Washington father accused of trying to hire someone to kill wife, daughter for $1.5M in insurance money
SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Washington -- A Washington state father is accused of trying to hire someone to kill his wife and four-year-old daughter.
Officials with the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office told KIRO 42-year-old Jeff Lytle sent a text message to an individual named "Shayne," directing him to kill his family for insurance money. Officials said Lytle promised to share the $1.5 million with Shayne.
KIRO was able to obtain court documents containing these text messages:
"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."
-- life insurance is worth 1 million and if you want a bounes you can kill . Her life insurance is 500K."
---if you can make it look like 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."
According to KIRO, Lytle accidentally sent the messages to his former employer by mistake. Police were then called.
Lytle was arrested at his home on Wednesday, February 8th on two counts of criminal solicitation for murder in the first degree, domestic violence. Bail was set at $1 million during his court appearance Thursday.
KIRO spoke with Lytle's roommate, who wondered whether this could be a misunderstanding.
"He's not going to do something like that," said German Ellano.
According to KIRO, court documents show Lytle told investigators he wrote the text messages to "vent" -- and that he had no intention of sending them to anyone. He even told investigators maybe his four-year-old daughter sent the text messages.
Prosecutors believe Lytle sent them and wanted his wife and daughter killed.