Woman Who Had Murder Record Accused Of Plot To Set Up Killing

PORTLAND - A woman who spent years trying to have a conviction for murdering a child expunged from her juvenile record has been charged with plotting a murder for hire.

Michele Shorthouse, who legally changed her name last year from Michele Dee Gates, was arrested yesterday at her home just minutes after police electronically monitored a conversation between her and an informant, authorities said.

Shorthouse, 26, was charged with using interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder for hire - a contract killing, according to Robin Montgomery, special agent in charge of the Portland FBI office.

The FBI joined Bellingham police to investigate the claim of an anonymous caller to a Bellingham Herald reporter by a man claiming he had been hired by a Portland woman to kill someone.

"The caller said he wanted to get the matter off his chest and requested the Bellingham Herald do a story to prevent the victim's murder," said Sgt. Terry West of the Bellingham Police Department.

Police tracked the caller through telephone records and learned he was a former boyfriend of Shorthouse. His name was not released.

West would not disclose how much money Shorthouse allegedly agreed to pay her ex-boyfriend, but he said the amount was "not substantial."

The FBI became involved because Shorthouse allegedly called from Oregon to Washington to hire the former boyfriend to kill the former wife of her current boyfriend, Montgomery said.

The intended victim lives in Vancouver, Wash., but her name was not released.

Shorthouse was found guilty of drowning a 4-year-old Portland girl in 1980. She was 13 at the time.

The juvenile record of Shorthouse's murder case was expunged in Multnomah County Juvenile Court in early 1991.

Shorthouse reportedly had been working as a physical therapist in the Vancouver area.