Family targeted in murder-for-hire scheme learned of plot after arrest

NORTH LIBERTY - A family of four marked for death in a North Liberty man's murder-for-hire plot were told of the scheming against them only after the suspect was taken into custody, police said Wednesday.

'The safety of the victims was always of utmost concern and we took precautions on our end” to protect the family, said North Liberty police Chief Diane Venenga.

Justin DeWitt, 36, a landscaper from North Liberty, was arrested Monday night and accused of attempting to hire a hit man to kill the family - including two young children - of a business associate. Authorities have not publicly identified the intended victims.

According to court records reviewed Wednesday, they are fellow landscaper Chad M. Williams, as well as his wife and two kids.

State records list Williams as the owner of Absolute Outdoor Services Inc., a lawn care and landscaping business that shares an address in Riverside with DeWitt's Lawn & Landscaping Solutions Inc.

Chief Venenga declined to comment on Williams. He could not be reached by The Gazette for comment.

Police said they learned of DeWitt's plot when they received a tip and arranged for DeWitt to meet with an undercover state agent posing as a hit man.

DeWitt and the undercover officer met Monday in Iowa City. DeWitt gave the officer $1,000 as a down payment, police said. He was arrested after signing a contract to have the family killed for $8,000.

It is unclear why DeWitt wanted Williams killed. Venenga earlier said DeWitt and his intended victim had a 'pretty convoluted” relationship. Venenga said DeWitt specified to the undercover officer how he wanted the family killed, but details have not been disclosed.

According to court records, marijuana, smoking devices and multiple firearms were found in DeWitt's home this week. During a search Monday, members of the Johnson County Drug Task Force said they found several grams of marijuana and multiple smoking devices in DeWitt's bedroom and garage.

Several firearms were found in a safe in the basement, as well as in his bedroom, a search warrant affidavit filed Tuesday shows.

Venenga said in an interview the firearms were a mix of long guns and handguns and of a variety of calibers. DeWitt's guns were seized by police, Venenga said.

The warrant return states police seized bags and jars of marijuana, marijuana residue and drug paraphernalia from the home. The drugs appeared to be for DeWitt's personal use, Venenga said.

'I don't believe there's any indication he was dealing drugs,” she said.

Court records do not show any drug-related charges for DeWitt.

Venenga said the safety precautions for the intended victims are still in place, but would not divulge what those entail.

Johnson County Sheriff's Office Lt. Kevin Bell said DeWitt was issued a carry permit - which allows him to purchase and open carry a weapon - in June 2011. Bell said DeWitt's permit was not renewed when it expired earlier this month, but added the permit would have been suspended anyway, given the pending felony charges.

DeWitt now faces four counts each of attempt to commit murder and solicitation to commit murder. Attempted murder is a Class B felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison. Solicitation to commit murder is a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Dewitt remains in custody on a $600,000 cash bail.