In December it was reported that Justin Bieber was the target of a foiled murder plot, and now new details about the plan have emerged with audio tapes of the conspirators’ phone calls.
Police say convicted criminal Dana Martin, who is currently serving two life sentences for the rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl in Vermont in 2000, devised a plot to kill Bieber at his sold-out Madison Square Garden show in November. Martin had recruited former fellow inmate Mark Staake, who in turn recruited his nephew Tanner Ruane, to strangle Bieber and his bodyguard and then castrate them.
In the newly released audio tapes, Martin and Ruane can be heard discussing a strategy on how to murder the teen pop star. Martin mentions the purchase of "hedge clippers," which are thought to have been intended to castrate the singer and his bodyguard, reports KOAT 7.
"Did he go over the Bieber thing with you?" Martin asked Ruane in a taped conversation he made from inside Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility, where he is serving out the remainder of his days.
"Nah. The way I like to work dude, I like to know as little as possible," Ruane said. "He's gonna use one of the things you gave him, and then he's gonna take care of it."
Authorities believe "take care of it" means to murder the pop star, and Ruane can be heard requesting $5,000 for each one he gets -- again "gets" referring to murder.
Police say Martin contacted former inmate Mark Stakke and told him the plan using code words. In another call, Martin can be heard telling Stakke to "kill the pitbulls and you're going to castrate them," with the "pitbull" the codeword for Bieber. He also is heard giving detailed instructions on how to strangle Bieber with his signature paisley scarf.
In December, the New York Post reported that Martin told police he “had become infatuated” with the teen heartthrob and even has a large tattoo of Bieber on his leg.
The plan to murder the pop star was foiled when Staake and Ruane were arrested by border patrol agents after making a wrong turn into Canada.
Related
Before You Go
