Grafton man pleads guilty to murder-for-hire plot

A 40-year-old Grafton man has pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges after police say he attempted to hire someone to kill another man.

The plea came the day before Seljami Idrizi was scheduled to stand trial Aug. 23 on four counts of conspiracy before Lorain County Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher R. Rothgery.

Idrizi is scheduled for sentencing at 11 a.m. Sept. 19 before Rothgery.

According to North Ridgeville police, on Sept. 21, 2017, Idrizi paid a police informant an undisclosed amount of money to murder a 43-year-old North Ridgeville man.

The would-be hitman alerted police to the deal in mid-September of that year and the investigation and sting took about a week, according to North Ridgeville police Capt. Marti Garrow at the time of the arrest.

The informant provided a staged photo of the intended victim leading Idrizi to believe the man was dead, police said.

“Mr. Idrizi wanted to see a picture before he paid the informant, so we met up with a local makeup artist, so the artist made it appear as if the victim was shot in the head and our informant was able to show that photograph to the defendant,” Garrow said at the time of the arrest.

Idrizi was arrested following the payment.

Police have never released a motive for the attempted hit.

Idrizi is free on $100,000 bond while he awaits sentencing.

Idrizi