Man sentenced to 8 years in 2017 murder-for-hire case
A Hot Springs man was convicted Thursday of trying to hire a friend to kill a local woman in 2017 and was sentenced to eight years in prison after a one-day bench trial in Garland County Circuit Court.
Ricky Cleveland Alexander, 60, who has remained in custody since his arrest March 13, 2017, was found guilty of a felony charge of solicitation of murder in the first degree, punishable by up to 30 yeas in prison, by Judge John Homer Wright after he listened to testimony in the case. Alexander had waived his right to a trial by jury on Monday.
Garland County Prosecuting Attorney Michelle Lawrence told The Sentinel-Record Friday that Hot Springs police detectives who worked the case and the confidential informant Alexander had tried to hire testified in the case and recordings made by the informant wearing a wire were presented as evidence.
“He wore a wire as they engaged in conversations about payment and the plan to do it,” she said. Alexander reportedly believed the woman, who used to work for his father as a caregiver, had stolen money from him.
“No charges were ever filed against her in that,” Lawrence said. “I think there was a proof problem.”
She said Alexander testified Thursday too, claiming he was innocent and alleging that the informant had fabricated the evidence in the case to help him out on some unrelated criminal matters.
“I was pleased he was found guilty and pleased with the sentence,” Lawrence said. “I think it was a fair sentence and will hopefully send a message to anyone else in the community planning something like that that they will be tried and sentenced if they do.”
According to the probable cause affidavit for Alexander’s arrest, there were several documented incidents over the last year involving Alexander, the woman and her husband including an alleged aggravated assault in which Alexander allegedly entered her home and pointed a shotgun at her.
The main issue reportedly stemmed from the woman obtaining more than $40,000 from Alexander’s father prior to his death, which Alexander alleges was obtained
by fraud, the affidavit said.
On Feb. 21, 2017, a witness came to the police department and told HSPD Detective Scott Lampinen that Alexander, whom he has been friends with for years, was trying to hire him to kill a woman. He said Alexander had approached him about one month prior and offered him $10,000 to kill her.
The friend said they had spoken “14 to 15 times since then and (Alexander) was pushing for an answer.” He noted Alexander wouldn’t discuss it on the phone, so he would usually call him in the afternoon and have the friend come to his house on Burroughs Street where they would discuss it in Alexander’s backyard.
The friend “had not agreed to do it, but believed (Alexander) was coming into some money and would be wanting an answer.” He said Alexander offered to pay him half the money up front and the other half “when it was done.” He said Alexander wanted the friend to tell him when the murder was going to be committed “so he could have an alibi.”
The friend agreed to wear an audio/video recording device at their next meeting, which occurred on Feb. 22, in the backyard at Alexander’s residence. The two discussed killing the woman and the friend agreed to kill her but told him he needed half the money up front and a gun.
Alexander told him he had some money coming in the following day, but it wouldn’t be available until that next Monday, Feb. 27. When the friend asked Alexander how he wanted him to kill the woman, he reportedly said “he didn’t care, whatever was easiest.” When he asked if Alexander was sure he wanted to do this, Alexander said he was.
Between Feb. 22 and March 7, Alexander was in contact with the friend telling him he was in the process of getting the money but “it was taking longer than expected.” The affidavit notes further investigation revealed Alexander was obtaining a $25,000 loan against his deceased father’s estate through probate court.
On March 9, around noon, the friend met with Alexander again at his residence and in a second recorded conversation, Alexander again spoke about killing the woman and asked his friend to bury her after she was killed “so that no one would find her.” Alexander also told him he would need to find his own weapon “so that he would not be linked back to any guns.”
Alexander stated he was going to his bank at 3 p.m. that day to obtain money from the loan he was getting and told the friend to come back around 6 p.m. so he could pay him. Lampinen conducted surveillance of the bank and saw Alexander enter the bank at 3 p.m. and leave about 24 minutes later.
Shortly before 6 p.m., the friend recorded a third conversation with Alexander at his home during which Alexander showed him he had $2,000 in cash for him. He gave the friend $100 in cash to purchase a weapon and put the $2,000 in a safe. He told the friend he would give him the $2,000 after the woman was dead “and would have to pay the rest out every couple of weeks because probate court would only allow him to obtain small amounts at a time.”
The friend met Alexander at his house again and recorded a fourth conversation during which Alexander paid him $500 toward the $10,000 total to have the woman killed and agreed to pay the balance over time.
Based on the evidence from the four recordings, a warrant was issued for Alexander and he was taken into custody.