Police: Man Hired Hit Man To Silence Alleged Rape Victim

Police said on Friday that a man, accused of trying to hire someone to kill a woman he was accused of raping, told detectives his motivation was to make sure she wouldn’t be around to testify in court.

Investigators charged Jamal Stafford, 22, Thursday night. Stafford was already in jail on rape and kidnapping charges at the time he received his new charges.

“He had reached out to some people trying to find a hit man, and then after we received information of it, we provided an undercover operation to speak with him,” said Columbus Division of Police Sgt. Terry McConnell.

In court, prosecutors said 22-year-old Jamal Stafford provided the undercover detective with the victim’s address, name, physical description and the way he wanted her murdered.

They said Stafford provided payment to an undercover detective, after being notified she had been murdered, and even thanked the undercover detective for his work.

Police reported on Nov. 24 that Stafford held a 22-year-old woman against her will in her home and repeatedly raped her over a 24-hour period.

While behind bars, police said Stafford was planning to silence the woman before she could take the stand by hiring a hit man to kill her.

After getting word of the plot, police made sure the alleged victim was hidden in a safe location.

Police intercepted Stafford’s alleged plan and charged him with conspiracy to commit aggravated murder.

The Franklin County judge set bond at $1 million cash surety or $2 million appearance.

Stay with 10TV News and 10TV.com for updates.