CNN: Former TV chef accused in Los Angeles of murder-for-hire plot

[alexmst]

Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- Juan-Carlos Cruz, the former host of Food Network's "Calorie Commando" is accused of plotting to hire homeless people to carry out a murder, California police said Friday night.

The Santa Monica Police Department did not release details about the intended target or the alleged murder plot.

The plan fell apart when the homeless people Cruz allegedly recruited told officers with the Santa Monica Police Department's Homeless Liaison Program, authorities said.

"The individuals who were solicited agreed to assist the Santa Monica Police Department in the investigation," a police statement said.

"The results of the investigation revealed the murder-for-hire method, where and when the individual was to be killed, and the terms of payment."

The investigation began on May 7, and Cruz was arrested Thursday, police said.

Cruz is being held on a $5 million bail on a charge of solicitation to commit murder.

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He tries to hire homeless people off the street to do a murder for him? LOL. How stupid can one get? Real professional, hire people who can't even put a roof over their head to plan the perfect murder. He should have stuck to cooking.

The cook got burned.

 

[alexmst]

Update

The men told TMZ an elaborate story. According to Little Dave, Cruz -- who had a show on The Food Network -- said he wanted someone to do "dirty deeds done dirt cheap." He says Cruz told him he would give him "a grand."

Cheap bastard - I wonder if he used cheap ingredients on his cooking show

Cruz then gave Little Dave a box which contained a box cutter, a disposable cell phone, gloves and a pocket watch. He says Cruz gave he 1/2 of 10 hundred dollar bills, and promised to give him the other halves when the job was done. Little Dave says Cruz showed him a picture of the other half of the money.

Little Dave says he then told his friend Shane the story. Shane says he called Cruz on the disposable phone and they started discussing the plan. Shane then got a third homeless man involved -- Big Dave.

Oh, no murder plot is complete without a "Big Dave" lol

Big Dave contacted Cruz and Cruz then met all 3 homeless men in Santa Monica. Cruz went over the plan, showed Big Dave a picture of the alleged female target -- whom we've learned is Cruz's wife -- and then told him he picked his wife up at a certain place each day, and he wanted one of the homeless men to jump out as she got in her car and slit her throat.

Um, did he think the police might be a tad suspicious of a homeless guy jumping out of the bushes and slitting a woman's throat for no reason? Then running away with his two buddies, all known in the neighborhood? Perhaps when rounded up from the local haunts they might roll on Cruz for a deal? They certainly aren't relocating to Brazil on a $1,000 fee lol. I think this cook spent too much time with his head next to a microwave oven.

Big Dave tells us he got arrested on a loitering charge, and told the cop about Cruz's plan. The next day, the cops got in touch with all three men and asked for their cooperation in busting Cruz.

The men called Cruz and asked to meet with him again. They met sometime last week in Santa Monica. Big Dave was wired and a cop was nearby videotaping the meeting. Big Dave says he told Cruz he did not want to kill the woman in public. He says Cruz then said he would give them the code to his apartment and one of them could be inside and strangle her when she walked in.

Um, if he gave the attacker his security code to enter the apartment, would not that seem odd to detectives? Strangled for no reason on entering the apartment? That is a passionate means of murder an enraged husband might come up with, but a homeless guy doesn't guess the husband's security code and then strangle his wife as soon as she gets home from work.

Big Dave says Cruz then drove him by the apartment and showed him how he could avoid security cameras.

Nothing like the doorman and neighbours seeing the husband and the killer driving around together outside the building in the days before the murder lol

Cruz left, and the three homeless men continued to help the police until Cruz was arrested Thursday on charges of solicitation to commit murder.

He should plead mental defect lol.


Read more: http://www.tmz.com/#ixzz0o4HJM1k0

 

[ig-88]

Guess I won't complain about the food at his restaurant!