Raleigh, N.C. — A federal court on Wednesday dismissed an appeal by Michelle Theer, who was convicted of plotting to kill her Air Force officer husband a decade ago.

Theer, 41, is serving a life sentence for first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the Dec. 17, 2000, shooting death of Air Force Capt. Marty Theer.

Prosecutors said Michelle Theer had been having an affair with former Army Staff Sgt. John Diamond and that they had conspired to kill her husband. Diamond was convicted of shooting him five times.

The case gained national attention when Michelle Theer fled North Carolina and changed her name, her hairstyle and had plastic surgery in an attempt to avoid capture. U.S. marshals arrested her in Florida in August 2002.

Michelle Theer claimed that her constitutional rights were denied during her trial, but a federal court dismissed her claim.