Judge: Bail stays the same for landscaper accused in murder scheme

IOWA CITY - Potential killer or a man who's been set up?

Attorneys argued Friday during a court hearing over what - if any - threat Justin DeWitt poses to the public.

DeWitt, 36, a landscaper from North Liberty, is accused of plotting to kill a former business associate and the associate's family. DeWitt was arrested after meeting with an undercover officer posing as a hit man last month and signing a contract to have the family of four killed, police said. He faces four counts of attempted murder and four counts of solicitation to commit murder.

'Short of murder, this is the most serious offense you can commit in this country,” said Johnson County Attorney Janet Lyness, who argued to raise his bail from $600,000 to $1 million cash. 'He's accused of hiring somebody to kill a man, his wife and two young children. … He is extremely dangerous.”

On the other hand, DeWitt's attorney, Michael Lahammer, argued for a bail reduction, saying his client has been set up by state witness Ronald Robi, who provided police the tip that led to their investigation.

Friday afternoon, Lahammer said his client is a homeowner and business owner who has lived in the Johnson County area for 25 years and asked Judge Chad Kepros to reduce DeWitt's bail to $100,000 in cash or surety bond.

In the end, Kepros left the bail unchanged - $600,000 cash only.

He said the amount was 'sufficiently high to reasonably assure” DeWitt's appearance in court if he did post bail.

Since DeWitt's arrest, informant Robi has changed the locks on DeWitt's home and taken possession of his truck, arguing that a handwritten quitclaim signed days before DeWitt's arrest gives him the legal authority to do so.

'It's our position the initiating person in this - a known scam artist - initiated this offense to take over Mr. DeWitt's house, car, all of his bank accounts and things like this,” Lahammer argued at the court hearing.

Lahammer said DeWitt's family has since changed the locks on his house again.

Robi said before and after the hearing - which he did not attend - that he had no intention of keeping DeWitt's belongings and that he was going to turn the truck and house over to Lahammer or the family.

Lahammer said that after the hearing, Robi did turn over the truck to DeWitt's parents.

One of the state witnesses who testified Friday was North Liberty police Officer Rueben Ross, the lead officer on the investigation.

He said more than 30 firearms were found in DeWitt's home and two more were found in the truck. The weapons ranged from antiques and collectibles to a long range, high caliber rifle.

While those weapons have been seized, Ross said he wasn't '100 percent sure” police had confiscated all of DeWitt's weapons.

Further, he said the intended victims told Ross this week they would not feel safe if DeWitt were released, something Ross testified he agrees with.

'He was seeking third persons to commit violence upon his intended targets,” Ross said. 'It's my belief that if he's released … if he was able to contact third parties, it may happen again.”

l Comments: (319) 398-8238; lee.hermiston@thegazette.com

Trish Mehaffey of The Gazette contributed to this report.