender, who has firmly denied the allegations, claiming they are “completely fabricated.”
No trial date has been announced.
The Academy for Urban Scholars has not issued a public statement regarding Demetrius’s employment status or the school’s response to the incident.
Meanwhile, the Columbus Division of Police continues to investigate the case.
If convicted, Demetrius could face serious prison time.
The case has shocked local parents and raised concerns about student safety and screening practices for educators in Ohio’s school system.
More updates will follow as the investigation continues.
