Police: Man butt-dialed intended victim while plotting his murder

The owner of a used car dealership in Jonesboro, Arkansas, is under arrest after butt dialing a former employee while allegedly conspiring to have the man murdered. The target answered his phone and said he heard, among other things, ”I don’t care if you have to burn his house to the ground with him in it” and to “make it look like an accident.”

According to police documents, Larry Barnett, 68, owner of the Legend Motor Company in Jonesboro was planning the murder with a hitman, because according to the target, Barnett’s  former employee, “I owe the little son of a ***** a bunch of money and if he’s gone, I don’t have to pay for it.”

Jonesboro Police Sergeant Doug Formon explained, “Basically, he overheard a conversation between that individual and another unknown male and he was giving out his personal information, his address, where he lives.”

Alarmingly, the intended victim also said he heard that Barnett had tried taking out a hit on him before, but ”they couldn’t get the job done.” The alleged agreement reached between Barnett and the hitman was for $5,000 up front and ”the remainder when the job was done,” according to the unnamed target.

The man immediately called police, who responded and reportedly found that the call from Barnett was still active on the target’s phone. He went to police to fill out a report, and found his house burgled and his gas stove tampered with when he returned.

Barnett was arrested, and faces not only charges of conspiracy to commit murder, but also charges of felony forgery greater than $25,000. Police say have been investigating Barnett for months regarding allegedly falsified records furnished to Barnett’s bank giving fake VIN numbers for non-existent cars to get over $100,000 in loans.
--trutv.com