Monroe man trying to hire hitman to kill wife and daughter accidentally texted former boss, police say

MONROE, Wash. -- (KCPQ) -- A Monroe man was arrested Wednesday after police said he wrote a text attempting to hire a hitman to kill his wife and young daughter, but accidentally sent it to his former boss.

The 42-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of two counts of criminal solicitation for first-degree murder (domestic violence).

The man made his first court appearance Thursday, but Q13 News isn't naming him because he hasn't been formally charged.

According to court documents, the suspect's former boss received the following text message earlier this week this is the exact copy, including typos):

“Hey Shayne hows it going. You remember you said that you would help me kill my wife. I'm going to take you up on that offer. (Her) life insurance is worth 1 million and if you want a bounes (sic) you can kill (my daughter). Her life insurance is 500k. I go to work 5 in the morning. (She) goes to work at 2:00pm so if you can make a robbery gone wrong or make it a accident she works at walmart she gets off at 11:00. I'll split everything with the insurance 50/50. Please call or text me please.”

The former boss called the police, who went to the wife's work and talked to her. She said they were having money problems because he's out of work, but said she wasn't aware of any marital strife that would lead to him wanting to kill her and their daughter.

When police talked to the suspect, he said he did write the text months ago, but that he was “venting” his anger at his wife for getting mad at him for talking to another woman, and said he hadn't meant to send it. He said he often writes texts to vent his anger and saves them as drafts, but said his daughter must've accidentally sent it.

He also told police “Shayne” isn't a real person, just a name he made up to vent.