HANCOCK, N.H. (AP) – A 76-year-old New Hampshire grandmother and her son have been charged with offering an undercover police officer $10,000 to kill a woman by this weekend.

Constance Boldini and her son, Guido Boldini, 42, both of Hancock, were arrested Thursday afternoon. Police have not identified the intended victim, only saying her initials are M.H. They have not said why the Boldinis allegedly wanted her dead.

The Boldinis live next door to Michelle Hudon in the southwestern New Hampshire town of Hancock, population just above 1,800. Neighbors say Hudon, 36, was Guido’s on-again, off-again girlfriend.

Hudon obtained a restraining order against Guido in March 2007 alleging he was violent with her and their young son, according to WMUR-TV.

Neighbors said Hudon was planning to leave the area and take the boy, along with the two children she had from a previous relationship, with her.

Neighbor Peter Ryner said Hudon told him she wanted to sell the two-story home she had bought from the Boldinis. Ryner said she told him Guido had wanted the land back so he could sell it along with his family’s property.

The Boldinis live in a ramshackle ranch home with overturned garbage pails and rusty gas canisters strewn across the yard. Ryder said Guido was a carpenter who was often unemployed and either lived with his mother or Hudon.

No one answered the door at either home Friday afternoon.

“It’s been sad to watch this story evolve,” Ryder said.

Court papers say the Boldinis gave the undercover officer photos of the target and other information, including an address and what vehicles she drives.

Peter Heed, Cheshire County attorney, said Keene police were alerted to the alleged plot after being contacted by someone claiming to have been solicited by the Boldinis to find an assassin.

After a four-day investigation, the Boldinis met with the undercover officer Thursday. Court papers show they agreed the intended victim “would be dead by the end of the weekend.”

The Boldinis have been charged with criminal solicitation to commit murder and are being held on $250,000 cash bail each. If convicted, they could face up to 30 years in prison.

Sandy Redfield, a regular at the Italian Club, a Keene bar where Hudon used to bartend, recalled Hudon coming into work with bruises on her chest. She said Hudon told customers Guido had beat her after they fought over their son.

“She lived in fear of Guido,” Redfield, of Keene, said. a regular at the bar where Hudon used to bartend.

Redfield said Hudon came into work one day at The Italian Club, in Keene, with a bruised chest. Redfield recalled Hudon telling customers that Guido beat her after they fought over their young son.

“It was just like an up and down rollercoaster ride with her and Guido,” said Redfield, adding Hudon didn’t get along with Guido’s mother. “Whatever Guido did, his mother was behind.”

Redfield said Hudon left the bar about a year or so ago after having medical problems.

Hancock tax collector Elaine Paquette is surprised Constance is accused of being involved.

“She was always friendly,” Paquette said. “She was always pleasant.”

“We don’t have things like that going on in Hancock,” Paquette continued. “It’s a fairly quiet community.”

A hearing on the case will be held in Keene District Court on Sept. 24.

AP-ES-09-19-08 1908EDT

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