Oh sure! Blame the cat!
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. -- Federal investigators helped by a conscientious paroled killer say they foiled a plot to abduct, extort and electrocute a wealthy man in a scheme they say borrowed elements from a television show and sought to blame the killing on the planned victim's cat.
A criminal complaint against Brett Nash of Pontoon Beach, unsealed Wednesday, identifies the target of the plot only as a former corporate attorney in the southern Illinois industrial town of Granite City who long pursued sex with Nash's wife. According to an affidavit, one plan Nash explored involved forcing the intended victim into a hot tub and electrocuting him with a radio tossed into the water – followed by kitty litter that Nash thought would prompt authorities to believe the animal was the culprit in the killing.
Agents arrested Nash, 45, on Monday near a Kmart in Granite City shortly before the alleged crime was to have taken place. He was arraigned a day later on a felony charge of interference with commerce by violence – attempted extortion – and waived his detention hearing. His public defender, Thomas Gabel, declined to discuss the matter Thursday.
According to an affidavit by FBI Special Agent Nicholas Manns, authorities learned of the alleged plot after an acquaintance Nash enlisted for help earlier this month reported the matter to his former parole officer the next day. The unidentified recruit, who met Nash years ago while both worked as deckhands on river barges, went on to work for the FBI and secretly recorded conversations with Nash in the next weeks.
Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/27/slaying-plot-blamed-on-cat_n_1236187.html
