Two men from Texas are now behind bars after allegedly plotting a horrifying crime involving the kidnapping, rape, and murder of a woman, according to police in the Lone Star State. Thankfully, their sinister plans never came to fruition.
Dustin Adlai Yates and Brad Michael McKinney have been charged with stalking and murder, as per records from the Smith County Jail. The shocking details of their alleged plot began to surface after Yates was arrested for stalking in December 2024, according to court documents obtained by local media.
This story begins in the fall of 2022, when a woman referred to in court documents as Myra ended her relationship with Yates. After the breakup, she blocked his calls and emails, but Yates refused to accept it. Using multiple phone numbers with different area codes, he allegedly continued to contact her.
By 2023, Myra had had enough. She filed a family violence complaint with the Houston Police Department. A detective warned Yates to stop contacting her, but it seems he didn’t take the warning seriously.
The harassment escalated further in late 2024. Between October 31 and December 1, Myra reported receiving multiple emails from Yates, one of which even mentioned her old address. On December 1, she received a disturbing message: “Your expiration date is soon.” Yates allegedly also sent a photo of a friend’s house where she had stayed. That friend received the same image from the same phone number.
Investigators uncovered a string of chilling messages Yates had allegedly sent, including phrases like, “I’d be vigilant if I were you,” “You were a busy girl in 22,” “I wonder what your expiration date is,” and “You have a very predictable schedule and daily driving routes.”
When Yates was arrested on the stalking charge, his interviews with police revealed an even darker side to the story. He allegedly admitted to running background checks on Myra and using apps to hide his identity while texting her. Yates reportedly confessed, “I wanted Myra to be scared and looking over her shoulder.” He denied having plans to kill her, claiming that if he wanted to, he “would have done it months ago.”
As investigators dug deeper, they discovered evidence that implicated McKinney in the plot. According to the authorities, McKinney was paid by Yates to help stalk Myra and gather information about her. Yates even forwarded her vehicle and address details to McKinney, who allegedly agreed to help for money.
The two exchanged a staggering 741 text messages discussing their disturbing plan. They reportedly debated which bullets would cause the most pain, McKinney’s sniper experience, and how they could disguise themselves—posing as a UPS delivery worker or a pizza guy.
McKinney allegedly received $1,300 for his assistance and was promised an additional $15,000 for a horrific plan to film the crime. Authorities believe Yates also planned to end his own life after carrying out the attack. In one text, he told McKinney about his intention to die afterward, to which McKinney allegedly replied, “Take out some filthy people in our country and go down swinging buddy.”
On January 9, Smith County Sheriff’s deputies arrested McKinney on several warrants related to this case and others. During questioning, McKinney admitted to accepting money from Yates but downplayed his involvement, claiming he only provided information for financial gain and didn’t take Yates’ threats seriously.
Thanks to the work of law enforcement, what could have been a tragic and devastating crime was stopped in its tracks. Both men now face serious charges, and the investigation is ongoing.
