Seems like an old article? 12 bitcoins which equated to $5000, at today's price, 12 bitcoins should go for around more than $100,000. Sides, even if we do say that the woman got it since she didn't hide her address, that was years ago when not much was really being paid attention to the security or privacy of addresses of most people. Plus, oddly enough, it's either the killer met up with the woman herself and transferred BTC directly, or through address, but in that case, the killers should also know who the woman is. If that was the case, kind of stupid from the side of the woman who hired the killer.
It's because the supposedly crime happen years ago, that's why 12 bitcoins is $5k then.
Of course it is a scam and she feel for it, the bad thing is that she was caught will all the info. We also have to give kudos to the hackers who help the agent in this case. Here is the court documents:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca/press-release/file/1319781/download