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“Wet him with gasoline, dry him with a match” — Police Foil Murder-For-Hire Plot

Police broke up a straight-out-of-the-movies murder-for-hire plot Tuesday after an inmate at the King County Jail put out a hit on a man he believed was a police informant.

It all began on Sunday, January 20th when SPD Intel Detectives received information from the King County Jail that a felon—caught earlier this month with a car full of body armor, guns, cash, and a fake police badge—was trying to arrange for the murder of a man he believed had put him in jail.

While in jail, the suspect tried to enlist the help of another soon-to-be-released inmate and a 33-year-old man on the outside, to carry out a contract killing on the man he believed was an informant. Over the next nine days, detectives kept tabs on the felon behind the plot, as he arranged financing for the murder plot, drew maps of his intended victim’s house, and described how he wanted his intended victim killed: “wet him with gasoline, dry him with a match.”

But the whole plan began to unravel when the inmate, enlisted by the felon to carry out the hit, provided all the information about the murder plot to police.

Once the inmate got out of jail—and while under constant police surveillance—he met with with the 33-year-old suspect in the case in North Seattle. The 33-year-old man then provided the inmate with a loaded gun. During the meeting, the inmate told the 33-year-old suspect “You know I’m here to kill that guy” and talked over the planned killing in detail, even driving by the victim’s home.

During the meeting, Seattle Police SWAT officers moved and arrested the 33-year-old suspect without incident.  Detectives obtained a search warrant for the second suspect’s home, where they found more evidence linking him to the murder for hire plot.

Police booked the second suspect, 33, into the King County Jail for Solicitation and Conspiracy to Commit Murder 1.  The 48-year-old man, already behind bars, was also charged with the new crime.  A King County Deputy Prosecutor has been assisting with the investigation since its inception.  Detectives will continue to follow up on this case.  Detectives took steps to ensure the safety of the intended victim.  This was a complex investigation,  with dedicated detectives following the case through to the end.  A probable homicide was averted and the suspects responsible will be held accountable.