Utah inmate who raped child tried to hatch murder-for-hire plot with other prisoners to kill her so she could not testify
A Utah inmate charged with raping a child has now been slapped with additional charges for allegedly planning a murder-for-hire plot to have her killed so she couldn't testify, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.
The 29-year-old Kristoffer Jones is currently at the Washington County jail was charged with four counts of rape of a child, one count of aggravated sex abuse of a child and three counts of sex abuse of a child. Now he's charged with three counts of criminal solicitation to commit murder, which is a first degree felony and could send him to life in prison.
Jones allegedly "solicited several inmates to either kill or assist in coordinating the murder of a juvenile witness/victim", according to the police. They also said that he took “substantial steps from inside the correctional facility” to have the victim murdered “in an effort to prevent [her] from testifying in the pending criminal case against him".
An inmate told the police of the plan and said that Jones had asked a second inmate to kill her, the second inmate has confirmed that he had wanted to "get rid" of her. He was also recorded saying that Jones wanted the 13-year-old girl "gone, gone, gone". He had promised to pay the inmate money within a month of his release.
The probable cause statement said that he had drawn a map of the apartment where the victim lived and had pointed out the specifics. He had also mentioned where the child went to school and her parent's work schedule. He had suggested a drive-by shooting, a car accident or injecting her with insulin, the police said.
The plan fell apart after an undercover officer posed as a hitman and Jones agreed to video call him. While speaking to Jones, the officer spoke from in front of the victim's home and Jones confirmed the address. The undercover officer gave him "one last chance to back out" and inquired "if he wanted him to follow through" with the hit to which Jones said yes.