Former Harford County Teacher Accused of Sex with Student, Murder Plot

A former Harford County teacher accused of plotting to kill his wife and marry a 17-year-old student has been released from jail, and his wife has filed for divorce, according to reports.

Police say Ethan Richard Estevez, 31, of the 2600 block of Perry Drive in Churchville, met with a potential hit man, instructing him to shoot Estevez’s wife outside a Harford County restaurant then shoot Estevez in the arm to make it look like he wasn’t involved, according to ABC 2 News. The plans were laid out in emails between Estevez and his mistress—a student at the Center for Educational Opportunity in Aberdeen, where he taught—the news station reported.

After an employee at the school became concerned about Estevez’s relationship with the 17-year-old, who reportedly told people they were sexually involved, the school system began monitoring Estevez’s emails and discovered they were planning to murder his wife, according to The Baltimore Sun.

The student also informed peers she found someone who would shoot Estevez’s wife for $600, according to ABC 2 News.

Estevez was charged Aug. 8 with conspiring to commit murder in the first degree from January to March.

When the school system began investigating the sex abuse allegations in March, Estevez was put on leave, according to WBAL. In a phone call that month with the student’s mother, Estevez admitted to kissing the teen and said he loved her and wanted to marry her, The Baltimore Sun reported.

He was indicted on two fourth-degree sex abuse charges and for sex abuse of a minor on June 17.

In June, he was terminated by Harford County Public Schools, according to WJZ.

Estevez was hired in August 2012 to teach biology at the Aberdeen school, which serves students in seventh through twelfth grades who are in crisis or unsuccessful in traditional schools, according to Harford County.

Police think Estevez began a relationship with the student in September 2012, according to ABC 2 News.

Estevez’s lawyer told The Baltimore Sun he was never the 17-year-old’s teacher.

Last week, the same day he was charged with conspiring to commit murder, Estevez was released on $75,000 bail, according to WBAL, which reported the Harford County state’s attorney’s office was still working to put together the case for indictment. Estevez’s attorney told WJZ he denies any wrongdoing.

His wife, who lives in Bel Air, filed for divorce Aug. 14, according to online court records.

Credit: Screenshot of Ethan Estevez from WJZ