A man from Illinois, Ben Patrick Mullavey, pleaded guilty in a U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to a single felony charge related to an attempted murder-for-hire plot. Mullavey, aged 66 and a resident of Mechanicsburg in Sangamon County, admitted to arranging the plan, which aimed to murder a business associate in Florida.
The plea agreement revealed that Mullavey had offered payment to a former employee to carry out the murder. To execute the plan, Mullavey met the employee on January 3, 2024, at a McDonald's restaurant in Missouri. He revealed a sum of cash and made his intentions clear regarding his business partner. On January 11, 2024, a visit to his home by the employee led to discussions over the next three days concerning the murder plot, including surveillance activities in Florida and plans to acquire a Florida license plate.
Mullavey advised the employee on the optimal timing and location for the murder, considering how to evade detection on security cameras. He also proposed methods for body disposal, including using lime. These conversations were documented through audio and video recordings.
Furthermore, on January 13, 2024, the employee departed from Mullavey’s residence with specific instructions to carry out the homicide. Mullavey provided several items, including a crossbow, arrows, a stolen license plate from Florida, directions to a place near the victim's business, and $2,100 in cash, as outlined in the plea agreement.
The court scheduled Mullavey's sentencing for July 22. The charge of attempted murder-for-hire can result in a prison sentence of up to ten years, a fine of $250,000, or both.
The FBI conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Shelton is overseeing the prosecution.