First-Person: My Conversation with Murder Contract for Hire Suspect Vera Elizabeth Guthrie-Nail

January 11, 2008 by
Elena H.  
Elena H.
Elena H.
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Guthrie  |  Elizabeth I  |  Elizabeth  |  First Person  |  Motive  |  Frisco Texas

Vera Elizabeth Guthrie-Nail Arrested for Murder of Craig William Nail

It is a strange experience to have met and spent time with a person who police believe is capable of hiring someone to shoot and kill another human being. In December 2004, I met a very nice lady named (Vera) Elizabeth Guthrie-Nail at the annual
First-Person: My Conversation with Murder Contract for Hire Suspect Vera Elizabeth Guthrie-Nail
Christmas party given by my husband's employer. Yesterday, the Frisco, Texas police arrested Vera Elizabeth Guthrie-Nail, 42, for the contract for hire murder of her estranged husband Craig William Nail, formerly of Brighton New York. According to a press release on the City of Frisco website, Craig William Nail was found deceased on December 26, 2007 in his Frisco, Texas home. His girlfriend,Therisa Hofman, was also shot, but survived.

Vera Elizabeth Guthrie-Nail seemed to be a very normal wife and mother when I met her at the 2004 McAfee, Inc. Christmas party. Her husband, Craig William Nail, was a Senior IT Network Security Engineer in the company where my husband is employed. As we sat side by side, we talked of home, children and family. She told me all about her children and excused herself briefly to use her cell phone to call and check on them. She seemed to have a good relationship with her husband. We talked about her career with Mark Kay cosmetics. She had been very successful and loved the job. She was pretty, stylish and confident-a very good representation for her position with Mary Kay Cosmetics. As of this date, she is still listed as a consultant for the Carrolton/Frisco, Texas area on the Mary Kay website. The photo taken of her at the police station is nothing like she would have appeared in a picture taken at that Christmas party. She is being charged with a First Degree Felony, and her bond has been set at $100,000.00.

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This is unbelievable... I babysat for them when Kristin a toddler. I live right down the road she would pick me up, seemed so normal... She was however very protective, and now looking at it is she was little off. Hard to believe, I was in that house, bought make up from her and was part of there life... Poor baby. I wish people would get help. My heart aches for everyone in that family.
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Posted on 04/16/2009 at 7:04:32 PM

I was in the Frisco jail when Elizabeth was brought in on January 29, 2008. I was not allowed contact with her for about the first 12 hours, but could tell that she was injured when she arrived. After we were allowed to talk to each other she told me that the police had hurt her when they arrested her. She had a big bruise on her forehead and her arm and shoulder were injured. Initially she was very quiet, but eventually we talked for hours. She told me that she had nothing to do with the murder. She told me that a prominent McKinney attorney (name withheld) and some other elected officials in McKinney were responsible for his death. When I asked her why in the world would they be involved, she said they killed him to keep her from "telling things she knows about them and how corrupt they are". Then she told me that her husband was sexually abusing the youngest daughter. I find it very interesting that at least one of the men, Mark Bell, who the police suspect of doing the actua
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Posted on 03/24/2009 at 10:03:35 PM

I was in the Frisco jail on the day they re-arrested Elizabeth on the Capital Murder charges. When I first saw her she was badly beaten. The police had bruised her face and injured her arm and shoulder. I was not allowed contact with her for about the first 12 hours she was there. After that we talked for hours. Initially, she seems like a very normal,likable, stable woman who cares deeply for her daughter. But after prolonged conversation, the stories that she tells don't jibe. And she has some petty far fetched ideas about exactly what happened and who was involved. There were 2 other men arrested on this charge: the man she dated and another man named Mark Bell. who the police believe did the actual killing. Elizabeth doesn't like to talk about either of them, in fact she never mentioned the boyfriend at all. She tried to convince me that a prominent McKinney attorney and some officials in public office had something to do with the murder. She claimed that they killed her
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Posted on 03/24/2009 at 10:03:02 PM

Thanks for the update-Collin County resident-the bond amount I listed was correct at the time I wrote the article in January 2008.
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Posted on 03/14/2009 at 12:03:40 PM

for all concerned...her bond is set at 1 million dollars, not 100,000 as the first person account reads. You can view her at the Collin County Sheriff's website under "Current Inmates"
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Posted on 03/14/2009 at 9:03:46 AM

Great reporting. I can't imagine anyone I know or have met being capable of commiting murder. What an unreal experience for you.
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Posted on 02/21/2009 at 11:02:21 PM

This was very interesting. I read it sometime ago but reread it again today. You did a great job of reporting.
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Posted on 08/02/2008 at 1:08:55 PM

Great work Helena. I would likeo do an interview to you. Is that possible????
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Posted on 05/01/2008 at 2:05:06 AM

Gosh, we just never know what people have in their hearts and minds, do we? I am sure the truth, one way or the other will come out eventually. Thank you for sharing your story with us. JB
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Posted on 02/03/2008 at 4:02:47 PM

Your article caught my eye, because a dear friend was murdered in 2006. The thought of interviewing such a person overwhelms me. Your professionalism is stellar in a most delicate and difficult subject. Thank you.
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Posted on 02/02/2008 at 11:02:26 AM

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