Two men in Texas were arrested after allegedly plotting the kidnapping, rape, and murder of a woman, a scheme that was meticulously planned but ultimately foiled. Dustin Adlai Yates and Brad Michael McKinney are accused of stalking and conspiring to murder the woman, referred to in court documents as Myra. The disturbing plot began after Myra ended her relationship with Yates in the fall of 2022 and blocked his attempts to contact her. Despite this, Yates persisted in reaching out through various phone numbers and email addresses.
By 2023, the harassment escalated, prompting Myra to file a family violence case with the Houston Police Department. A detective intervened, warning Yates to stop contacting her, but he ignored the directive. The situation intensified in October 2024, when Myra reported receiving multiple threatening messages. One of these messages contained a photograph of a friend’s house where Myra had once stayed, which was later confirmed by the friend to have been sent from the same phone number.
On December 1, 2024, Yates allegedly sent Myra a chilling message stating that her “expiration date was soon” and that she had a “predictable schedule and daily driving routes.” Further messages continued the disturbing tone, with one reading, “I wonder what your expiration date is” and another warning, “I’d be vigilant if I were you.”
Authorities launched an investigation and discovered that Yates had been conducting extensive background checks on Myra. He admitted to using multiple texting applications to disguise his communications and expressed a desire to make Myra feel constantly fearful. Despite these threats, Yates reportedly claimed that he had no intention of killing Myra, stating that if he had wanted to, he would have done so months earlier.
A search of Yates’ phone revealed evidence that implicated McKinney in the plot. McKinney allegedly agreed to help Yates by gathering information on Myra in exchange for monetary compensation. Yates reportedly paid McKinney $650 for his assistance and provided him with Myra’s vehicle and address details. The two men exchanged 741 text messages, discussing their plans in detail, including McKinney’s sniper experience and the types of bullets that would cause the most pain. They also debated how to initiate the attack, including pretending to be a UPS delivery driver or a pizza delivery man.
McKinney allegedly received $1,300 for his information and stood to gain an additional $15,000 if the violence was filmed. Despite his involvement, McKinney downplayed his role during questioning, claiming that he did not take Yates’ threats seriously and only gathered the information for financial gain. In one exchange, Yates mentioned a plan to take his own life after the act, to which McKinney responded, “take out some filthy people in our country and go down swinging buddy.”
Both men were arrested and are facing serious charges. The investigation revealed the chilling extent of their plans, highlighting the disturbing lengths they were willing to go to in order to carry out their plot. Fortunately, law enforcement was able to intervene before the scheme could be executed, preventing a tragic outcome.
