A 20-year-old Covington man has been charged with trying to help his mother hire a hit man -- to kill his father.

Michael J. Davis was arrested Thursday. His mother, Mary K. Davis, 58, was arrested Monday after she allegedly gave an undercover officer a $500 down payment to kill her husband. Davis thought she was paying a hit man, Alleghany County Commonwealth's Attorney Ed Stein said.

Now, mother and son are both being held at the Alleghany Regional Jail. Covington police are not discussing what the motives for the alleged plot might have been. "There's some obvious possibilities why someone would do that," police Sgt. Kenny Duncan said, "and it'll probably come out in the long run."

Michael Davis faces two charges: conspiracy to commit attempted capital murder and conspiracy to solicit murder. If convicted of both charges, he faces a maximum of 40 years in prison.

Authorities charged Mary Davis with soliciting murder and attempted capital murder. If convicted of soliciting, she faces up to 40 years in prison. If convicted of attempted capital murder, she faces a life sentence.

Authorities said Mary Davis met with an undercover state police officer she assumed was a hit man in the parking lot of the Covington Walmart on Monday. They said she gave him $500 and promised him thousands more if he killed her husband. She was immediately arrested by Covington police.

Her husband could not be reached for comment Friday.