Jeff Lytle of Monroe, Washington accidentally sent a solicitation for murder to his former boss
Lytle, 42, thought he was texting a hitman called Shayne, when he wrote ‘help me kill my wife’ in the text
Jeff Lytle allegedly, offered the killer-for-hire a split of a $1.5 million life insurance payout as payment for killing his wife and young daughter
He's being held the County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail
Authorities found probable cause on two counts of criminal solicitation for first-degree murder and domestic-violence
Jeff Lytle of accidentally, it is alleged, sent a solicitation for murder to the wrong address with dire consequences. Lytle of Monroe, Washington thought he was texting a hitman called Shayne, when he wrote ‘help me kill my wife’ in the text.
But the text addressed to “Shayne” was actually sent to the his former boss, who called authorities Tuesday evening, and showed the message to sheriff’s deputies, says a statement of probable cause outlining the case against Lytle.
A judge ordered him held in the Snohomish County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail after finding probable cause on two counts of criminal solicitation for first-degree murder domestic-violence.
CBS affiliate KIRO-TV reported that the 42-year-old Washington state native accidentally texted his former boss asking him to help him kill his wife, believing he was in a conversation with a hitman he had contacted previously, authorities allege. In return the duo were supposed to split the payout from his spouse’s $1 million life-insurance plan, according to court documents.
As bonus incentive for Shayne, Lytle allegedly offered up his young daughter, whose life insurance policy is valued at $500,000, as a bonus, authorities claim.
He’s been charged with criminal solicitation, and is being held at Snohomish County Jail on a $1,000,000 bond.
The suspect insists the message was a draft that he never intended to send, and that he wrote it to vent after getting into a fight with his wife.
Two for one: Jeff Lytle was arrested for allegedly trying to hire a hitman to kill his wife. He threw in a bonus of half a million if his daughter was killed too
He also allegedly told investigators that his 4-year-old daughter must have accidentally sent the message to his former boss.
Lytle denied that “Shayne” was a real person.
The unintended recipient of the text message immediately alerted police after receiving the message last week, according to the court documents.
“You remember you said that you would help me kill my wife. I’m going to take you up on that offer...I’ll split everything with the insurance 50/50,” he wrote, according to the court documents reports KIRO-TV.
Jeff Lytle accidentally texted his murder solicitation to his old boss, who called police
The suspect further elaborated that the murders should be staged to look like either an ill-conceived robbery or an accident.
“If you can make it look like a robbery gone wrong or make it an accident she works at Walmart she gets off at 11:00,” read part of the message.
investigators have applied for a warrant to search the suspect’s phone and residence for documents related to his family’s life insurance plans. The results of the search are pending.
Two for one: Jeff Lytle was arrested for allegedly trying to hire a hitman to kill his wife. He threw in a bonus of half a million if his daughter was killed too
Jeff Lytle accidentally texted his murder solicitation to his old boss, who called police
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