Murder for Hire Arrest in Green County
(Columbia, KY) – On Thursday, April 01, 2010 at 5:12 CST, Darren P. Wethington, age 28, of Bramlett Road in Green County was arrested and charged with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Murder. The investigation began on Wednesday, March 31 when Detective Israel Slinker received information from a third party in reference to a possible murder-for-hire. Over the course of the next 19 hours an undercover KSP Detective, posing as a Hitman, received evidence from Wethington revealing that Wethington was engaging in a scheme to have his ex-wife killed. Wethington provided several items of evidence to the undercover detective that would have assisted him in carrying out the murder plot. Wethington was arrested shortly thereafter by a KSP arrest team and was lodged in the Taylor County Detention Center. The victim’s name will not be released at this time. Detective Israel Slinker is investigating.
The investigation moved quickly, with the statement indicating that detectives worked over a period of approximately 19 hours. During that time, an undercover Kentucky State Police detective reportedly assumed the role of a hitman and interacted with Wethington. According to the information released by authorities, those interactions resulted in evidence that investigators believed connected Wethington to a plan involving his ex-wife.
Undercover operations can be an important investigative tool because they may allow law enforcement officers to observe conversations and actions that would otherwise be difficult to document. They can also provide investigators with an opportunity to collect evidence while attempting to establish the circumstances surrounding an alleged crime. In this case, the undercover detective’s role was particularly significant because the investigation involved an alleged plan to arrange a killing. Similar evidence-gathering and fact-finding work is also an area where a detective agency may assist with appropriate private matters.
The statement says Wethington provided several items of evidence that investigators believed could have helped carry out the alleged murder plot. Those items became part of the investigation and contributed to the decision to make an arrest. The sequence described in the announcement shows how quickly a case can progress when investigators receive information that can be corroborated through an undercover operation and other evidence.
Following the investigation, a Kentucky State Police arrest team took Wethington into custody. He was then lodged in the Taylor County Detention Center. The charge listed in the statement was one count of Conspiracy to Commit Murder.
The identity of the alleged intended victim was withheld by authorities at the time of the announcement. Protecting the victim’s identity can be an important consideration in sensitive criminal cases, particularly when the investigation is still active. Keeping identifying information private may also help protect the individual and prevent unnecessary attention while investigators continue their work.
Detective Israel Slinker was identified as the investigator responsible for the case. His role illustrates the importance of following leads, evaluating information from different sources, coordinating undercover activity, and collecting evidence before an arrest is made.
Cases involving alleged murder-for-hire schemes are particularly serious because they can involve multiple people, planning, communication, and attempts to obtain the means necessary to commit a violent crime. Even when an alleged killing has not occurred, investigators may examine whether the available evidence supports criminal charges related to planning or conspiracy.
The events described in the 2010 statement ultimately resulted in Wethington’s arrest within a day of the initial information being received. The announcement provides a snapshot of how authorities responded to an alleged threat and used an undercover operation to gather evidence during a rapidly developing investigation.
KSP NEWS RELEASE POST 15, COLUMBIA
