Two cousins were arrested Wednesday in connection with an alleged plot to hire a hit man to kill the girlfriend of one of the men, and are accused of planning to pay for the hit with heroin and cash, the Bellevue Police Department reported.
The Eastside Narcotics Task Force and the Bellevue Police Department began the investigation in September after hearing about the potential murder-for-hire plot, according to a department press release.
The Bellevue Police provided the following information on the case:
Early on Wednesday, at approximately 2 a.m., two Seattle men were arrested for conspiracy and solicitation of first-degree assault. The 23-year-old and 39-year-old cousins originally concocted a plan to hire someone to murder the older man's girlfriend. They later changed this to have her assaulted with a deadly weapon.
Early in September the Eastside Narcotics Task Force (ENTF), Bellevue Police Investigation's Unit and the Bellevue Police Special Enforcement Team (SET) joined forces after ENTF received information of a potential murder for hire. The investigators set up several covert surveillance operations on the two suspects involved in the Seattle/Burien areas.
The suspects solicited an undercover officer acting as a "hit man," to assault her with a deadly weapon. They also displayed indifference if the mother of two children were to die in the process. The reason the boyfriend, who is married to another woman, wanted his girlfriend murdered is he thought his girlfriend was cheating on him.
The suspects gave the "hit man" a picture and pertinent information on the girlfriend and confirmed they wanted the hit done this weekend. The payment for the "hit" was heroin and cash. The suspects left this meeting.
Surveillance officers caught up with the two men and they were arrested in the University District of Seattle. The suspects were taken into custody without incident.
Both men work in the restaurant industry in Seattle. The victim girlfriend was notified of the plot and confirmed she was unaware her boyfriend or his cousin's plan to either murder her or assault her. She has been placed in an undisclosed safe location.
The suspects both exercised their rights before giving any details regarding the plot to kill/harm the victim girlfriend. The suspects were booked into King County Jail for Assault 1 Solicitation and Conspiracy.
One of the suspect's brothers was arrested during the evening of Oct 2 for Rendering Criminal Assistance in the First Degree. He was also booked into King County Jail. This suspect admitted to his involvement in this case.
"There are many resources out there for victims of domestic violence. If you know anyone or you are a victim of domestic violence please contact your local police department. This case is just one example of law enforcement being able to intervene before a domestic violence incident turns deadly," said Public Information Officer Carla Iafrate. October is Domestic Violence Awareness month.
Eastside Narcotics Task Force is a partnership of the Washington State Patrol and police departments from Bellevue, Kirkland, Mercer Island and Redmond.
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