Miranda Hurst

Miranda Hurst is the main villainess from "The Scorpion and the Frog," episode 4.05 of Motive.

She was played by Stephanie Bennett.

Backstory
Three years prior to the episode's events, Miranda Hurst murdered her roommate, Brita Morris, during an argument. Brita had been borrowing several of Miranda's things (the subject of their argument), among them a pearl necklace, which she stuffed down Brita's throat during the murder. Detective Paula Mazur's testimony was key in getting Miranda convicted in her roommate's murder, which she claims was committed by a mysterious male assailant.

During her time in prison, Miranda meets psychiatrist Henry Price, who quickly became smitten with her. During a phone conversation, Miranda convinced Henry of her claim that a man killed Brita while forcing Miranda to watch, and it was at that moment that Henry decided to find a way to clear Miranda of the murder.

Events
In the episode, Price used patient Peter Carver's obsession with roller derby player Dawn Richards as part of his plan, as he met her under an assumed name before entering Dawn's home and killing her in the same exact fashion that Miranda used in killing Brita. Price later drugged Peter into confessing to Dawn's murder, all the while, Miranda's confrontation with Mazur had her sticking to her story regarding Brita's murder. A day after Peter confessed to Mazur and Angie Flynn, Miranda was released on bail, due to her lawyers filing a petition to demand a new trial.

Miranda's reveal came when she saw Price entering her cabin and embraced him, showing gratitude in Price's successful plan. The pair were set to celebrate by having wine together, but at that moment, the evil Miranda stabbed Price in the neck with a bottle opener, and gave a twisted and sinister smile as she watched Price bleed to death. Her true psychotic nature revealed, Miranda revealed her pearl necklace and shoved it down his throat before Flynn and Mazur arrived with other police officers. The villainess attempted to claim that Price broke in and attempted to attack her, but Mazur (who, along with Flynn, figured out Miranda's true scheme) wasn't buying her act. Miranda was handcuffed and again arrested, with Price's murder being added to her list of crimes.