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Prosecutor: Bob Bashara Paid to Have Gentz Killed
Bob Bashara faces a single charge of solicitation of murder, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said Wednesday in a press conference that drew dozens of media outlets to downtown Detroit.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced Wednesday that Bob Bashara will be arraigned in 36th District Court at 1 p.m. today on a single count of solicitation to murder Joe Gentz before Gentz's next competency hearing.
Grosse Pointe Park police arrested Bashara Monday outside one of his properties on Mack Avenue in the Park and he has remained in the Wayne County Jail since.
Worthy said during the investigation of Jane Bashara's homicide, investigators came to learn that Bashara wanted to have Gentz killed in the Wayne County Jail. He discussed as much with a person whom Worthy declined to identify but said was not a law enforcement official.
Additionally, Bashara "made at least one payment" in exchange for the murder of Gentz, Worthy said. She declined to say whether the conversations and exchange of money were recorded in some manner.
Gentz is charged with first degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in Jane Bashara's strangulation death. He has told investigators that he killed her at the direction of Bob Bashara.
Her death gained attention of the national media outlets, who often camped outside their home on Middlesex in the early weeks following her death. She was well-respected in the community and remembered as an avid volunteer. She would have turned 57 last Friday.
If convicted, Bob Bashara faces up to life in prison for the offense. Worthy said Bashara's crime happened between June 8 to 25. She also said Bashara "became more anxious" as the second hearing for Gentz drew closer.
This is close in time to when Gentz had to appear in court for his competency hearing, in which prosecutor's revealed he was found competent to stand trial. He is undergoing a second evaluation per the request of his attorney and is scheduled to return to court July 23.
Precautions to ensure the safety of Gentz have been made by lockup officials, Worthy said, noting this was done as soon as investigators became aware of the potential threat.
The investigation into Jane Bashara's homicide continues, she said, and officials will not rush the process. "We only get one time."
At his arraignment this afternoon, Worthy said the prosecutors handling the case will seek a high amount for the bond.
Worthy declined comment about whether Bob Bashara would be charged in Jane Bashara's death Wednesday, saying again the investigation continues. It was important to take swift action in the solicitation case to protect witnessees, Worthy said, declining to say whether any others were being targeted by Bashara.
During the press conference, Worthy had more than a dozen people standing with her at the podium. She had them introduce themselves. They included representatives from the Wayne County Sheriff's Department, the Detroit Police Department Homicide Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Grosse Pointe Park Director of Public Safety David Hiller, Michigan State Police, others from the Prosecutor's Office and the Detroit Office of the FBI.
Worthy also encouraged anyone with information in Jane Bashara's homicide to call her office's criminal investigation bureau at 313-967-6120.
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Beth Potts
11:43 am on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
and he thought this would help his case?!
Mark
12:55 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
How quickly can we get this slumlord in prison for life already? I'm sick of hearing about Master Bob. I'm also sick of reading his bio that he's a rental property owner and was big in the community blah blah blah. This guy was the worst offender of not conducting proper upkeep on his properties, illegally renting with no certificate of occupancy so he could avoid inspections, and renting the lowest form of life (case in point Gentz was a former tenant). He was cheating on his wife and promising his mistress some new life with their bizarre slave triangle. Let's end the chapter of this loser and feel sorry for his family, his wife's good name he has besmirched as well as his children who will never be able to crawl out from under his large disgusting shadow. I suggest uprooting and settling elsewhere because your pig of a father ensured no normal life for you here.
Bob Frapples
3:50 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
so much for that whole "innocent until proven guilty" thing, huh? think the court system should rush to judgement and "get this slumlord in prison for life already" just so they don't have to keep reporting on him? how about we just pick up anyone that sort of has some type of connection to the Oakland County child killings from the 70's so they can stop reporting on that while they're at it. i agree with you, don't get me wrong but slow and steady can be better sometimes and being a lousy individual and a creepy guy isn't really a crime so they need to make sure they lock him up for the proper reasons.
Mark
4:53 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Hey Frapples I happen to be a very impatient person. He's going to go to prison for attempting to murder Gentz and hopefully get that tied into conspiracy to murder his wife so I would really love to see the process move along at faster clip. Also luckily for me I'm not a judge so I don't have to presume anyone is innocent so he certainly doesn't want me selected for his jury pool. I'm also a big believer that when you compromise your morals in one area of life you're more inclined to compromise them again in another area. Imagine it as a sliding scale where you think to yourself "gee this one time I'm going to go against my morals and do this." Then the next time you think "well I already did that one thing so is this that much worse?" It becomes a slippery slope from there. Where once you were eating grapes in the produce aisle at Kroger you now find yourself punching old ladies and stealing their purses while setting fire to elementary schools. I've seen it a hundred times.
Stewart
12:59 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
This guy is a complete idiot. He tricked someone into killing his wife and so far had not been charged and then tries to get someone in jail killed! This guy watches way too much TV.
joseph bernert
5:03 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
if joe gentz has IQ of 67, bob bashara should also be charged with abuse of a handicapped person....also, someone give bob frapples a hankie so he can cry for big bobb....how about a tear or two for jane and her family...
Bob Frapples
6:24 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Huh? I'd appreciate not having my name tied to him on this town. I never said I was a supporter of that clown, I just believe in letting the court take it's time to do the job properly and not rush through it just because everyone thinks he's obviously guilty of something. I said in my last remark that I agree in that it looks like he's ears deep in this thing but let the trial handle it. Looking guilty and being guilty are very different things that's why there are trials, lawyers, witnesses, judges and juries.
joseph bernert
10:09 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
that may have been a bit harsh...you seem to be a reasonable man....by the way...if big bobb and pleasant jane were in an "open marriage"...by did big bobb call the police to report her missing after just a few hours???...was big bobb the only one allowed to spend time with friends and lovers outside the home....please explain that mr. attorney griem....please....please....ooopps....you can't......
uaau
4:26 pm on Tuesday, July 24, 2012
In today's hearing it was stated that Bob approached Steve the appliance store owner last Fall or Summer about having one of his tenants "taken care of". Later, in February, he is back pounding on the back door of Steve's Appliance store; reportedly trying to have Joe Gentz " taken care of". My question is: Why would Bashara expect that Steve could make such arrangements? Is Steve like the Don Corleone / Godfather of Mack Avenue?