Jurors hear recordings in state employee’s alleged murder-for-hire plot
By Jeremy Pawloski, The Olympian (Olympia, Wash.) | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Cox's colleague at DFI,
"I still want that (expletive) dead," Cox told Lopez-Ortiz during the recorded conversation that was played in
During the recorded conversation, Cox said he could no longer pay Lopez-Ortiz the larger sum they had previously agreed upon, because he believed his wife may have removed him as the beneficiary of her life-insurance policy.
"It's still worth ten grand to me," Cox said during the recording.
Cox, 44, was in the midst of a contentious divorce from his wife at the time. Property at issue between the pair included Cox's 1959
Cox's attorney,
"If he did say something along these lines, he was joking, he wasn't serious," Strophy told the jury. Strophy conceded during his opening statement that his client would be heard on tape saying he wants his wife dead.
"In his mind, he never tried to hire him, he never offered to pay him," Strophy said.
Strophy added that "this was a terrible divorce and it had a terrible impact on him."
Lopez-Ortiz's testimony took up much of the trial on Wednesday afternoon. Under direct examination by
Lopez-Ortiz said he responded by telling Cox he couldn't kill his wife himself, but he knew someone who could because of his contacts in the
Lopez-Ortiz testified that he believed Cox was serious during the first conversation they had in the DFI elevator in late April.
"I heard the anger in his voice and I realized he was being real about it," Lopez-Ortiz said.
After Lopez-Ortiz's disclosure, DFI officials told the
Lopez-Ortiz first agreed to let
During the May, 2013 telephone conversation, Lopez-Ortiz asks Cox if Cox was "serious or were you joking around?" during the April elevator conversation. Cox laughs on the recording, and asks Lopez-Ortiz if he is "recording this right now?"
"Are you trying to set me up or something?" Cox asks.
Lopez-Ortiz responded that he was not recording the conversation. After Lopez-Ortiz assured Cox that he is in debt and needs the money, Cox told Lopez-Ortiz that his agreement to follow through on the plan "makes me happy." Cox also told him "I am willing to go into debt for you to do this for me."
During the May phone conversation, the pair agree to meet at DFI headquarters to discuss the matter further. That is the June face-to-face conversation that was recorded by Lopez-Ortiz.
Cox's second count of solicitation to commit first-degree murder is for allegedly offering a cellmate at the
Cox's trial will continue Thursday in
___
(c)2014 The Olympian (Olympia, Wash.)
Visit The Olympian (Olympia, Wash.) at www.theolympian.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services
Wordcount: | 787 |
Explosion brace for big challenge this week against Marion
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News